The Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Trust (BMMOT) is a UK-based nonprofit organization established in 1977, focused on preserving the history and heritage of bus transport in the Midlands region. It is registered as a charitable trust under charity number 507191.

History

The Trust was initially formed as a society dedicated to the preservation of historic buses and related transport artifacts. After two years of dedicated work, it was formally constituted as a legal trust in November 1977 and subsequently accepted as a registered charity by the Charity Commissioners[1][3]. This new legal status enabled the Trust to make significant progress, including the establishment and development of a museum to exhibit its collection.

Activities and Collections

The Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Trust operates a transport museum located at Wythall, which houses a collection of historic buses, related vehicle artefacts, photographs, films, and archives. The museum serves as an educational resource and a cultural repository that chronicles the evolution of bus transport in Birmingham and the wider Midlands area[1][3][4].

The origins of the buses and materials preserved by the Trust relate closely to the history of the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (historically known as Midland Red), which was one of the largest bus operators in the Midlands from its inception in the early 20th century until 1981[2][5]. The Trust's collection and archival efforts preserve the legacy of this influential company and its motor omnibus services.

Mission

The Trust’s mission is to safeguard and promote the understanding of the history of motor omnibus transport in the Midlands through the preservation of vehicles, archives, and related artefacts. It also aims to support educational activities, historical research, and community engagement related to the regional transport heritage[1][3][4].

The Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Trust remains an important custodian of the Midlands’ transport history through its dedicated preservation and educational work, ensuring that the story of regional bus transport is kept alive for future generations.

[1] https://www.wythall.org.uk/story [2] https://localtransporthistory.co.uk/fleetlists/bmmo/ [3] https://www.communityarchives.org.uk/content/organisation/birmingham-midland-motor-omnibus-trust [4] https://www.nationaltransporttrust.org.uk/affiliate-list/15_birmingham-mid-motor-omnibus-trust [5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midland_Red