18/02/2013

Thatcher's NI Bus Up For Auction

A Northern Irish 'battle bus' which was built for Margaret Thatcher's tour of Northern Ireland in the 1980s is to go under the gavel at an English auction house.

J P Humbert Auctioneers of Towcester, Northants, are auctioning off the 28-tonne, armour-plated vehicle.

It was built with a blast-proof floor, armour-plated glass and an armour-plated. The bus was government-commissioned and registered as a 'civilian bus', according to J P Humbert.

It has a Foden chassis, a body by Glover and was powered by a 12 litre Rolls Royce engine.

It is thought to be chemical, biological and nuclear proof, and even had its own generator and air supply.

The bus seats about 35 passengers and was thought at the time to be safe to transport the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers around Northern Ireland at the height of the Troubles.

Johnathon Humbert remarked: "This isn't a good-looking vehicle by any stretch of the imagination – but is of social and historical interest. An irreplaceable one off! An iron bus for the Iron Lady!"

The bus is being offered for sale with a guide price of £10,000 - £12,000. It goes under the hammer on 21 February.

(IT/GK)

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