16079/1THE latest acquisition to the fleet of Barnes Coaches at Aldbourne is sure to bring sense of dj vu to many people who relied on bus transport in the Fifties.

The bus company has just acquired a 1950 bull-nosed Bedford OB bus, which until recently did duty as the Trossachs Trundler taking trippers around the Scottish highlands.

The Barnes family run business has acquired the 55 year old coach because they formerly owned two virtually identical vehicles, but with 29 seats each, and wanted to have one in their fleet again for nostalgia reasons.

The Bedford started life as the team coach for Hull City Football Club and was originally in the club colours. It was fitted with only 24 seats instead of the usual 29 to give players more room on long journeys.

The 24 seater coach has been almost completely rebuilt with a new wooden framework for its metal body. Much of the woodwork restoration using American oak was carried out by local carpenter and craftsman Dennis Bowsher.

Terry Barnes, one of the company directors said: "We have had it painted in our original yellow and green colours, as near as we can get."

The old coach had an interesting life after its soccer club use and was subsequently used by firms in Grimsby, Faringdon and later Glasgow. It then went to a coach operator in Perth and it spent the last four or five years of its former working life taking tourists around the Trossachs.

The restored coach is to be used by Barnes for outings. The first one will be to take enthusiasts to a classic vehicle hill climb event in Gloucestershire on Sunday.