LONDON: A fully restored double-decker bus used by Paul McCartney and his band Wings for a 1972 European tour is up for auction next month, with bids expected at $200,000 and $300,000.
Paul McCartney, a former member of The Beatles, and his late wife Linda co-founded the American-British rock band, Paul McCartney and Wings, shortly after the iconic group disbanded in 1970.
The ensemble, which also featured drummer Denny Seiwell and guitarist Denny Laine, embarked on the “Wings Over Europe” tour in the summer of 1972, traversing the continent aboard the 1953 Bristol KSW double-decker bus, affectionately known as WNO 481.
Martin Nolan, the founder of Julien’s Auctions, which will be hosting the auction under the theme “Played, Worn, & Torn: Rock ‘n’ Roll Iconic Guitars and Memorabilia,” shared insights into the decision to use the bus: “Paul and Linda had two young girls, the two Dennys from the band had wives and kids as well, and Paul didn’t want them to be in an enclosed bus. He wanted something fun.”
Adorned with a vibrant exterior featuring shades of blue, red, green, and yellow, complete with psychedelic artwork emblematic of the hippie culture of that era, the bus journeyed through nine European countries during the 1972 tour.
