ByLuke Sproule

BBC News NI north east reporter

Steamed-up windows, lumpy seats and heating that often did not provide much warmth - all familiar memories of the journey to school for generations of children.

But in retirement, one former Citybus is proving that it has hidden talents.

Thanks to the artistry and captainship of Paddy Bloomer the vehicle has been turned into a boat and is making its way on a journey along the River Bann.

"I'm interested in cobbling stuff together out of bits of junk and my scale has been increasing recently so things have been getting bigger," he said.

Paddy describes himself as an "artist, inventor, explorer and plumber based in Belfast".

His previous projects have included installations in sewers and abandoned factories, while his workshops and talks have taken him as far afield as the US, Portugal and Slovenia. In 2018, he contributed to the BBC's Make It series.

Paddy was inspired for this, his biggest project, by journeys he made on buses when he was younger.

"A bus was a kind of social space," he said.

"You went for a trip and your friends were on the bus and you looked out the window and you met people.

"I met some very weird people on buses I suppose, but also had plenty of craic on them."

He came across the bus that would become his boat in a scrapyard and first got to work on making it float as part of the Belfast 2024 festival of creative arts.

It started work as a Citybus - the forerunner of Translink's Metro service - in the mid-1980s into the 21st Century before being bought by a company in County Donegal and later offering sightseeing tours of Belfast.

Paddy made the hull out of the mast from a scrap wind turbine before welding a bow and a stern on and then adding an engine.

"The reason I did it was because I had the idea in my head and I had to get it out," he said.

"It seems like a very simple thing doesn't it? Make a boat and set a bus on top.

"It's just a boat and a bus, it's only two parts, it seems simple enough."

After Belfast 2024 ended, Paddy decided to move the boat from its home on the River Lagan and to give it a paint job to restore it to its former Citybus colours of red and white.

He is now sailing it from Coleraine, up the River Bann the whole way to Portadown, via Lough Neagh.

"I want to see some sights along the way, meet some people and I'm looking for somewhere to park it up over the winter," he said.

"The best way to do that is get out and about and see where the wind takes me."

The unusual sight has got lots of people talking.

"People are excited about it, some children cheered and some adults came to talk buses, tell me their bus stories and have a look.

"Everyone's really, really enjoying it.

"We're getting a great reception on the Bann and just cruising along."

So what next for Paddy and the bus boat?

Eventually he would like to do events on it and use it as a mobile space "for people to get together and have a bit of craic".

But in the short term there are more pressing priorities.

"There's still lots of jobs to do, all of the systems that make the bus work as a boat are good but I'm just trying to get some luxuries inside, get my phone charger in the right place and maybe a wee shelf to keep my teabags on," he said.

"I'm going to take my dungarees off shortly and maybe put on some deck shoes and have a G&T".