The preservation of this coach could not have been possible, without the generous donation of “Tassie Bluebird” to the Tasmanian Bus & Coach Society from the Wells family (Wells Waggons).

The coach started it’s life new in 1978, with Tommy Smith (Smiths Coaches – South Riana TAS). Operating extended tours and school groups across the state, the coach later passed into the hands of Lawrence Medwin (Medwins Coaches – Smithton TAS).  

Under Medwin’s ownership, the coach continued doing extended tours and school charters around Tasmania, being refurbished with an interior transplant, into the crushed blue velour we see today.  In 2003, Neville & Sadie Wells (Wells Waggons – Smithton TAS) expanded their operations, buying Medwin’s business which included “Tassie Bluebird”, with the Bluebird continuing it’s working life locally on the NW Coast.

Although by now 25yrs old, Tassie Bluebird was still being used extensively on school charters around Tasmania, before finally being semi-retired around 2014, primarily because of it’s age.

Fortunately, the Wells family didn’t want the Volvo going to scrap (or worse, motorhome), so it was decided to donate the vehicle to the Tasmanian Bus & Coach Society for preservation for the enjoyment of future generations. It’s quite remarkable, a coach over 40yrs old, has spent it’s entire working life in Tasmania with some of the biggest and longest serving operators on Tasmania’s NW Coast, so is quite fitting that it will remain preserved in Tasmania.

​

The Society are honored to be entrusted to preserve this piece of Tasmanian family transport history, a history also recognised by the industry, with Sadie & Neville Wells inducted into the National Transport Hall of Fame in 2019.