Redline Bus Company

The Redline Bus Company was the brain child in 1987 of Mick Elkins who at the time was Bus Station Inspector for Midland Red West at Redditch. He teamed up with fellow inspector Stan Pemberton and applied for a two vehicle Operators License. This was duly granted and a peak hour service was registered over the MRW routes 57 and 58. The Redline routes took the service numbers 7 and 8. MRW promptly sacked the two Inspectors - there was no going back! On Monday 12th October 1987 Redline started operating with two double deckers GCN812G (fleet number 101) and FBL112K (fleet number 102). The vehicles were used on a peak hours only service both running as service 7 in the morning and 8 in the afternoon. Midland Red West responded from day one and within weeks was operating its own double deckers drafted in from Bristol Cityline. On 18 April 1988 the Redline service was improved with the Monday to Friday peak service running in both directions and an all day service being provided on Saturdays. On 6 September 1988 two journeys in each direction on Schooldays were extended to/from St Augustines School, replacing the Midland Red West school service S77. In the latter part of October 1989 the partnership broken up and bus services were transferred to a new company called Kingfisher Bus Company formed by Mick Elkins.