THE engine of a rather special vehicle will soon be spluttering into life for the first time in 20 years.

The vehicle is a converted vintage bus which ferried passengers around in Bolton as far back as 1949.

When the double-decker's passenger carrying days were over, it was cut down and a 30ft tower added so that it could be used to trim trees overhanging bus routes.

After that the Museum of Transport in Manchester stepped in to rescue it from the scrapyard.

Now they plan to give the bus a spring clean and give it pride of place at the Bolton '100' event at the museum on May 8 and 9.

The head of the team bringing the unusual bus up to scratch is Alan Gaskell of Salford. Alan, who works for a bus company in Bury, said: "My job is at a desk, so getting to grips with a real bus is like therapy to me.

"When this old girl is on the road at the event, I'll really feel something worthwhile has been achieved." Not all the museum's plans are running smoothly, however; they have an important guest missing.

They would like to track down former Bolton ticket clerk Mrs WendyTurnbull, (nee Hellins), who won the 1973 Miss SELNEC competition. SELNEC (short for South East Lancs, North East Cheshire) had control of the region's bus services at the time.

Manchester Transport Museum would like to find her to invite her to the event event which celebrates a century of Bolton transport.

If anyone knows where Wendy is, please contact Paul Williams at the Museum.

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