Browns ‘BLUE’ turns Midland ‘RED’

Join us for a fabulous event including a heritage bus display and free heritage bus rides in the Coalville area – something for all the family!

The Leicester Transport Heritage Trust are organising an event to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the take-over of Leicestershire’s largest independent bus operator, Browns Blue, by Midland Red in March 1963.

The main event will take place on Sunday 26th March, from 10 am to 4 pm, at the Sunnyside Garden Centre, Leicester Road, Ibstock, LE67 6HL right in the middle of Browns Blue’s former operating territory.

The Garden Centre has an excellent café/restaurant and toilet facilities plus car parking on site. A large parking area at the rear has been reserved for us and we are expecting to display up to 20 buses and coaches. Owners of a number of former Midland Red buses and coaches along with local vehicles have already confirmed their attendance and Mick Gamble’s Browns Blue liveried RT (KLB 596) will naturally be the ‘Star’ of the show.

Additional Roberts Travel Group will also be attending with one of their latest Luxury Holiday Coaches and Arriva will have a new Enviro 400 on display.

Free local heritage routes (C1 and C2) will leave Sunnyside on a frequent basis serving Ibstock, Ravenstone, Snibston Colliery Park, Hermitage Park, Whitwick, Coalville and Ellistown. Both services will provide a regular service to Snibston Colliery Park where there will be indoor sales stalls, model displays together with coal mining tours. There are also café and toilet facilities at Snibston Colliery Park and historic transport films will be shown, free of charge, in the historic Century Theatre which is also on the site.

There will be a Free single-deck Mystery Tour (C3) running from Snibston Colliery Park at 10.45, 11.45, 1.45 and 2.45. This will present a rare opportunity to photograph heritage buses in their former surroundings. 

A heritage bus from will connect with the event from Leicester. Departing from St. Margaret’s Bus Station (Stand SZ) at 9 am and returning from the Sunnyside Garden Centre at 4 pm. There will be a number of pick-up points on the way. Full details of the pick-up points and additional information about the event are on the LTHT website – www.ltht.org.uk/events-for-your-diary/.