A couple turns vintage double-decker bus into a stylish and fully functional off-grid bus home

This off-grid bus home began as a forgotten piece of transport history and became a deeply personal home on wheels for Ted and Kim.

The couple converted a 1966 Scottish-built Atlantean double-decker bus, a rare model with only 25 ever made.

Today, it is believed to be the only working one left in the world.

Originally built in Scotland, the bus later made its way to Australia, where it sat unused in a backyard in Nowra for nine years, covered by a tarp.

Kim discovered it online while the couple was planning a new chapter of life.

“We decided we’re going to go traveling, and originally we bought just a normal bus and I decided it wasn’t big enough,” Kim said. “I said, ‘I’m going to go buy a double-decker bus,’ and I went on Gumtree and I found this.”

Despite its worn condition, they felt an instant connection.

“We love objects that have history,” Kim said. “And when we saw this bus, we just instantly fell in love with her.”

Off-grid bus home: Size, structure, and build costs

Turning the vintage bus into a fully functional off-grid bus home took time, planning, and hands-on work.

When Ted and Kim bought the bus, much of the paint had peeled away, and nearly every window leaked.

The couple stripped the vehicle back to bare metal and replaced all the window rubbers—no easy task for a bus of this age.

“They don’t make these old rubbers anymore,” Ted said.

“So, then we had to find someone to make them for us,” Kim added.

Those custom parts were eventually made overseas.

“Unfortunately, it was cheaper for us to have them made in England and shipped here than to have them made in Australia,” Kim explained.

The bus weighs 10 tons, stands about 4.3 meters tall at the top of the solar panels, and is built with an aluminum frame over a steel chassis.

The engine is located at the rear, allowing more usable space inside.

The total cost of the project came to about $125,000 AUD:

• $65,000 to purchase the bus
• $35,000 for furniture and fittings
• $30,000 for painting, solar, air conditioning, and systems

“And it wasn’t that expensive,” Ted said. “As you can see, it’s worked out beautiful.”

Living and sleeping inside an off-grid bus home

Instead of building fixed cabinets and benches, Ted and Kim chose a bold and uncommon approach.

They filled the bus with antique furniture collected from around the world, carefully bolting every piece into place.

“A lot of people said, ‘No, you couldn’t do it,’” Ted said. “And they said, ‘Oh, where’s everything go when you’re traveling?’ I said, ‘Well, it’s all bolted down.’”

Downstairs, the living and dining area sits at the back of the bus, complete with original 1960s leather seats.

The dining table was handmade by Ted using old Indian doors, turned upside down to create a solid surface.

Upstairs, the couple kept one original front seat so someone could sit high above the road.

“It was important for us to keep that seat,” Kim said.

The bedroom features a deluxe queen mattress that had to be slid in through the back window, with just 50 millimeters to spare on either side.

Storage is tucked into antique cabinets and under the bed using vacuum bags.

“It feels like home,” Kim said.

A kitchen designed for living and traveling

The kitchen blends old-world beauty with everyday function. At its center is an antique Moroccan cabinet used for storage.

The sink is made from an old Indian copper water pot, fully plumbed and powered by a 12-volt pump.

Underneath the bus sit three water tanks, holding about 240 liters in total.

Cooking is handled by a Belling stove with a cast-iron top and double oven, chosen for both style and practicality.

“When you’re not cooking, you have extra bench space, which is very important in a kitchen,” Kim said.

Nearby, a Tibetan cabinet stores plates and bowls, while a full-size fridge and pantry provide enough room for long stays off-grid.

Bathroom, toilet, shower, and off-grid systems

Living fully off-grid was a priority from the start. Power comes from eight solar panels mounted securely to the roof beams, feeding a system that provides around 9 kW of backup battery power.

“We’ve got air conditioning upstairs and downstairs, and it runs that perfectly,” Ted said.

The bathroom is split across levels. Upstairs, there is an electric incinerating toilet that burns waste, removing the need for plumbing between floors.

Downstairs, the shower is hidden behind antique doors, built using pressed metal from an old home in Bendigo and an antique Indian copper base.

Life inside an off-grid bus home

Over the past two years, Ted and Kim have traveled about 2,500 kilometers, parking in rainforests, on private beaches, and now on a quiet hilltop site on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

They found their current location through a caretaker network.

“We can just pull up where we want, and if we don’t like it there, we just move on,” Ted said.

Now, they are ready for their next creative challenge.

“We’re ready to pass this beautiful project on to somebody else,” Kim said. “We are itching to do a new project.”

For the couple, building is just as meaningful as living.

“We love the creativity, we love enjoying the space,” Kim said.

“We love to create something that we can enjoy and then later on down the track we can pass it on to someone else who can enjoy it,” Ted added.

What they created is more than an off-grid bus home. It is a restored piece of history—filled with care, character, and a deep love for objects that tell a story.

Watch Ted and Kim give a virtual tour of their stunning off-grid bus home and see every detail come to life below:

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