The Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co. Ltd., who traded as Midland Red, began serving Leicester in 1920.
This Leicester District guide is believed to be the first publication that Midland Red produced for its Leicester based services and from the route numbers on the map shown in the centre pages can be dated to 1922.
Midland Red faced an uphill struggle to establish themselves in the area as there was a host of smaller operators providing competition on almost every route. By 1928 there were 399 vehicles running in opposition on Midland Red routes representing no less than 95 proprietors. Within the city the company was also bound by the restrictions imposed by the Corporation to protect their own routes.
Despite these difficulties Midland Red operations grew with acquisitions of routes from other operators. Eventually Midland Red became the dominant bus operator in the county. Following the deregulation of the bus industry in 1986 Midland Red became Midland Fox and then in more recent times was absorbed within the large Arriva group and continues to provide the most comprehensive network of bus services in the county.
