Italian Job Bus
swanny - 4/2/19 at 09:57 AM
hello all,
after watching the Italian job last night I ended up on Wikipedia trying to see which of the vehicles had survived.
The red e-type made it, and there is a bloke in the north east that has put three minis on the road from what sounds like an original box of bits! (he
was featured on the Brian Johnson programme "Cars that Rock"
but I spotted that the bus went back into commercial service in Scotland as a school bus after filming, before finally coming off the road in 2009.
according to Wikipedia however it can be seen on the roadside at New Invention, Willenhall, West Midlands. Is this true?
I'm trying to figure out a reason to head over there for 'work', but until then have any locals seen it?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Italian_Job#Vehicles
paul
JAG - 4/2/19 at 10:46 AM
Whereabouts in New Invention?
Maybe 'we' can find it on Google Street map?
minitici - 4/2/19 at 10:53 AM
Original bus was scrapped in Fife sometime in the 1980's
From another forum
ALR 453B
Chassis No 1370
Body No 2979
6/64 New to Batten (Grey Green) London N16
9/66 Arlington (dealer)
3/68 Paramount Films modified for filming Italian Job
5/69 William Marshall, Blackpool conveted back to a coach
7/71 Edmund Birch, Liverpool in Wendy's Coaches livery
2/73 Andre Drummond, Heart Hill (dealer)
9/73 James Meffan, Kirriemuir
-/79 Archie Cromar, Anstruther converted to a racing car transporter with front half converted to living accommodation. Archie Cromar was a successful
formula Ford racing driver who was sponsored by the Crows Nest Hotel Anstruther. The hotel did not own it.
-/83/84 Raymond Gatherham, Edenside Riding School, Anstruther for horse box
-/86 Bill Davie, Stathmiglow a motorcycle & sidecar racer used to transport motorcycle to race meetings, including IoM TT in 1986.
Broken up & scrapped
nick205 - 4/2/19 at 10:56 AM
Searching Google Maps for New Invention it comes up with a hamlet of 4 houses in Shropshire on a cross-roads.
swanny - 4/2/19 at 10:58 AM
nick205 I just did that too!
there is also a New Invention, Willenhall
paul
nick205 - 4/2/19 at 10:58 AM
Searching again it comes up with a New Invention in Willenhall.
swanny - 4/2/19 at 11:15 AM
quote:
Originally posted by minitici
Original bus was scrapped in Fife sometime in the 1980's
From another forum
ALR 453B
Chassis No 1370
Body No 2979
6/64 New to Batten (Grey Green) London N16
9/66 Arlington (dealer)
3/68 Paramount Films modified for filming Italian Job
5/69 William Marshall, Blackpool conveted back to a coach
7/71 Edmund Birch, Liverpool in Wendy's Coaches livery
2/73 Andre Drummond, Heart Hill (dealer)
9/73 James Meffan, Kirriemuir
-/79 Archie Cromar, Anstruther converted to a racing car transporter with front half converted to living accommodation. Archie Cromar was a successful
formula Ford racing driver who was sponsored by the Crows Nest Hotel Anstruther. The hotel did not own it.
-/83/84 Raymond Gatherham, Edenside Riding School, Anstruther for horse box
-/86 Bill Davie, Stathmiglow a motorcycle & sidecar racer used to transport motorcycle to race meetings, including IoM TT in 1986.
Broken up & scrapped
bugger. what a shame.
swanny - 4/2/19 at 11:33 AM
there is a replica called the Italian Job Coach (they have a facebook page) they seem to be in the west midlands.
that might explain the error on the Wikipedia page.
this looks a bit different, but I like the idea. https://www.millenniumlimos.co.uk/Italian-Job-party-bus.html
Mr Whippy - 4/2/19 at 12:07 PM
oh yeah and the solution to the cliff hanger, was to shoot out the back windows till there was enough weight on the front for them to move forward and
start passing the gold
Rod Ends - 4/2/19 at 01:22 PM
Just got an email today:
quote:
Surviving cars from epic chase movie The Italian Job will be reunited in a special exhibit to mark the iconic film’s 50th anniversary at the London
Classic Car Show, taking place on 14-17 February 2019 at ExCeL London.
The 1969 British heist film, which stars Michael Caine, Noel Coward and Benny Hill amongst others, is famed for its incredible chase scenes through
Turin, Italy, with the cars being the real stars of the movie.
Together with Octane Magazine we will pay tribute to this great comedy caper at The London Classic Car Show, sharing with you the line-up of its
star cars featuring:
• Lamborghini Miura
• Aston Martin DB4 Convertible
• Jaguar E-Type Coupe
• Jaguar E-Type Roadster
• Bedford Val Coach
• OM Furgonato Sicurezza ‘Bullion’ Van
• And of course the unforgettable Red, White and Blue Mini Coopers!
rusty nuts - 4/2/19 at 05:12 PM
I always imagined the bus had fallen off the mountain !
balidey - 4/2/19 at 10:07 PM
Was watching it on TV with my dad a few years ago when he dropped this bombshell on me... 'I used to know one of the mini drivers'
Not sure why he'd left it that long to tell me.
Turns out when he was tuning Jags in London, one of their clients was Richard Essome, they got to know each other, not best mates, but well enough.
Then one day he turns up at the workshop and mentions how he's working on a new film with minis in it.
So, dad tells me this, I think he's pulling my leg at first, so when I get home, Google the name he'd given me and sure enough, it was
him.
Why on earth my dad decided to tell me this 30 odd years later I don't know.
swanny - 5/2/19 at 04:30 PM
haha that's great.
it reminds me of the guys watching The Longest Day and his dad pointing to a character and announcing "that's me"
was that on locost too?
Bluemoon - 7/2/19 at 11:44 AM
quote:
Originally posted by balidey
Was watching it on TV with my dad a few years ago when he dropped this bombshell on me... 'I used to know one of the mini drivers'
Not sure why he'd left it that long to tell me.
Turns out when he was tuning Jags in London, one of their clients was Richard Essome, they got to know each other, not best mates, but well enough.
Then one day he turns up at the workshop and mentions how he's working on a new film with minis in it.
So, dad tells me this, I think he's pulling my leg at first, so when I get home, Google the name he'd given me and sure enough, it was
him.
Why on earth my dad decided to tell me this 30 odd years later I don't know.
Real name: Richard Essame
Born: 1939
Other:
Richard worked primarily as a model. Notably for an advertising campaign for Marlboro in Germany.
He was the owner of the red Jag, 848 CRY. After driving it to location in Italy, the production crew made an offer and bought it off him for use in
the film.
He was offered a larger role in the film, but his acting experience was minimal and felt nervous, so his envolvement was reduced.
After fimling Richard continued with his modelling career and replaced 848 CRY with another E-Type, a modified yellow V12.
NB. The surname is Essame, not Essome, as some other internet sources state. (We made the same error - the index to the left will be edited soon to
reflect this)
Model images of Richard Essame (You can see the yellow E-Type in some of them)
Filmography
The Stud (1978)
Thanks goes to Richards newphew, Oliver Essame who provided us with all the above information.
AntonUK - 7/2/19 at 09:30 PM
quote:
Originally posted by JAG
Whereabouts in New Invention?
Maybe 'we' can find it on Google Street map?
I know where it is, but wont reveal on the internet for all to see. Although I can confirm it isn't visible on street view.
swanny - 8/2/19 at 10:43 AM
quote:
Originally posted by AntonUK
quote:
Originally posted by JAG
Whereabouts in New Invention?
Maybe 'we' can find it on Google Street map?
I know where it is, but wont reveal on the internet for all to see. Although I can confirm it isn't visible on street view.
Tease
Toys2 - 9/2/19 at 12:08 AM
I was on a training course in Turin a few years back. As I flew in, I saw the building with the track on top of it. Later as I was checking in at my
hotel, there was a model of the same building. I asked the receptionist where it was.... I was in it! It was the old FIAT factory, now offices,
shopping center, hotel etc. I tried to ask about "The Italian Job" but it was lost in translation.
There were quite a few Brits on the course, we were there for a week. Our hosts arranged for us to get up on the roof - fantastic. Apparently they
started building the cars on the lower floors, finishing on the top floor, test drive on the roof, then down some wonderfully architectural spiral
ramps
We also had a meal in the town center, in the back streets, clearly close to where they broke into the bullion van.
I saw the weir, the shops where he nicked the chicken and that large clam shaped building that they drove up to using a really precarious ramp
...a pretty successful trip in all!
