1953
Tour Bus
WNO 481 is a Bristol KSW double decker bus that started service in 1953 for Eastern National covering
Chelmsford and Colchester in essex.
1965
In 1965 it was converted by a garage in Chelmsford to the open top version we see today and was in service along the coast road
at Clacton-on- Sea and Walton-on-Naze where it was used to ferry Butlins holidaymakers among others. In 1968 it was acquired
by the Eastern Counties Ominbus Co for use in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and into parts of Essex.
1972
In 1972, for the Wings Over Europe Tour, Paul McCartney leased WNO 481 to use as the official tour bus. This iconic
double-decker earned the title of " The Most Famous Bus In The World " turning heads wherever it went. The band, with
their families- the top deck contained bean bags and play pens for the children- toured right across Europe covering 7500 miles
and visiting 9 countries and 25 cities!
1982
After the tour, the bus was bought by Tricentrol a much troubled company, where it continued in service until 1982 when it
was due to be scrapped. WNO 481 was saved from this however and was bought at auction and used for events such as
BAFTA London-Cannes Rally, and in 1993 repainted in its Wings livery and used at a Beatles Convention in Amsterdam.
2019
Some years passed, and it wasn't until 2019, having been discovered in Tenerife, originally on display outside
of a rock café then moved to the owners garden where it was sadly left to decay, that it was brought back to the
UK where the work started to restore it back to the glory days of 1972.
The renovation was finally completed in 2022 having been funded by 1972 Wings Tour Bus supports Club
2022
It has been an absolute privilege and our pleasure to be allowed to use the bus as a backdrop for The Paul McCartney Project and would like to thank
Carters Heritage Buses Ltd , for the opportunity to do so, and Mel Pettit Photography for the pictures
References:
Wikipedia
1972 wingstourbus.com