I need to get one of those buses! I grew up just outside the city limits so rode a Midland Red bus (service 151 IIRC) from Earlswood to the Bull Ring. I then walked across town to the Council House/Victoria Square and took a Birmingham City Corporation bus route 96 "Lodge Road" to the top of Newhall Hill, nearest stop to the Legge Lane factory of Ashton & Moore (Metal Colourers) Ltd. I have always liked the "regal" colours of Birmingham's buses. I seriously don't remember them ever carrying advertisements, by the way, and Youtube videos seem to confirm that.
Here is a photo I took a few years ago of the entrance to the Birmingham City Omnibus Depot in Digbeth:
All Corporation buses carried the coat of arms. The two figures represent Industry (blacksmith on the left) and Art (painter on the right).
As to the width of the buses, yes, Midland Red buses (all registered with HA for Smethwick) were larger than the Corporation buses, but then they generally travelled longer distances. The exception in Birmingham was and is the No. 11 Outer Circle which some say is the longest urban bus journey in Europe. The Inner Circle No. 8 was obviously very much shorter!
There are actually two number 11 routes, one clockwise (11C) and the other anti-clockwise (11A). I don't think I ever rode either but it is quite a common "right of passage" for younger Brummies today.
Thanks, for sharing, Larry, it stirred my brain cells quite "a bit".
Paul
PS Don't get me started on the trams, my family hate me starting up "The gap on the Bristol Road between the two lines of trees is where the tram to the Lickeys ran". GROAN from all and sundry.