EPPING: RAF man makes mini bus from lawnmower (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

RAF man makes mini bus of Epping route 20 from lawnmower

1:26pm Friday 10th February 2012 in Epping Forest News By Tom Porter

A FORMER RAF serviceman tinkering in his shed has transformed an ordinary lawnmower in to an exact mini replica of a bus that once ferried passengers around the district.

Derek Jakeway, 77, was brought up in St Anthony’s Avenue in Woodford Green and as a child would take the route 20 bus that ran from Walthamstow to Epping every day to Debden School, now Debden Park High.

Decades later, after having spent his career working for the Royal Air Force and in transport, Mr Jakeway has spent four years making an exact tiny replica of the old bus in his home near Norwich.

Mr Jakeway said: “I always like to have a project on the go of some sort and have a lifelong interest in buses.

“Other people like to make tiny models of ships in bottles but I can’t cope with anything small like that, I like to make big things I can sit in.

“We moved to our house and I thought ‘what am I going to do now? What will my next project be?’ so I bought an old lawnmower and built the bus body on it.”

The vehicle seats four children or small adults and Mr Jakeway’s attention to detail is such that he has even fitted a mechanism that allows the driver to open the passenger door from his seat and a rolling sign on with the number 20 service number and the Epping destination on it.

It also has headlights, interior lights and the number plate ‘LH 23 GCD’ refers to Mr Jakeway’s date of birth in London on July 23, 1934.

It is made out of wood and cost a couple of thousand pounds to build.

“I enjoy solving problems and took the idea for the rear opening doors from old French buses. People were quite taken aback when they first saw it,” said Mr Jakeway.

"Since I was a little boy I loved buses and trains. I would explain things like how train tracks work to my children and they would go 'that is dad.' "

The bus is not licensed to drive on roads but Mr Jakeway said that his three grandchildren love taking it round the garden.

“My eight-year-old granddaughter very much likes sitting in the driver’s seat,” he said.

Mr Jakeway and his wife Julie are moving home soon but said he hopes the bus will find a loving new owner with a large garden.

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