Thanks to Paul Robinson from the Isle of Wight Bus and Coach Museum for this fascinating news about yet another Isle of Wight bus. In his own words. Ed
Whilst a former Isle of Wight bus, masquerading in red London livery, has made recent headline as an Olympics publicity stunt as it is raised and lowered on a giant ‘human arms’, another of the same type is returning to the Island on Saturday after an epic trip to Kathmandu in Nepal.
As part of the Isle of Wight Bus Museum’s collection, it has been away for 16 months initially for a trial training run into Europe and then after mechanical preparation in the Home Counties, on the grueling run through Europe, the Middle East, Central and South East Asia to Nepal.
The bus now painted cream and orange named ‘Tadpoles’ is a 54 year old Bristol Lodekka that spent the first two decades of its life in normal service, carrying tourists around the Isle of Wight.
Gap year transport
It was sold to Top Deck Travel, a London organisation set up by Australian vet Bill James and Graham Turner to provide ‘gap year’ transcontinental holidays on the ‘Happy Trail’ in old buses converted with living and sleeping accommodation.
‘Tadpoles’ had already made the annual Nepal journey many times until being retired from the run, (as the last of the 80 adapted buses containing bunks and kitchen) in 1997 and placed on display at the Bus Museum on Newport Quay.
Because of the low mileage many Isle of Wight buses from Southern Vectis fleet were much sought after on the export market and could be found in the U.S.A and all over Europe.
Recreating the experience
The purpose of the last Nepal trip by ‘Tadpoles’ was to recreate the overland experience enjoyed by thousands of young people in the 70s, 80s and 90s, but this time led by Canadian Jordan Cross, now living in West London and who will be driving the bus back this weekend and Central Coast Australians Adam Dowden and Mitch Turner.
Jordan had read the book, ‘Topdeck Daze’ relating the experiences of Bill James and Graham Turner on those early pioneering trips into unknown territory and hazards and was inspired to organise one last run for ‘Tadpoles’.
Kathmandu for Christmas
The group of four girls and seven boys aged between 19 and 32 reached Kathmandu in time to enjoy a Christmas meal after climbing the Najarkot Peak of the Himalayas.
The journey continued to Mumbai from where the bus was eventually shipped to the port of Livorno in Italy, althought it had been delayed by radiator trouble in a remote Indian village, (as it had been earlier in Istanbul).
The main party then flew to Sydney while the bus made the slow sea journey during which time the clutch and a tool box were stolen. It was eventually repaired to be driven back across Europe from Italy.
Return to the Island
The bus is expected to cross from Portsmouth, (Gunwharf) on the 13:00 hours car ferry to Fishbourne on Saturday 11th August and to reach the Bus Museum on Newport Quay at 14:00 hrs
Why not take a moment out to watch a video slideshow of images of Top Deck buses used during their travel between 1973 to 1996.
Image: © IOW Bus Museum
