Joseph Whitehouse was a local councillor who started an omnibus service from Nuneaton - Stockingford on 7th November 1913. Joe Whitehouse, a greengrocer by trade, lived at 386 Croft Road. The first bus - registration number AC26 was purchased from Tilling Stevens, and was delivered to Nuneaton by a Tilling Stevens driver called Fred Scarr. Fred liked the area so much he stayed on and worked for Joe Whitehouse on his new bus route. The bus was painted red and white. Joe Whitehouses bus services were in direct competition and a thorn in the side of another bus company then operating the North Warwickshire Motor Omnibus and Traction Co. Ltd which was incorporated on 14th October 1913. Stiff competition ensued and it was not long before the Nuneaton & Stockingford company were accused of running their service in front of the North Warwickshire buses to poach their business. Joe Whitehouse soon ordered two new buses. In January 1914 a new double decker was obtained. Then in April 1914 a single decker. Soon merger was on the cards between the two rival companies, but this was complicated because it emerged Tilling Stevens had an interest in the Nuneaton & Stockingford Company and this delayed matters although by Monday 8th June 1914 the merger did take place. Eventually through later mergers the bus we see here ended up in the possession of the Midland Red on 1st February 1918. I am sure that bus enthusiasts know its ultimate fate, but Fred Scarr stayed on as a bus driver with the Midland Red for many years and became the father in law of the well known local Nuneaton councillor and book dealer - Reg. Hadden. (Courtesy Ruby Atkins, from the Reg. Bull Collection)

A school children's outing with the Midland Red in 1932. Those old charabancs with their canvas tops and open sides would not be allowed today. There is a rare film of this outing on the web site under "Films". (Malcolm Curtis)

Inside Nuneaton Bus Garage (courtesy of Alan Cook)

One snowy day in the 50's near the "Lamb & Flag" on the N37 service to Stockingford Station. The conductor sports leather boots. (Alan Cook Collection)

On 18th November 1957 there was a bad accident in Griff Hollows, Nuneaton when a motorcyclist collided with a Midland Red double decker, killing the rider and overturning the bus. (Geoff Edmands)

This was one of the few occasions a member of the public could examine the underside of a bus close up and live to tell the tale. (Geoff Edmands)

The righted bus. One would imagine it was a right off after this amount of damage. (Geoff Edmands)

A Midland Red bus steals the show in Bedworth, but who are the kids?

One of Monty's old buses parked out of use on former open ground now taken up by the car park of the Attleborough Arms pub. Behind the bus is the striking Lebanese cedar tree which once stood in the grounds of Attleborough Hall.

A couple of Monty's bus's in Nuneaton bus station with the former concrete bus-shelters which stood from 1956 until September 1988 when they were replaced by new steel and polycarbonate shelters which are there until the today. The Monty on the right looks like it is on the Gipsy Lane route.

A works outing from one of the Quarries at Hartshill.

A lorry belonging to W.A.Taberer, a local builder in Nuneaton. (Ted Veasey)