DHA 962C

This coach was one of only 29 of the type "CM6T" made by Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus, -more commonly known as "Midland Red"- whom, rather than purchasing commercially manufactured vehicles, designed and built their own for many years.
(A history of the vehicle type is available on the Midland Red.net website, or for further detail we heartily recommend Steve Richards' book, "Midland Red Motorway Coaches". Click link to order your copy)
Designed and built with the express intention of being used on express motorway services, these coaches were a sucessor to the iconic "CM5" type, pioneered in 1959, and were revolutionary in their construction method (fully integral), and more notably for their execeptional speed... The speedometer only actually went up to 80 mph, but they were commonly known among drivers and crestfallen motorists alike as being capable of in excess of 100 mph!


The coach was again purchased by a friend of Elderson Coaches' Charles Kenward (as a replacement for 588 CWP) in the late 1970s, and again, Charlie was actively involved in driving and working on the coach. Fitted with (numerous!) internal bunk beds, a fully-functional *flush* toilet, kitchen and living facilities, like 588 CWP, the coach was used by a private group in Bromsgrove for extensive tours and awaydays, including several trips to the continent during their ownership. (An image of the coach waiting in the queue for the cross-channel ferry is included on this page!). The image to the left shows some of the group, including Luke's mother and father, pictured with the vehicle, and as the caption shows, Luke's mother is very clearly carrying him, dating the photograph some time in late 1977/early 1978.
Accepted history of the vehicle prior to our ownership is somewhat contentious- To the best of OUR knowledge the coach was purchased direct from Midland Red by a local salvage dealer based at Fairfield, near Bromsgrove, and was then leased to various operators, including Longbridge Engineering (for use as a works shuttle in construction of the M5), possibly Morris of Pencoed and later Evertons Coaches of Droitwich- however, contrary to accepted belief, none of these operators were ever actually the legal owners.
We believe the coach was one of 2 owned by the dealer, the other being 5663/DHA963C which was painted yellow!
Interestingly, it is believed that buyers of ex-Midland Red vehicles were not permitted to use them for further commercial service (which is why very few passed to other operators). An apochryphal tale locally is that when the dealer whom we subsequently purchased the coach from was found to be leasing the coaches out for further service, they were no longer permitted to purchase ex-Midland Red stock.
Apochryphal or otherwise, We do know beyond doubt that these were the last 2 vehicles they ever had from Midland Red!!!

The coach left us in the early 1980s and was passed on directly to the Birmingham and Midland Museum Of Transport at Wythall in Worcestershire; it has subsequently passed into private ownership and though presently in poor bodily condition, having been used as a source of parts for 5656 while at Wythall, it is in storage in a barn in Staffordshire and rumoured to be under restoration.
We certainly hope so and look forward very much to seeing this very special coach back on the road.

We are very grateful to Mr C G "Wag" Evans for allowing us to use the recent images of this coach.
We would love to hear more about the restoration progress of 5662 from anybody "in the know" and can
be contacted by email at luke@eldersoncoaches.co.uk or on the phone numbers on our homepage.