Canterbury couple turn bus into a new home

PaxVobiscum · 29th June 2012, 21:09

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-18651140

Quote:

A young couple who could not afford a deposit for a house have turned a double decker bus into their first home.

Daniel Bond and Stacey Drinkwater from Canterbury bought the bus for £3,000 and have spent £11,000 installing plumbing, a kitchen and a bedroom.

That looks like fun! Any other unusual conversions for a double decker apart from exhibitions and mobile youth clubs?

Badger · 29th June 2012, 21:41

Damn, they got there before me.

The problem I had when I was going to do it was finding out how and where to connect it to electricity and plumbing, etc. I didn't know anything about it and couldn't find anything. I was going to wrap it in brick-like cladding and construct a gable roof out of MDF though

I'd have used a Metrobus.

Ivo · 29th June 2012, 23:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Badger

Damn, they got there before me.

The problem I had when I was going to do it was finding out how and where to connect it to electricity and plumbing, etc. I didn't know anything about it and couldn't find anything. I was going to wrap it in brick-like cladding and construct a gable roof out of MDF though

I'd have used a Metrobus.

I've had that idea too, and would probably have used an early Trident (maybe an ex-Southend W-reg one to spite them

) to make it easier for my sister when her second baby comes in a few months. I wonder if this couple actually know anything about the bus in question - although surely they would still need a PSV licence to drive it?

ushawk · 29th June 2012, 23:31

Think thats an ex-Eastbourne Bus, the Welcome Aboard sticker i think is the ones they used before the Stagecoach takeover and subsequent withdrawal, bits of interior look exactly the same too. Bit weird thinking that i have probably used a bus which people are now living in !!

Ivo · 30th June 2012, 03:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by ushawk

Think thats an ex-Eastbourne Bus, the Welcome Aboard sticker i think is the ones they used before the Stagecoach takeover and subsequent withdrawal, bits of interior look exactly the same too. Bit weird thinking that i have probably used a bus which people are now living in !!

I can just about make out its number plate at the start; it appears to be J642 CEV. This is an ex-Eastbourne Leyland Olympian, acquired from Dublin in the mid-2000s (i.e. towards the end of its active life).

Interestingly, note this comment on Flickr. Coincidence? Perhaps not...!

richw · 30th June 2012, 07:17

Ivo- a Psv licence to be required would depend how many seats remain, I believe if it has less than 9 seats remaining a Psv licence is not required. I noticed it said 8 on the number of passengers notice.

And haven't travellers been living In old buses for years.

Schnellzug · 30th June 2012, 07:29

And it's not a routemaster!!
I couldn't think of anything better to live in than an Olympian.

anthony263 · 30th June 2012, 18:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by richw

Ivo- a Psv licence to be required would depend how many seats remain, I believe if it has less than 9 seats remaining a Psv licence is not required. I noticed it said 8 on the number of passengers notice.

And haven't travellers been living In old buses for years.

You are correct RichW since it has been converted to a home a Psv licence will not be requiried. The same applies for driving some older vintage buses as well.

I have not seen this done with a double decker although there are a few ex First Mercedes-benz minibuses running around which have been converted to camper vans

mbonwick · 30th June 2012, 18:46

Would still need a PCV licence I think as it has an unladen weight of greater than 3.5 tonnes.

richw · 30th June 2012, 20:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbonwick

Would still need a PCV licence I think as it has an unladen weight of greater than 3.5 tonnes.

Would it not become need for a lgv/ hgv licence rather than pcv. and if the driver has an older licence, issued pre 2001, then (s)he would be able to drive up to 7.5 tonnes on normal licence

deltic1989 · 30th June 2012, 21:02

This is what Direct Gov has to say about driving a Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) on a car licence. It would appear that if it has 8 or less passenger seats and is not used for hire or reward then they are in the clear, but may need and HGV due to the weight.

GearJammer · 30th June 2012, 21:25

I think it looks really good.... on the inside, as has been said, travellers have used buses to live in for years, so as not to get labelled as pikies etc i think id get the out side resprayed so it looks a bit more presentable.

29th June 2012, 21:41	#2
Badger Member Join Date: 16 Oct 2011 Location: Wolverhampton Posts: 614	Damn, they got there before me. The problem I had when I was going to do it was finding out how and where to connect it to electricity and plumbing, etc. I didn't know anything about it and couldn't find anything. I was going to wrap it in brick-like cladding and construct a gable roof out of MDF though I'd have used a Metrobus. __________________ My pet project: Afar, free MMORPG

29th June 2012, 23:31	#4
ushawk Established Member Join Date: 5 Nov 2010 Location: Eastbourne Posts: 1,493	Think thats an ex-Eastbourne Bus, the Welcome Aboard sticker i think is the ones they used before the Stagecoach takeover and subsequent withdrawal, bits of interior look exactly the same too. Bit weird thinking that i have probably used a bus which people are now living in !! __________________ TOCs Used in 2013 - CH, FC, GA, SE, SN, VT Classes travelled on in 2013 - 168, 171, 313, 319, 375, 377, 390, 90/MK3

30th June 2012, 18:46	#9
mbonwick Established Member Join Date: 26 Oct 2006 Location: Milnthorpe (Nr. Kendal) Posts: 5,274	Would still need a PCV licence I think as it has an unladen weight of greater than 3.5 tonnes. __________________

30th June 2012, 21:02	#11
deltic1989 Napier Power!!! Established Member Join Date: 21 Sep 2010 Location: Nottingham Posts: 1,054	This is what Direct Gov has to say about driving a Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) on a car licence. It would appear that if it has 8 or less passenger seats and is not used for hire or reward then they are in the clear, but may need and HGV due to the weight. __________________ Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.- Albert Einstein

30th June 2012, 21:25	#12
GearJammer Member Join Date: 12 Nov 2009 Location: On the Southern Posts: 704	I think it looks really good.... on the inside, as has been said, travellers have used buses to live in for years, so as not to get labelled as pikies etc i think id get the out side resprayed so it looks a bit more presentable. __________________ Keep on Truck'in.

30th June 2012, 07:17	#6
richw cornish train fan Established Member Join Date: 10 Jun 2010 Location: Cornwall mostly Posts: 2,522	Ivo- a Psv licence to be required would depend how many seats remain, I believe if it has less than 9 seats remaining a Psv licence is not required. I noticed it said 8 on the number of passengers notice. And haven't travellers been living In old buses for years.

30th June 2012, 07:29	#7
Schnellzug le Petit Train Jaune Established Member Join Date: 22 Aug 2011 Location: Evercreech Junction Posts: 2,926	And it's not a routemaster!! I couldn't think of anything better to live in than an Olympian.