The Magic Bus

The Magic Bus is obviously not a location as such, but is an oddity worthy of inclusion here.

There have been 3 'magic buses'. The first of these was the bus used to promote the release of the Magic Bus single, outside the BBC's Lime Grove Studios (pictured below) in Shepherds Bush on October 2nd 1968.













The band, accompanied by assorted circus performers, animals and models, took the promotionally festooned 'magic bus' on a short journey around London. They completed a circuit of the city centre, passing along Bayswater Road, Oxford Street, Regent Street, Shaftesbury Avenue, Kings Road and then back to Lime Grove.













The BBC studios in Lime Grove closed down in 1991. They were demolished to make way for housing. I have no idea what happened to the bus.

The second Magic Bus is from the cover of the 1968 album of the same name. Technically speaking I suppose this would count as the Magic Bus.






















This bus, registration number THA 111, started life in the UK in 1954. For the following decade it was in service with the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company, working from their Newport Street depot in Worcester. The picture below shows the vehicle during that period:













In early 1964 the bus was taken out of service and sold to Universal Pictures. Universal transported it to their Hollywood studio for use as a prop. Unfortunately it was scrapped a number of years later.

Shown below is the 'sister' of that bus (registration number THA 110), also transported from Worcester to Hollywood for prop work, the year after THA 111. The photo was taken in 2005. The bus is now believed to be completely abandoned somewhere in Las Vegas.














The third and final 'magic Bus' was until recently to be found in Brighton, England. This South-coast seaside town has a penchant for naming buses after famous people with connections to the area. And of course The Who have a big historical connection with Brighton through the Quadrophenia album and film.














In September 1999 the band were honoured with a bus on the town's number 7 Metro route. Amongst previous recipients of the same honour are Winston Churchill, Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim), Chris Eubank and Prince Phillip.

Sadly, if you fancy riding on this (rather plain looking!) 'magic bus', it's no longer in service. It was sold-off in 2004.