Welcome aboard!
From all the available photo’s we have recreated as faithfully as possible the interior layout of the lower deck. The seats were originally thought to be from an aircraft but they actually came from a coach identical to the 1970 England World Cup Team Coach with tables. The seat fabric was reproduced especially for us by Camira Fabrics, thank you Nigel Watkins and Rachel Preston. The nearside front seats facing back are where Paul and Linda mostly sat and their names have been put on the white headrests. There was a fridge and washing machine in the kitchen area and the bunk beds were used by Heather, Mary and Stella McCartney.
All around the bus are images showing the story of Paul’s love of buses right from his childhood, through how he helped create the biggest band of the 1960’s, The Beatles, then created Paul McCartney & Wings, how he met WNO 481 and created the Legend Of Rock & Road that is the 1972 Wings Tour Bus that carried Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Heather, Mary & Stella McCartney, Wings members Denny Laine, Henry McCullough and Denny Seiwell, wives and girlfriends over 12,000 km’s / 7,500 miles to play 25 concerts in 25 cities in 9 countries across Europe on the way to achieving the pinnacle of stadium rock and the mantle of the biggest band of the 1970’s (Britannica).
July and August 2022 mark the 50th Anniversary of that legendary and pivotal Paul McCartney & Wings Over Europe Tour and we are getting ready…
EVENTS
Come along and meet the real thing, the authentic one-off, unique, historic and iconic 1972 Wings Tour Bus being restored to full McCartney layout and livery plus the newly re-imagined top deck The McCartney Stage.
“To paraphrase 5th Beatle Abbey Road Producer George Martin, If you believe as I do that a bus, like a house, has atmosphere capable of absorbing the personalities and emotions of its inhabitants, you will have no difficulty in appreciating the unique quality of
Paul McCartney’s 1972 Wings Tour Bus WNO 481” – Tom Jennings
26th August 2022 CLACTON TOWN SQUARE:
We have been invited to display Paul McCartney’s 1972 Wings Tour Bus WNO 481 in Clacton Town Square on 26th August 2022 the weekend of The Clacton Air Show.
11 – 13th November 2022 THE NEC BIRMINGHAM:
The Classic Motor Show
www.fbhvc.co.uk
The FBHVC – Federation Of British Historic Vehicle Clubs has over 250,000 members in the UK and over a million worldwide through affiliates and we are delighted that the FBHVC have taken us under their ‘Wings’ (pun intended).
1972 Wings Tour Bus WNO 481 is booked to ‘star’ at The Classic Motor Show in November on the FBHVC stand at the entrance to Hall 5, next to Starbucks so everyone gets to see it.
VIDEO
Discover how Paul McCartney gave WNO 481, a 20 year old English seaside special open top double decker bus, its Wings and created the Legend Of Rock & Road that is 1972 Wings Tour Bus.
CLICK TO CHECK OUT HISTORIC & RESTORATION PHOTO’S & VIDEO’S
Look out for more 1972 Wings Tour Bus tour videos coming soon.
Paul McCartney tasked Tom Salter, Promoter and owner of the very famous Gear boutiques in Carnaby Street, to obtain a double-decker bus for the upcoming European tour. It was Salter who arranged the artists, painters and other workers to create the bus artwork and layout, including the destination blind for the front of the bus, as well as a signwriter to write the band names on the rear.
We were delighted to connect with Tom Salter through Facebook and he sent a very cool message of goodwill and will be part of the project going forward.
“Hello, delighted to discover this endeavour as I was part of the team in the beginning. I used to have shops (Gear Boutiques) in Carnaby St and Kings Rd back in the 60s and 70s, and was partners with John Morris of Woodstock and The Rainbow fame, and was on the (1972 Wings Over Europe) Tour for a while, and helped get it all off the ground. I’ve lived in the USA for a number of years but now back in London. Good Luck with the project.”
Tom Salter recalls the time he spent setting up WNO 481 for Paul McCartney’s 1972 Wings Over Europe Tour and how it was laid out.
