Restoration projects

A new restoration project: a Van Hool - Fiat from 1970

NostalBus has succeeded over the past 15 years in reactivating and/or restoring a considerable number of historic buses. The previous major restoration project was the restoration of our Van Hool - Cummins AU124 #4481, which ran from 2015 to 2020.

At the beginning of 2020, we already took on our next project. An old Van Hool - Fiat from 1970 was donated to us by the coach company De Zigeuner from Diepenbeek and will be carefully restored over the coming years.

Just like our previous projects, a project account will also be opened for this project at Herita. On that project account, everyone can make tax-deductible donations. Donations of 40 euros or more per year are 30% deductible through Belgian personal income tax. You can read more about it at the bottom of this page.

The NostalBus collection

NostalBus is one of the five non-profit organisations in Belgium responsible for the restoration, preservation and operation of historical line buses. We focus our collection policy on the period 1977 – 1991, differentiating ourselves from other associations that often work over a much longer time span. The 8 vehicles currently in our own collection are heritage and reflect a diverse collection of buses from the relevant period, all representative of the Belgian public transport of yesteryear. Moreover, all vehicles, except one, are of Belgian manufacture. NostalBus is part of the Flemish umbrella META (Mobility Heritage Tram and Bus), co-managed by the Flemish public transport operator De Lijn. 

1977-1991: a colourful period

NostalBus preserves, in accordance with its statutes, moving bus heritage and related objects from the period of 1977 to 1991. Although this period spans only 14 years, it includes many interesting twists. During this short period, national public bus transport had no less than 6 different colour schemes. Until 1977, the red buses of the NMVB/SNCV characterised the streetscape, which would become orange from that year onwards. The green buses, which operated on behalf of the SNCB (railways), gradually disappeared from the streetscape from 1977 as the SNCB had to cease its bus activities and the management of these contracts was transferred to the NMVB/SNCV. In 1989, the NMVB/SNCV launched a new fresh white livery with blue stripes, replacing the classic orange. This period would not last long: due to the regionalisation of urban and regional transport, the NMVB/SNCV was split into what we now know as De Lijn in Flanders and the TEC in Wallonia. The various city companies, with the exception of the MIVB/STIB which is still active in the Brussels region, were also absorbed by the Flemish or Walloon transport company.

Over the past 10 years, NostalBus has managed to collect the majority of these distinctive colour schemes through reactivation and restoration of various bus types. What is still missing is the green colour scheme. This project will change that: the bus from 1970 – also the oldest in the own collection – operated under a leased contract for 7 years on behalf of the SNCB and thus in the green colours.

A touch of history about the company Siau...

with special thanks to Walter Deckx and Steve Delaplace for their help with this reconstruction

Frans Laureys, from Damstraat 32 in Hamme, requests on 18 March 1925 together with a certain Jan Van den Berghe (also from Hamme) a line Sint-Niklaas - Hamme via Elversele. They have a Ford-T bus. In a letter from January 1926, Laureys informs the deputation that Van den Berghe has transferred his rights to him.

On 27 December 1927, he requests the line again. It now runs via Kettermuit and Elversele. He likely receives a provisional permit. The royal decree that makes everything official follows only on 4 September 1929.

When in mid 1935 the Autobus des Flandres has their authorisation for the line Sint-Niklaas - Aalst revoked, Laureys asks if he may extend his line to Dendermonde, until a definitive solution is found. Since the line largely runs parallel to railway line 56, the NMBS decides to claim the line for itself. The company submits a file to the deputation for the line Sint-Niklaas - Dendermonde.

Meanwhile, Laureys decides to transfer his line to the NMBS. This happens on 9 June 1936. A month earlier (8 May), the royal decree granting the NMBS the authorisation for the line Sint-Niklaas - Dendermonde was already published. The NMBS decides to keep Frans Laureys as a tenant. In the NMBS timetable, the line is assigned the number 200. From 23 October 1940, the service is prohibited, as it runs parallel to the railway. All equipment has also been claimed.

After the liberation, the NMBS receives a provisional permit on 20 March 1945 to restart the line. Meanwhile, Jules Siau has become a partner of Frans Laureys. In 1947, we find two Renaults (33-7 and 33-26). Later, a Büssing (33-43) is added. In the timetable, we find the line as 237, renumbered as 266 in May 1952.