REDDILINK - The Redditch Minibus Network

Background Introduction

During late 1985 and early 1986, Midland Red (West) Limited joined the national minibus revolution and replaced existing mainly Leyland National operated routes in Worcester, Kidderminster and Redditch with the use of 104 new Mercedes minibuses. In the main this was on the ratio of three minibuses journeys to one Leyland National operated journey meaning hourly services were increased to every 20 minutes with the introduction of  minibuses. Many routes had section of “Hail and Ride” for passengers but unlike other areas existing bus stops were retained. The Worcester network was launched on 23rd November 1985 with 61 new Mercedes 608D 20 seat minibuses branded at Citibus.  Following the successful introduction of minibuses in Worcester the company was keen to introduce similar vehicles in Kidderminster and Redditch. The launch of a 25 vehicle network branded as Wyre Forest Shuttle took place on  10th March 1986 with Redditch following on 19th April 1986.

In the creation of both the Worcester and Kidderminster minibus networks the result was that the minibus drivers outnumbered the remaining drivers of the conventional vehicles at the garage. At launch of the minibus networks all the newly recruited drivers were trained to what at the time was know as a Class 3 licence meaning they could drive vehicles up to 8.5 metres in length. (Class 1 was any PSV vehicle, Class 2 was any single deck vehicle and Class 4 was any vehicle up to 5 metres in length). This prevented the drivers from driving larger vehicles without a further test  and helped to appease the union that the newly recruited drivers would mean a down grade in pay and conditions. All minibus drivers were paid less per hour and worked a basic 39 hour week. They were not paid breaks unless the duty had more than one break . All weekend work for all drivers was overtime time and half on Saturdays and time an a third on Sundays. This was in line with the standard Midland Red arrangements dating back to an agreement made following a strike in 1969  the union allocated weekend work. At Redditch the company met with greatest option from the existing drivers when it came to introducing the Reddilink network. This resulted in the Company threatened to set up a separate company if necessary to run the minibus network. A key concession was that the minibuses would not leave Redditch. This meant that Astwood Bank and Studley would have to wait for minibus services.  However the original destination blinds for the Redditch minibuses did have a service 50 with a destination of Inkberrow that was never used.    

The Initial Reddilink Network

The Initial Reddiich network was launched on Saturday 19th April 1986 with a network of 12 routes operated using 16 minibuses. The garage had an initial allocation of 18 vehicles which proved to be too small to maintain service. It was quiet normal to see Leyland Nationals substituting for minibuses. The network ran 7 days a week and on Mondays to Saturdays the 16 running cards required 26 drivers. The new network took the band name Reddilink rather than the original Reddibus brand name. However from 1990 as vehicles were repainted into Red and Cream livery the Reddibus brand name was readopted.

The initial network was as follows (the initial destination blinds in the vehicles did have a service 50 to Inkberrow but this was never introduced):

The Initial Fleet

25 Mercedes 608D were ordered from Robin Hood  and these were to to take the fleet numbers 1385 - 1409 and were to be registered C385-409RUY. The first 2 were for Kidderminster network to make up a total of 25 vehicles for that network as the other 23 they had were bodied by Reaves Burges. Their 2 Robin Hood vehicles became 1385 and 1386 and these vehicles would end up at Redditch in 1989 as the Redditch network expanded.  Of the remaining vehicles from the order only 19 more were delivered 1361 1361 (C361RUY) to replace the Spratts bodied vehicle for Worcester that was never delivered and the 18 vehicles for Redditch 1387-1404 C387-409RUY). The Redditch minibus network was launched on Saturday 18th April 1986 and the vehicles were painted in a yellow and red version of the then standard minibus livery and were branded Reddilink. The reduction in the order for Redditch was mainly due to union resistance to the introduction of minibuses but was to cause the garage problems as it soon became apparent that 18 buses to cover 16 vehicles worth of work was not sufficient. Of the all garages the minibuses at Redditch managed to clock up by far the highest mileage because the town benefits from an extensive network of bus lanes allowing fast running times. This is why First Midland Red in more recent years got rid of the Redditch vehicles first. Midland Red West used the C405RUY mark on a new Vauxhall Astra for Harry Aston who at the time was Redditch Garage Manager.

More information will be added .........