Where is the Hartlepool Santa Bus now?

For more than 20 years, the iconic vehicle carried Santa’s sleigh on its roof every Christmas.

The 1972 Hartlepool Transport Bristol RE single-decker rightfully became a legend in the area until it was turned into a mobile social room for Age Concern after it was passed on to a bus dealer.

The bus was then bought by Trent Valley Gliding Club and used as a mobile mess room.

Yet it sadly found itself in danger of being scrapped in 2016.

So where is it now? The answer is not too far from home.

The historical bus is tucked away in Great Harwood, in Lancashire, awaiting full restoration.

The vehicle was transported there in October after Town and District Transport Trust, based in Lancashire, stepped in to save it.

The charity was founded in 2018 and aims to preserve transport history with several historic vehicles stored at its headquarters and some touring the country at transport festivals.

Member Ian McKnight, 54, has said the bus will be eventually restored to its original condition and will be used as a promotional vehicle.

"We’ve done a quick check of what it needs. It needs a few electrical bits, new batteries. The aim is to get it back up and running over the next 12 months,” said Ian

"It’s not going to happen overnight.”

Back in August Ian told the Mail that the vehicle will visit Hartlepool when it is back in roadworthy condition – so we might see it in town again one day.