Midland (bus operator)

The company was originally started as Liyell Ltd trading as Midland Choice Travel established by ex-London Forest manager Tom Young and business partner Barrie Marsden in 1992 with two Leyland Leopard coaches and three Leyland Nationals in a lime green and yellow livery, from which the company got its name (LIme green YELLow).

Over the next few years the business thrived; during the 1993 West Midlands Travel bus strike a fleet of 30 buses were hired from across the country to cover services.

Former Stevensons MD and Metropolitan manager Julian Peddle bought a share in the company and it joined his "Status Bus & Coach Group" in 1999.

Superline ran along the main arterial route between Walsall-Leamore-Bloxwich and Mossley, using their own respective service numbers (Choice 171 and TWM 301).

This enabled Choice to further update its fleet with newer low floor Dennis Darts (sporting Plaxton, East Lancs and Marshall bodies) and some mid life Mercedes-Benz midibuses.

An agreement was struck at the last minute, which saw several of A2Z's routes and buses transfer to Choice Travel in Wednesfield, in addition to the Operations Manager of A2Z.

The company also operates services in other parts of the West Midlands as well as Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire from its base in Wednesfield.

Young also purchased a pair of new step-entrance Northern Counties-bodied Dennis Darts for route 171; the ageing Leyland Nationals were withdrawn in favour of newer stock.

Fleet additions in 2012 included two double-deck Dennis Trident 2 buses and three Scania OmniLinks, all from Nottingham City Transport.

Subsequently, Wednesfield depot operated standard Arriva buses including a batch of ex-Arriva London Alexander ALX400 bodied DAF DB250.