Paul McCartney's psychedelic Wings 1972 double-decker tour bus goes up for auction - here's how much it could sell for

The famed psychedelic Wings tour bus that housed rock legend Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, his family and the band is heading for auction next week.

In a rare opportunity to snap up a time capsule of rock ‘n’ roll history, the double-decker bus that took Wings on a Europe Tour during the summer of 1972 is up for sale with Car & Classics, with pre-bids already open.

The auction runs from 22 to 29 April with bids expected to reach between £150,000 and £200,000.

In an extraordinary opportunity to purchase rock and road history, Paul McCartney and the Wings’ 1972 tour bus is up for sale with Car & Classics and is expected to fetch between £150,000 and £200,000 during the online auction

The open-topped bus was picked by the band because it was a place they could enjoy being on the road with kids, lap up the summer sunshine and see Europe

The 1953 open-topped bus travelled 7,500 miles across nine countries and 25 cities, taking Wings on tour. It became famous all over the world and has been featured in numerous interviews and magazines

The names of the band and tour details are displayed on the bus – and will continue to be allowed to because the display rights pass to the new owners

Paul McCartney fans can get their hands on rock ‘n’ roll legacy set in perfect period condition, with the bus having been meticulously restored to the heyday of the bands’ success and styled to recall The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine album cover.

The 1953 open-topped bus travelled 7,500 miles across nine countries and 25 cities, taking Wings on tour.

It quickly gained worldwide fame, becoming the epicentre of an extraordinary band and family adventure.

McCartney formed the Anglo-American band along with his wide Linda, session drummer Denny Seiwell, and former Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine in 1971. The rock band came together a year after The Beatles broke up in 1970 and it was the first time touring for McCartney since ’66

The bus was designed to be family-friendly and the interior is still perfect to the era and how the bus was designed, with bunk beds and yellow curtains

During the 29-year marriage of Paul and Linda McCartney they had three children, and they took their kids on tour with them

Before Paul McCartney chose it for the Wings’ tour, it was first used in the early ’50’s for Chelmsford bus routes as a closed upper deck bus before being converted to an open-top bus in ’66 to take holiday-makers to and from Butlins.

In full running and working order – UK road registered and MOT testing and road tax exempt – the Bristol Gardner-powered 5LW 7-litre diesel bus is ready to take rock to the roads again.

As well as the perfectly recreated Geoffrey Cleghorn’s exterior artwork, the interior has been perfectly restored to the era’s atmosphere by David Hoare of Chepstow Classic Buses and Bradley Earl of Simon Morris Thorpe Ltd in Essex.

The revamped interior has wooden bunk beds (reflecting the original sleeping space for the band members’ children), bright yellow curtains and the upper deck has a bespoke cover displaying ‘1972 Wings Tour Bus’ graphics on the roof.

The top deck restoration drew inspiration from The Beatles Rooftop Concert of 1969, featuring a newly imagined and engineered performance space, now aptly named ‘The McCartney Stage’. It’s ready for new performers to belt out upcoming classics from the top deck

As well as the outside restoration,  the interior has been meticulously restored to the era’s atmosphere by David Hoare of Chepstow Classic Buses and Bradley Earl of Simon Morris Thorpe Ltd in Essex

The bus is a 1953 Bristol which was first used in the early ’50’s for Chelmsford bus routes as a closed upper deck bus before being converted to an open-top bus in ’66 to take holiday-makers to and from Butlins

Wings¿ drummer Denny Seiwell has even donated his 1972 Wings touring trunk which accompanies the bus – a trunk which is signed too

Side by side: The McCartney’s formed Wings together and spent months sat together on the bus. It’s rumoured that numerous hit songs were potentially written within, including the iconic Bond theme

Fond of his ’72 tour bus – the first tour after leaving The Beatles – McCartney said: We decided to travel around in an open-top bus and get some sunshine as we travelled from one place to another’

Wings’ drummer Denny Seiwell has even donated his 1972 Wings touring trunk which accompanies the bus.

In additional rock era touches, the top deck restoration drew inspiration from The Beatles Rooftop Concert of 1969, featuring a newly imagined and engineered  performance space, now aptly named ‘The McCartney Stage’.

The bus wasn’t just a comfortable way to travel Europe, it became the four-wheeled symbol of the tour that marked the rise of Wings after the glory days of The Beatles.

And it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that numerous hit songs were potentially written within, including the iconic Bond theme ‘Live and Let Die’ recorded later that same year (1972) .

McCartney said in an interview: ‘We knew we were going to tour in Europe and that the weather would be nice, and the idea of being stuck in a bus all the time, going from city to city, hotel to hotel, wasn’t too appealing so we decided to travel around in an open-top bus and get some sunshine as we travelled from one place to another.’

Post-tour, the bus went back into active public service, before being bought in 2019 and restored in 2022.

Since its been used to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the pivotal 1972 Wings Over Europe Tour at The Classic Motor Show at the NEC, Birmingham, in November 2022.

The bus wasn’t just a comfortable way to travel Europe, it became the four-wheeled symbol of the tour that marked the rise of Wings after the glory days of The Beatles

It’s now a piece of pop and automotive history, offering a glimpse into the ¿swinging Sixties¿, Carnaby Street, and the universal message of peace and love

Now this piece of automotive history offers a glimpse into the ‘swinging Sixties’, Carnaby Street, and the universal message of peace and love.

Incredibly it comes with the license by Sir Paul McCartney’s company MPL to display the artwork, logos, band member’s names and personal photos taken on the tour. It will be sold with artefacts and memorabilia.

Ready for its next custodian, this vehicle is likely to reach up to £200,000 on the online auction.

It’s one of just three Beatles-related, custom-painted vehicles alongside John Lennon’s psychedelic Rolls-Royce and George Harrison’s similarly decorated Mini.

It’s been features in numerous interviews and photographs with McCartney, Wings and even Princess Anne, as well as articles published worldwide.