Bosbury Buses

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The Birmingham & Midland Motor Omnibus Company was formed in 1904 and services began in 1905 using both horse-drawn and motor ’buses. The company adopted the deep red livery used by Birmingham General and very early on acquired the nickname of “Midland Red”. and the logo was changed to Midland. This was the bus service that first served Bosbury on its Worcester to Hereford via Ledbury route, which was given the service number 417 in the 1920s.

An early BMMO-built bus in service from 1940 to 1958.

The 1930 service was daily but varied mainly at weekends.
This is the Tuesday timetable.

In 1969 bus services were nationalised and the BMMO became the largest subsidiary of the newly-formed National Bus Company.

A BMMO type S14 bus used on service 417.

Another S14 bus by the Market House in Ledbury.

A Leyland Leopard bus.

In 1961 the service 417 route was shortened to run only between Worcester and Ledbury. The section to Hereford was replaced by the 477 running from Great Malvern via Ledbury to Hereford.

In 1974 the BBMO was renamed the Midland Red Ominibus Company by the NBC and the livery was subsequently changed to the NBC corporate colour, poppy red.

A Midland Red Leyland National Mk1 bus in Ledbury in 1979.

However in 1981 the bus services were privatised again and the new Midland Red (West) was formed. Up to 1986 the 417 service terminated at Cradley. However the 1998 timetable shows it once again connecting to Ledbury.

No Sunday service and the service was partly subsidised by
Herefordshire Council or Worcestershire County Council.

Also in 1988 there was a market day service 472 from Bosbury to Hereford operated by Martin Perry’s Bromyard Omnibus Company. Probably short-lived. In 1999 Midland Red (West) became First Midland Red. On the new FMR timetable the services were cut to two buses a day.

No Saturday or Sunday service. For journeys at other times
contact the Bromyard Omnibus Company.

From 2001 to 2004 the Bromyard Omnibus Company had the contracts for both the Bromyard to Ledbury (via Bosbury) service 673, and also the 417 service.

A Dennis Dart DT bus (Carlyle body)

From 2009 to 2017 the contract for service 417 passed to Astons Coaches of Worcester.

The contract passed back to First Midland Red in 2017

First Midland Red village bus in Bosbury

First Midland Red bus arriving in Ledbury

Here is a recent First Midland Red (Worcester)
Optare Solo bus by the Market House in Ledbury...

Another First Midland Red bus arriving in Ledbury

and in February 2023 a First Worcester City
Alexander-Dennis Enviro200 Dart bus ...

... and here is the 2018 onwards timetable. No Sunday service. And the bus company receives financial support from Herefordshire Council to run the service.

Now many single-deck buses are low-floor to comply with the requirements of the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR), 2000.

Many thanks to Gareth Calan Davies for sharing his local research which forms the basis of the information given here. Timetables are courtesy of Adam Harber at MidlandRed.net archives.

BSS 2023