Bus converted into $66K two-bedroom apartment

By Imogen Howse

An iconic London red bus has been turned into a "beautiful" two-bedroom apartment - and it could be yours for less than $66K.

Dan Atkins, 45, founded Buses4Homeless in 2020 after he discovered that one of his friends had become homeless and was sleeping in a coach's luggage compartment.

He wanted to help those in similar situations and so started transforming a selection of London's iconic red double-deckers into homeless shelters which provide spaces to sleep, cook, eat, relax, and search for jobs.

Now though, Atkins, a father-of-one from Sunbury-on-Thames, has taken on a new challenge - and has converted a double-decker into a two-bedroom family home.

The 1998 diesel bus features a master bedroom, a kids' bunkbed room, a designer kitchen, a luxury bathroom, and a stylish living area.

It also boasts a 32 inch smart TV, a breakfast bar, and an engine bay converted into a large, lit storage space.

Atkins says he reckons it's "one of the most beautiful buses that has ever been renovated" and as a result is selling it for just shy of $66,000.

All the money will go towards his charity - so he can help more people escape homelessness.

Atkins says the engine has been professionally removed, making this a fully static build – ideal for permanent placement in a holiday park, private land, or glamping site.

He believes it could be a unique family retreat, a stylish home office setup - or even the ultimate Airbnb.

Atkins said: "It's definitely a step up from what we’ve built in the past. I think it’s one of the most beautiful buses that’s ever been renovated.

"Our buses usually house around eight to 12 people and function as homeless shelters.

"But with this one - we've made it into what is essentially a two-bedroom apartment and are looking to sell it to raise money for our charity, which was once Buses4Homeless but is now Solutions4Living.

"That way, we can support even more people."

Atkins continued: "It's amazing what you can do once you’ve stripped the inside out.

"Now, I look around it and everything is stunning.

"It was wonderful showing the bus to my little boy Rocco. He loved it - and didn't want to leave when we had to go home.

"I think it will be a hit with kids."

Atkins started his charity when he found out that his friend was sleeping in the luggage compartment of a coach.

He said: "We went out that day and bought him a bus and converted it into a home.

"That's where the ethos began."

Since then, Atkins has converted several more buses into homeless shelters - and helped various people escape homelessness.

He said: "An important part of what we do is that we hire people who are homeless - or often people who have just left prison - to help us convert these buses.

"This latest bus has taken us over six months and one of the people who has been critical to the project is Roy Nagle, who recently got out of prison.

"He has just been incredible. I can't make that clear enough.

"Seeing what this kind of thing does for people is amazing. It really does change lives.

"It just makes my heart sing."

Atkins, who lives with his wife Tatiana, 43, and son Rocco, one, says there has already been a lot of interest in the bus.

He said: "We've had a lot of interest from buyers already. There have been a couple offers too - but nothing we've accepted yet.

"We've also had people seeing the bus and commissioning us to do buses for other projects - so that's great too.

"We just want to find the right buyer for this bus so we can sell it for the right price and keep helping people as best we can."