In the Summer of ’72, The Summer Of Wings Paul McCartney chose WNO 481 as the 1972 Wings Tour Bus & took it rockin’ & rollin’ across Europe after the glory days of The Beatles. The tour bus became a Legend Of Rock & Road and landed the title “The Most Famous Bus In The World”. The Wings tour bus was a fixture on the music scene in the 1970s, travelling with McCartney and his band as they performed across the United States and Europe. The bus served as both transportation and a mobile home for the band, and it played a crucial role in the tour experience for both the band and fans.
Wings were formed in 1971 after Paul McCartney, pictured here with his wife Linda, left the Beatles
After the tour, the bus ended up outside a café in Tenerife before being moved to the café owner’s garden. Eventually, it was brought back to the UK and Tom Creaven-Jennings, a huge fan of McCartney and Wings, purchased the bus in poor condition and set out to bring it back to its former glory for the 50th anniversary of the Wings tour.
The upper deck, which featured blankets, beanbags, mattresses and a playpen for the children during the tour.
The top deck of the bus was designed for relaxing but now it can be used as a stage
When Tom set out to restore Paul McCartney’s iconic 1972 Wings tour bus, he knew he wanted to pay homage to the original design while also giving it a fresh, modern update. One of the most striking features of the bus is its open roof, which opens out to form a stage. To complement this unique feature, Creaven-Jennings chose Chieftain Fabrics Just Colour – Laurel for the rooftop seating.
The seating on the top deck of the bus was upholstered in Chieftain Fabrics Just Colour – Laurel
The restoration process was a challenging one, as the bus was completely rotten from top to bottom. But, with the help of Brad Earl, who works at a lorry repair and body shop, and the use of Just Colour – Laurel on the seats, the bus was brought back to life. The bus features bunk beds, as it did for the 1972 tour, and an original trunk donated by Wings drummer Denny Seiwell. Additionally, the upper deck, which featured blankets, beanbags, mattresses and a playpen for the children during the tour, now folds down to become a mobile stage, named in honour of McCartney The McCartney Stage.
Just Colour – Laurel is a beautiful, high-quality Crib 5 vinyl that is perfect for outdoor use and also has a soft finish. It is REACH compliant, phthalate free, is anti-microbial and has 1 million Martindale rubs. The Tropical Test / Jungle test certificate states that Just Colour is suitable for upholstery in extreme weather conditions, which makes it the best choice for outdoor seating in this project. The vinyl’s colour is vibrant and bold, adding a fresh, modern touch to the bus’s interior.
After its 16 month restoration, Paul McCartney’s 1972 Wings Tour Bus was unveiled at The Classic Motor Show at The NEC. With live bands performing each day on the newly imagined and engineered top deck performance space, The bus was rockin’ to celebrate the 50th anniversary of when Paul McCartney took it rockin’ and rollin’ across Europe for 7,500 miles after the glory days of The Beatles.
Creaven-Jennings has plans to take the bus to Motor Shows, Concerts and Festivals in the future and serve as a beautiful tribute to one of the most iconic musicians in history. Just Colour is proud to have played a small role in the restoration of this iconic tour bus and we look forward to seeing it on the road for many years to come. The bus is a true testament to the hard work and dedication of the restoration team, and we can’t wait to see where it goes next.
If you would like a price or samples for this range, please contact us at enquiries@chieftainfabrics.com or freephone 08000 355 955.
We look forward to hearing from you.
The Chieftain Team