In September 2023, it was announced that the 1972 Wings tour bus, which had been restored, was to be auctioned between November 16 and 18 by Julien’s Auction. However, it didn’t appear in the auction session, likely because the reserve price was not met by online pre-bidding (two bids were made, the top being $70,000).
Members of the public had the opportunity to ride on the Wings bus hosted by The Beatles secretary Freda Kelly, before the vehicle is sold again at Hard Rock Cafe Nashville in an auction.
When the bus embarks on its exclusive tour, the vehicle will stop at the Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus to pick up the competition winners who will receive a private tour of Beatles’ landmarks, with stops at Old Park Lane, Abbey Road Studios, Sir Paul’s house and Marylebone Station, among others.
"Who wants to hear the Beatles' secretary story?" Freda Kelly was The Beatles secretary for 11 years, in a documentary she has decided to open up.
For a period of 11 years from 1962, she was, in fact, secretary to the Beatles. She is the subject of a documentary, Good Ol' Freda, in which she gives a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse into the 20th century's most famous band. (Good Ol Freda trailer at bottom page)
He converted the double-decker for his post-Beatles band and their families, with the seats on the upper deck replaced by mattresses and bean bags. (Source BBC) main photos credits Martin/Giles/BBC
Now The Wings bus will hit the auction block from Nov. 16-18 as part of Julien’s Auctions’ “Played, Worn & Torn: Rock ’n’ Roll Iconic Guitars and Memorabilia” 20th-anniversary celebration. It joins more than 1,000 other artifacts including Eric Clapton’s “The Fool” guitar, Kurt Cobain’s “Sky Stang I” guitar and items from Elvis Presley, Prince, the Beatles, Janis Joplin, Eddie Van Halen and plenty more.
It was discovered in Spain and brought back to the UK where a project began to restore it at a workshop in Thorpe le Soken, Essex.
The eye-catching double-decker bus was used by Sir Paul and Linda McCartney, as well as the rest of Wings, to travel more than 7,500 miles across nine countries and 25 cities during the summer of 1972 – with its psychedelic colour scheme ensuring nobody missed it wherever it went.
The bus originally served local routes in Essex and Norfolk in the 1950s and 60s before being bought by McCartney, who said he did not want a normal bus during the summer tour in 1972.
After the tour, it eventually ended up outside a cafe in Tenerife before being moved to the cafe owner's garden.
The bus, known as WNO 481, was then brought back to the UK and subsequently bought by Tom Creaven-Jennings, who wanted to restore it for the 50th anniversary of the the tour.
Mr Earl, who works at a lorry repair and body shop, said: "I came into work one morning and the owner [of the bus] had sent me an email asking me if I would be interested in restoring this bus.
"I said yes straight away, my mum was a huge Paul McCartney fan and I couldn't give up the opportunity."
He said it took 16 months to restore.
The WNO 481 featured psychedelic artwork by Geoffrey Cleghorn, who also worked with the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and the Who. Cleghorn modeled the design after the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine album cover. The bus was also outfitted with a children’s playpen on the open-top deck along with mattresses, beanbags and blankets to accommodate the band members’ wives and children.
"It was completely rotten from top to bottom," he said.
The bus features bunkbeds, as it did for the 1972 tour, and an original trunk donated by Wings drummer Denny Seiwell.
But there are some changes, as the upper deck, which featured blankets, beanbags, mattresses and a playpen for the children - now folds down to become a mobile stage.
It is hoped the bus will be used at motor shows, concerts and festivals in the future.
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