ITS  TIME FOR A MIDLAND RED  DAY TRIP
NEW BROCHURE NOW AVAILABLE - online, or from our Agents.

Our new January to June 2010 Day Trip and Excursion brochure is now out.  Its available from our Agents in person - OR  you can print off your own copy by clicking here. 

Lots of exciting trips including Tours Behind the Scenes at the BBC,  Down The Trenches, Going Potty, 4-day Citybreak to Liverpool,  Stoke Bruerne, Bletchley Park secrets, Tewkesbury, Blossom Tour Trail,  RAF Cosford,  Pork Pie and Cheese tasting, and other favourites are there too. There is also a second special run of the 144 route Birmingham to Worcester and The Malverns - a great day out by classic D9 double decker. See brochure by clicking here. 

Our latest TV appearance on "Priceless Antiques Roadshow" was broadcast at 6:30pm on Tuesday February 2nd on BBC2. Associated with the Antiques Roadshow, the programme was presented by Fiona Bruce. The section of the programme that featured our Wheels / Midland Red coach "WHEELS PIONEER" was presented by ceramics expert Will Farmer. The programme was filmed during 2009 in conjunction with the Clarice Cliff Collectors Club and features our classic red and black liveried coach in scenes around Stoke on Trent.  You either love or hate Clarice Cliff pottery, but she was important in the Potteries heritage. The crew filmed many sad scenes of once familiar areas of her life, from her apartment, the College of Art where she studied to where her factory once stood.  We toured the area with some serious fanatics of the Clarice Cliff Collectors Club from all over the world who brought their own knowledgeable guide of the area. The bus featured in over ten minutes of the programme with interviews conducted on board the coach, and with several scenes of the bus passing by.

World Aids Day

For the last two years Birmingham University have hired our Midland Red D9 double decker to promote World Aids Day on December 1st.  It's a great fun day to put over a serious point! 

The bus visited various buildings on the University site during the day and the students called in, making collections and giving out red ribbons, leaflets and the famous Terrence Higgins Trust advice packs and balloons etc.

There is no doubt that the bright red Midland Red double decker is a great advertising tool for any campaign where you want to get noticed, as the bus is such an icon of The Midlands.

See a slideshow of the event on our Latest News page.

Seasons Greetings to you all

Midland Red Coaches joined with Debenhams in November to provide a charity with a festive treat.

Our Classic Midland Red D9 bus picked up at Abbey Park Leicester on a special Christmas Service into Leicester,  The passengers were members of the Wishes4Kids charity for terminally ill children and their families. An almost full load of passengers were in for a surprise when Santa Claus welcomed them on board the bus.

The bus was complete with adverts for the charity which were provided by Midland Red Coaches and our adveritising contractor Brookfield Signs of Hinckley.

The bus travelled with Santa to take the children for a "Breakfast with Santa" experience provided by Debenhams.

On the way the bus travelled at walking pace through the centre area of the city shops with Santa waving to the many onlookers on the way.

Its OFFICIAL - Santa Claus arrives  by Midland Red bus !   

BBC use our D9 for Breakfast time Reports.

You can read all about it on our Latest News page.

SPECIAL D9 DAY in Leicester - 22nd November 2009

Its hard to believe but it is 30 years since the familiar D9 double decker ended everyday life with Midland Red.  Join in the Celebrations with us.

See our Latest News page for a full article and Slide Show of the day.

What do you know about The Midland Red?  We can talk to your Group.

Midland Red was once the largest bus company in the country outside of London.  Midland Red not only operated buses over a large area of the country, but they both designed and built their own vehicles. They were always the talk of the other manufacturers as the Midland Red designs were so advanced.

Besides all this, they were a very large employer, had a big family feel, with a wide social side with inter-garage events. The  manufacturing plant in Birmingham was one of the most advanced in Europe.   The once vast Midland Red is no more, and what is left is a shadow of its former self.  But what happened?  Why was it called "Midland Red"?  Why didn't it buy buses instead of making its own ?

If you are part of a regular meeting group who have, or would like, day trips out, and need a speaker for your guests, Midland Red Coaches can help.  We can  arrange for Ashley, one of our senior team to speak to your meeting. The talk is suited to any type of group as it can be tailored to your audience.  A small charge is made depending upon the location etc.

Get in touch with us to make further enquiries.   Email us at  buses@wheels.co.uk or call Ashley on 077 3388 4914

Midland Red Coaches and ARRIVA help Celebrate 80th Birthday for retired Driver Alf Barnett.

We were proud to be asked to help to make a special occasion even more special for a Leicester man.

See our Latest News page for a full article.

READY FOR TAKE OFF !

An extremely rare occurrance these days - a double decker on the Runway!

Read the full story on the Buses for Business page.

PART TIME EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

WE CURRENTLY HAVE A VACANCY 
FOR A BUS AND COACH   ENGINEER / FITTER
If you can maintain vehicles to MOT standards and more, undertake inspections and general repairs, or have any specialist skills in Bodywork, Electrics, or Restoration, then please get in touch.
Hours can be arranged to suit the right person and can be PART TIME OR FULL TIME
Please email us to introduce yourself to us, or pass on this information to someone who may be interested, Thank you.

We choose our drivers and engineering and office staff very carefully, Excellent customer care skills, reliability and good character are just our basic requirements. We are always pleased to hear from suitably qualified and experienced drivers who have that special ability to convert a journey ... into a joy !

 If you are an Engineer who can repair - rather than just "fit" a new component, and who have some experienced with traditional engines like Leyland, BMMO (Midland Red) and Gardner types especially, which are fitted in our vehicles we would also be pleased to hear from you.
We can offer many opportunities that will fit in with your time off - even if you are only able to help at Weekends, or Evenings please introduce yourself to us.      Contact us on:  077 3388 4914

In Search of  "old" Midland Red BUS ROUTES ! 

Take a look on the Excursions and Events page to see a write up of this special trip and details of the next trip.  

Its a popular trip and we are running another 144 Excursion in the Spring!

As Summer is well behind us and Autumn and Winter arrives, our classic bus Day Trips are focused on shopping and Christmas festivities !

As usual at this time of year our day trips are busier, Bonfire Night at Black Country Museum and Christmas at Rockingham Castle were fully booked long before the departure dates, but we knew these were popular from our previous visits, so did expect them to be very busy.  We have shopping trips to Merry Hill and Banbury, and of course our annual highlight was Ludlow where Christmas festivities were in full swing. This lovely English market town is very traditional with lots of small shops and some lovely Coffee Shops and Eateries.  Banbury Town for Shopping is coming up soon, and our last daytrip for this year is on 19th December and is our Saturday evening trip to The Victorian Christmas Evening, again at The Black Country Museum. We still have seats on this very atmospheric trip. The gaslit village, candle lit shops, and costumed village folk including the village bobby  are all worth the visit !  This is a premium event and must be booked in advance.

You can check out the remaining trips this year in our  July to December Day Trip leaflet.

The new 2010 leaflet is out now and also available to print from the Excursions, Tours and Events page or by clicking the blue button above..

Womens Institute celebrate their 90 years with a period Charabanc Ride and Afternoon Tea.

Probably the best dressed "costumed" Charabanc group we have taken out!  The driver gave a short history talk about Midland Red on arrival.

Newbold Pacey and Ashorne Womens Institute celebrated their 90th Birthday in July and enjoyed a ride around South Warwickshire including Warwick and Royal Leamington Spa.  Those not lucky enough to be on board waved and grasped for their phone cameras to catch the moment as we went along the Parade in Leamington Spa.

Then it was back to Ashorne for the four eldest members to lead the party between WI base and Ashorne Hall in a horse and trap for Afternoon Tea.  Then after cucumber sandwiches and special WI celebration cake it was back on the Chara for a ride back to the village.

Ashorne Hall was once the family home of Colonel May of matches fame (Bryant and May) and was later commandeered during the war years and after, and is now the training centre for what was once British Steel (Corus).

An extract of a letter from the WI who hired the bus:

More customers' letters can be found on our Buses for Business and Buses for Pleasure page

Weddings and our classic buses

We have had a pleasing Spring with Weddings and Partnerships in our classic buses and coaches.  

Check out lots more information on our Weddings and Partnerships page.

Midland Red Coaches help promote local Tourism

Midland Red Coaches are "local" to most areas in the Midlands, but as our customers know, we always try to visit places not instantly recognisable as tourism destinations yet have lots to offer - none more than North Warwickshire and surrounding areas. WHEELS Midland Red Coaches are members of Northern Warwickshire Tourism Association which is an independant organisation made up of lots of small businesses promoting the area to both locals and visitors - and always coming up with something new!

Recently our Double Decker D9 did a scenic and guided tour of Nuneaton and Bedworth - not your usual tourist hotspots, yet enthralling all those on board with an expert guide John Burton, giving lots of unknown facts about this area and its famous people including George Eliot. On board were some NWTA members and Mayors of Nuneaton and Bedworth and North Warwickshire.

Welcome  to  2009 - Spring is Here !

We have had an interesting Winter Season.  December was busier than usual. We operated some trips to drive through the festive lights of various Midlands towns which went rather well, and our Day Trips were all busy especially those favourites like Worcester and Ludlow which are now very popular annual events.  

Our Midland Red Travel Club is going from strength to strength with some customers buying Membership for their friends as part of their Christmas Present - a great and useful idea.

We have been visiting some Groups and Residential Homes  in our operating area, giving talks on the Midland Red and our Travel Club; a small fee is levied and subsequently groups which join our Club have  the fee deducted from the first of any coach hire charge plus pick ups at the door!

Our 2009 Day Trip leaflet has the information on prices which Travel Club members pay, and there are lots of great discounts on most of our  trips.  You can print off your own copy from the excursions and events page by clicking the highlighted link above.

077 3388 4914 - This number gets directly to us, but if we are engaged or with clients, you will be able to leave a message and we can return your call, but please leave your name, number and more importantly a message so that we can get back to you with some accurate information.  You can Book Day Trips, Private Hire etc by telephone and pay by Card, or by Cheque just as normal.   We look forward to hearing from you.

There were more Winter Weddings than usual too - in locations including Coleshill, Birmingham, and Berkeswell,  as well as some Corporate Private Hire bookings - some as far afield as Cambridge.

Then 2009 introduced itself with the weather we thankfully only get every eighteen or twenty years. But unlike London's red buses, our Midland Red classics carried on serving our customers.

See some of our winter work in pictures below

Angie's 70th Birthday event was set in the Derbyshire countryside just outside Ashbourne. Passengers braved the frosty day for a 1920's style Charabanc ride, picking up the Birthday Girl on the way for a celebration meal	Janis (in the yellow top) and friends set off from home to take a vintage Midland Red D9 bus ride into Worcester for a special Sunday Lunch with wonderful food and a surprise when one of the diners took the microphone and gave a singing rendition to complete the event.	The classic Bristol RE coach and our red D9 double decker were far away from home in Cambridge on a Corporate Hire for a London company.  The lunch was held in a University Hall, with guest speaker Michael Portillo.

On the Left:     A D9 in the heart of Worcester on a sleety afternoon taking guests and friends of the Birthday Girl out for a very special Sunday Lunch Bash.
On the Right:   An S23 temporarily parked in our car park at our depot and making a seasonal postcard picture.

Midland Red continued to operate in the snow...

These were really tough conditions - snow covering the entire front of the bus with the driver having to get out regularly and clean snow from the windscreen. 

An extract of a letter from the Customer who hired the bus:  Hi, Just wanted to drop you a little note, to thank you for making yesterday such a brilliant day for us and all our friends. I think everyone will remember their trip on the big red bus for a very long time to come, especially with the snow on the way back. Glad to hear that you got back safely, and would look forward to being able to use the bus again one day soon. Regards R&J More customers' letters can be found on our Buses for Business and Buses for Pleasure page

A Topical Chat - waiting for departure time! The Crews of our two-man operated buses in traditional (and original) Midland Red uniforms.

After a year of running as the lead coach on our Day Trip programme, we have now completed the refurbishment of our British Classic Leyland coach. 

This coach has 43 spacious coach seats fitted with retractor seatbelts and footrests, display curtains, and lots of legroom.  The improvements will make for added comfort of our loyal passengers.

In addition, there are two areas designed as seating areas for groups, where between three and eight passengers can sit together as one group.

The coach will again head our Day Trip programme for 2009 - with even more choice of destinations, more departures, and now an improved coach to ride aboard !

This modern classic Coach can also be available for PRIVATE HIRE - Ask us for details.

Update NEWS !!

We have added a comprehensive package of information for you to see on our WEDDINGS  and FUNERALS pages. These are services which we have offered for a long time, and we have a wealth of experience in offerering these services for you - please take a look at these new pages.

Also, our new 2009 Classic Day Trip leaflet is now available - print off your own copy from our Excursions, Tours and Events page.

 Great Fun on our "Limited Edition" Charabanc Outings

After many requests, this year we included a small number of our 2008 Day Trips using our open-sided unique Charabanc.  These were a great success and we have decided to make these tours a feature of our future programmes.

The South Warwickshire Countryside Tour will feature the Charabanc in future. This leisurely tour visits such places as Stoneleigh Abbey, Kenilworth, Royal Leamington Spa, Warwick, then travels eastwards via Offchurch, and then on the Roman Fosse Way to Hunningham Hill where we make a stop at Hill Top Farm. This is a farm with a countryside shop, selling all manner of locally produced food, including a great selection of breads, fresh meat and vegetable produce, pickles and chutneys.  Further inside you will discover their Eatery - the quality of food here is excellent, and is fresh from the farm-shop next door! You will find a range of hot and cold dishes, and the sandwiches are a meal in themselves too! Then from here it's back home via a ride around the country lanes.

THIS TOUR CAN ALSO BE ARRANGED FOR PRIVATE GROUPS using the Charabanc or any of our other classic vehicles.  The route may vary depending on your place of origin. Please email us to discuss details.

For many years WHEELS has had an Accessible Transport policy and have vehicles equipped with wheelchair facilities with passenger and or wheelchair lifts. These vehicles are available for wheelchair-bound passengers, and those who find it easier to use their wheelchair for part of the day and wish to transfer to a coach seat for the journey. WHEELS / Midland Red Coaches can also use the wheelchair accessible vehicles for disabled holidays too. We welcome enquiries from residential homes and sheltered housing groups.

Midland Red Coaches will help make any Day Out a special event.

This picture features the Bedworth Fellowship for the Handicapped who we have taken on holidays and day trips for a number of years.  Mrs Aston, their organiser is exceptional in her ability to cater for all needs, and in providing such a comprehensive package of knowledge and safety measures (including calling register to make sure everyone is aboard, and in having detailed notes of passengers' medication etc).  She deserves a medal for her work!

This picture features a holiday in Eastbourne, photographed outside the hotel. The famous Eastbourne Tennis tournaments are held in the stadium behind the coach. 

We are here for all your Midland Red Coaches Bus and Coach Hire enquiries and bookings, Day Trips out, Wedding Transport, Weekend Breaks, Turkey & Tinsel, traditional Coach Cruise Holidays by GrandUK, Wheelchair Access Coach, Classic Funeral Transport. And for Group Organisers  - we can make your life easier and  your group members'  day out enjoyable. Get in touch - by email us - buses@wheels.co.uk  or by calling  02476 633624

Charabanc Summoned to Lichfield Cathedral 

Special permission was granted to our Charabanc to park in the main entrance of Lichfield's beautiful Cathedral.  It was for a outing to celebrate a special birthday of the Arch Deacon of the Cathedral.

After picking up in The Close, unsuspecting family members were waiting at the outlying bus stops en-route, unaware that our unique Charabanc was coming to pick them up. At each bus stop the passengers were welcomed aboard and were shocked to see their head of family sitting happily on the front seat!

When the Arch Deacon was in his late teens he worked for a coach company in northern Staffordshire, so was able to tell the Driver some tales of how it was in the Good Old Days.

First stop was Trentham Gardens for Lunch, followed by a ride around some old haunts, then it was on to Shugborough Hall for Afternoon Tea.

It really was a splendid day - and perfect Charabanc weather was ordered too.  How could He refuse?

We operate various Tours and Day Trips to Lichfield - a perfect opportunity to visit the Cathedral. This tour  (and similar tours) can also be arranged for Private Groups, using the Charabanc or any of our other classic vehicles.  The route may vary depending on your place of origin. Please discuss this with us.

You will quickly see that we no ordinary bus and coach operator!  Wheels/Midland Red Coaches is a specialist company operating a range of traditional style vintage buses and classic coaches to suit most occasions. WHEELS / Midland Red Coaches  is based in the midlands and operates over an approximate sixty mile radius of our base.  We obviously make some exceptions to this according to specific itineraries. We travel anywhere in the UK for TV and Film work which we wish to be involved in.  We cover all midlands areas including Coventry, Bedworth,  Nuneaton, Leamington Spa, Warwick, Kenilworth, Hinckley, Leicester, Coleshill and North Warwickshire, Birmingham, and  in fact most of the East Midlands and West Midlands area. 

Our vehicles are suitable for most occasions:       a stylish Wedding with white ribbons and flowers, an important product launch, a trip to the zoo, a Stately Home, or a day at the races watching the horses from the elevated position of our open sided Charabanc or from the top of one of our double deckers;  a simple transfer to the airport, or the transport for an entire conference. Recapture those lazy afternoons on a nostalgic Mystery Tour, or we could be simply providing vehicles for important railway replacement services during the rebuilding of our railway network. We can provide buses for Television and Film makers - our patient and uniformed Drivers are used to long or difficult shoots - interesting buses for transport rallies or carnivals or village fates, and we can even provide transport arrangements for funerals too.  Whether it be a plain and simple journey or whether you need us to organise highly complex arrangements - every journey is special, and every arrangement deserving the best in care and attention to detail and organised by professionals with many years of experience in the business..

Although the bus and coach interests of WHEELS / Midland Red Coaches go back a long way, our staff themselves have even more years of experience with some of the biggest and best companies in the people-moving industry.  So often today, in all types of business, people with little or no product knowledge and precious little experience offer you second rate service.  Wheels / Midland Red Coaches staff have practical skills and an in-depth knowledge gained from years of hands-on experience, to give you confidence and peace of mind.  In preparation for the Midland Red Centenary and in view of our past connections with the Company and its successors we were successful in buying the Midland Red Coaches company and name and subsequently FOUR ex Midland Red vehicles including our famous D9 double decker and a unique charabanc  with origins dating from 1929 and S23 single deck models.  2006 brought another cause for celebration when our BMMO D9 had its 40th Birthday Party.

The WHEELS fleet of buses and coaches is picked  from a fine pedigree of traditional British names - Leyland, BMMO, Bristol,  AEC. These were once the foundation of the British bus and coach industry.  Well engineered, rugged and reliable, most were the classic British heavyweight designs.  In fact all our fleet is of British design and manufacture !  Not many companies can say that these days !

It goes without saying that our fleet is well maintained, and that our vehicles are driven by properly licenced, experienced and smartly uniformed drivers, and our vehicles are correctly insured for operating for hire.  Our vehicles also carry the blue operators' licence disc in the windscreen in addition to the normal tax disc.  It has been known for some vintage bus owners to hire out their vehicles without an operators' licence and without correct insurance which puts their unsuspecting passengers at serious risk.

(We are pleased to announce that the vacancy below is now filled).

PART TIME DRIVERS
If you have previously worked as a bus or coach driver and would like to help us occasionally on our Heritage, Tour, Excursion and Private Hire work, please contact us and get our Application Form.  We will be keen to hear from you if you are a good communicator, are absolutely reliable, of good character and get on well with customers and of course have a good driving record and can demonstrate that you can care for our buses and coaches..

LATEST NEWS
Don't forget to check regularly by clicking Latest News section.

ADVERTISING ON OUR BUSES -- FOR BUSINESS -  If you are in business why not consider advertising on our buses,  We have internal and external advertising spaces all at very reasonable prices. The income assists us with our restorations projects and the advertising exposure brings new opportunities to you.  We can design in conjunction with you, produce and fit the adverts for a time to suit your business. Speak to us soon!Wheels Coach Hire - Excursions Tours and Events

BUSES FOR BUSINESS - Conferences, Exhibitions, Hotel Transfers, Tourist Services, TV and Films, Park & Ride,  Railway Replacement Services.

BUSES FOR PLEASURE - Weddings, Anniversaries, Theatre Trips, Mystery Tours, Transport Rallies, Carnivals, Excursions, Holidays, and lots more!

INCOMING COACH OPERATORS NOTE:

We can help with your local requirements when you are in the Midlands area. We can  often provide a vehicle with driver to help most other bus or coach operators in times of acute shortage, whether this be vehicle breakdown, or your driver needs cover for (RTA) Drivers Hours regulations, or even if you are simply short of a vehicle.  WHEELS / Midland Red Coaches are experienced in Local Bus Services as well as Coach Operations, although we normally have an operational radius of around 60 miles from start point.  We will handle all bus and coach work, and we can arrange Tour Planning, Itineraries, all inclusive hotel accommodation, Guides for specific or general locations,  food and refreshments and admissions as necessary.  We also work with other respected names in the bus industry if your booking requires other types of buses or coaches which we consider more suitable to your needs - e.g. mass movement etc. We will of course make you aware of any other companies involvement in your travel plans, unless this is made in an emergency. Contact WHEELS / Midland Red Coaches- we will try to help. 

Have a look through our bus and coach pages where you can see some of our vehicles and read a little about their long and interesting history, see our list of Excursions and Heritage Tours, and do check our Latest News page to find out the up-to-date gossip.

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