The Big Red Fun Bus!

'The Big Red Fun Bus' was a favourite of mine. I fondly recount playing with it for hours and hours, rearranging unfriendly looking blue furniture, replacing and re-replacing a chicken which  lived adjacent to the driver and generally taking my plastic figurine characters on mundane adventures (from one side of the living room to the other for example ). Ahhh, Those were the days. 

I think the novelty lay somewhere in the fact that it was not a house, but a vehicle which people lived in, something which hadn't crossed my mind as feasible in reality (despite my sisters sylvanian families caravan, which was met with some jealousy). I especially identified with the smallest family member, who was a plastic hedgehog-type thing, with his own car. I couldn't ever quite understand why the family had chosen to adopt and clothe a hedgehog, but nonetheless he was a member of the family, and far edgier and cool than the other children who, besides, were  fairly dull.

Being the youngest of three, I was inclined to inherit family toys (the ones which lasted anyway) from my older brother and sister. The Big Red Fun Bus, despite it's second-handedness, was always a favourite, until I think my mum decided we were all too old for it and gave it to a family friend. 

Sadly, I haven't seen one of these things for about 10 years. I'm sure they're around, if you look hard enough!

I only managed to find spare characters and accessories when browsing ebay, but I'm sure from time to time the whole set must appear. 

According to Wikipedia, Bluebird Toys were started in 1980, with a successful range of toys including the 'Big Yellow Teapot'http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2271/2388661262_e32b35b269.jpg, which looks ridiculous (each to his own I suppose), but which is readily available on ebay, and also a 'Big Jumbo Fun Plane', which I had no idea about until today. 

For anyone super keen, there is a (sparsely supported) facebook group, at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7655921436

Thanks for paying interest!