Banana Buggy Resurfaces!

I was recently contacted by the owner of a caravan storage business located in the Bedford area. On the site was a Freight Rover minibus with the registration D70 TLV. The owner of the vehicle brought it to the site for storage between three and four years ago. His intention was to renovate the vehicle and take it to classic car shows. However, the owner passed away before he could start the renovation and it was recently being sold on eBay. Bidding ended last week and has been reported as sold - apparently for restoration/ preservation.

From the photo it can be seen that a yellow livery is slowly reappearing underneath the current paintwork. This provides a clue to its previous existence as a member of the Halesworth Transit fleet operating as the Flying Banana in the Great Yarmouth area. The Carlyle bodied Freight Rover Sherpa was new to North Western with Flying Banana acquiring it from Brian Isaac of Morriston, Swansea in 1993. It was later converted into an open top as a 'Banana Buggy'. It can be seen in this form on the Public Transport Experience blog

My thanks to Katie Nickolls for getting in touch and giving me approval to use the photos

Roy