The Majestic Bus

Feature 13595408 | © living4media / Narratives / Darby, Brent | 59 images

A dilapidated 1930s panoramic Bedford bus bought on Ebay has been lovingly converted by its owners Leila and Rob. It wasn’t in the best of states when it was delivered from South Wales on a low-loader truck. The exterior panels and bodywork had been removed and were in a heap inside the bus as was the back windscreen which came in two halves. The interior was filthy, but fortunately, it had been stored undercover so the rain hadn't penetrated the interior. Their friends and family thought they were mad to even contemplate such a project. But, five months later they have been proved wrong and can’t believe the transformation into a fully functional living space. The majority of the work has been carried out themselves; Layla designed and decorated it and Rob, with the help of a designer friend refurbished it. Salvaged materials have been used throughout the interior; the oak worktops, table and window sills came from bales of oak offcuts from their local sawmill; cupboards and seating were built using materials from an old sauna Rob got from a house clearance; the woodburner and fridge were Ebay purchases and the gas cooker was from Rob's grandmothers old mobile home. All the furniture and accessories came from local charity shops or eBay. They’ve utilised many local skills, adding pottery, artworks, stained glass, fabrics and tiles into the buses decor which give it its unique look.