Luke Wilson, a 22-year-old from Newtownabbey near Belfast, has invested close to £10,000 in acquiring and restoring two former Ulsterbus vehicles. The buses, part of a Scania batch bought by Translink in the early 2000s, have accumulated more than one million miles combined.

Wilson passed his bus driver test in January. His licence covers non-fee-paying passengers only. He has driven families on short outings and attended old bus rallies. He also transports friends to takeaways.

One bus, fleet number 822, served the Belfast city centre to Aldergrove International Airport route and north coast services. Withdrawn in August 2022, it returned briefly in September 2022 for shuttles to Hillsborough Castle. Wilson purchased it in 2024 after it logged over 800,000 miles. Repairs included a new radiator, tyres, brakes, floor, repaint and repanelling.

The second bus, fleet number 2464, operated from Bangor to Donaghadee, Dundonald and Newtownards. Bought jointly with a friend earlier this year, it has exceeded 400,000 miles. Wilson restored its seating, increased from 20 to 43 seats. Both run on original engines.

Wilson works as a fire-alarm engineer apprentice. He and friends collaborate on repairs. They recently attended a bus and coach rally at the Ulster Transport Museum in Cultra, County Down.

Rising diesel costs challenge the hobby. Each bus requires about £400 to fill, achieving eight to nine miles per gallon. Wilson identifies as a bus preservationist to maintain Northern Ireland's transport history.