Aldridge Transport Museum

I visited the Aldridge Transport Museum one very windy day in December 2025. It’s a small museum, but there were vintage buses on display and other very interesting exhibits.

As I always find in museums, the volunteer staff were very friendly and happy to answer any questions. Being near Christmas, the Christmas lights and decorations were up, which made for a friendly atmosphere and a great place for families to visit.

Location

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The Aldridge Transport Museum is dedicated to preserving the heritage of transportation in the region, particularly in and around Aldridge and the Walsall area. It was established in 1997 by a group of volunteers.

Aldridge is about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) from Walsall in the West Midlands. I stayed in Walsall while I was visiting the museum and I was impressed with the many shops that were there. The railway station and bus station were very close to the hotel I was staying in.

The museum is housed in a purpose-built facility that showcases a wide range of vehicles, some of which have local significance. There was a lot of information available in the form of detailed photographs and posters. And like most museums they have a bookshop and model vehicles to buy.

Of course I was mostly interested in the museum’s bus collection. Some of these buses have been fully restored, offering a glimpse into the interior and operational systems. It’s rare for a museum to allow visitors to board the buses on display and I thank the museum and the bus owners for allowing me access inside the vehicles to take photographs.

Some of the Buses on Display

Volvo B7TL Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini (2004): Photographed at the Aldridge Transport Museum

• Date New: 2004
• Engine: Volvo DLC
• Chassis: Volvo B7TL low-floor double-decker
• Body: Wrights of Ballymena
• Seating: 74 seats
• Original Operator: Travel West Midlands
• Fleet Number: 4679 (named Tony Hunter)
• Location: Aldridge Transport Museum, West Midlands

BMMO Son (1940): Photographed at the Aldridge Transport Museum

• Date New: 1940
• Registration Number: RC 7927
• Chassis: BMMO S.O.S. Son (1940)
• Body: Willowbrook
• Seating: 34 seats
• Engine: BMMO (Birmingham & Midland Motor Omnibus Company) 8.3 litre diesel
• Original Operator: Trent Motor Traction
• Fleet Number: 417
• Location: Aldridge Transport Museum, West Midlands

AEC Routemaster (1960): Photographed at the Aldridge Transport Museum

The ownipresent Routemaster - no matter what bus museum I visit, I’m likely to find a Routemaster, sometimes in a different livery.

• Date New: 1960
• Registration Number: WLT 506
• Body: Park Royal
• Seating: 64 seats (36 upper deck, 28 lower deck)
• Engine: Leyland 0.600 9.8 litre diesel
• Original Operator: London Transport
• Fleet Number: RM506
• Location: Aldridge Transport Museum, West Midlands

Daimler CLG5 (1954) & Leyland PD2 (1950): Photographed at the Aldridge Transport Museum

Midland Red 5870 (1967): Photographed at the Aldridge Transport Museum

• Date New: 1967
• Registration Number: LHA 870F
• Body: BMMO (Birmingham & Midland Motor Omnibus Company)
• Seating: 49 seats
• Engine: BMMO 10.5 litre
• Original Operator: Midland Red
• Fleet Number: 5870
• Location: Aldridge Transport Museum, West Midlands

The Malta AEC Mercury (1965)

Malta AEC Mercury (1965): Photographed at the Aldridge Transport Museum

AEC Mercury Factsheet. Text: © Aldridge Transport Museum

The Bank Bus

The Bank Bus, Daimler COGS (1935): Photographed at the Aldridge Transport Museum

The Bank Bus, Daimler COGS (1935): Text © Aldridge Transport Museum

Birmingham Trams

Birmingham Trams: Photographs © Aldridge Transport Museum

Birmingham Trams: Poster © Aldridge Transport Museum

The Wooden Car

The Hustler - Wooden Car: Photographed at the Aldridge Transport Museum

This very odd exhibit made me chuckle and I wondered how it would steer going round tight corners with those unusual four wheels at the rear. Here is the description, taken from the Museum Guide:

Hustler - Wooden 6 1750, 1985. Registration No. KS 0642

This kit car based on a 1972 Austin 1300 MK3 was built by its owner using marine plywood and with a Maxi 1750 engine, to a design by William Towns who felt there was a demand for low cost easily produced cars. It now stands out as an iconic item from the period.

A selection of vehicles currently under restoration

Restoration work at Aldridge Transport Museum

Ford Zodiac (1969): Photographed at the Aldridge Transport Museum

Restoration work at Aldridge Transport Museum

‘The Mechanical Horse’ Scammell MH3 (1944): Photographed at the Aldridge Transport Museum

Sources

• Aldridge Transport Museum
• Wikipedia: Aldridge Transport Museum
• Video: A walk around Aldridge Transport Museum

Further Information

• List of museums in the UK