Hello and welcome to the Country Coach. We are Jon & Holly the creators, builders, and designers of this magnificent coach named Ophelia! 

We previously lived in an old static caravan, which was getting more dilapidated as time went on. A hiccup and ongoing relations with the local council made it clear that we wouldn’t be able to keep living there much longer. With this in mind, we started to look at alternative living, watching YouTube videos and deciding what we were going to do. 

Given our budget and skills; buying, and converting a coach was the way to go. We have two dogs and a cat that needed to be factored into the equation which meant with the current RV/Motorhome market prices in the UK at the time and the space available inside them with pre-determined layouts wasn’t going to work for us.  So, something tailor-made and designed for all our needs was important. Our journey began!

The search for the right bus began with lots of research and learning from fellow nomads which was a relatively easy task given all the useful information there is out there. For us it was important to have a side exit door, which is usually built with bathroom models, this was what we were looking for. Searches online brought us to the first coach we looked at before buying the one. 

It had already been started with a full strip out and fabrication work. A container of parts came with it too! The fact it had already been started and extra parts included was a bonus, but it was never going to be our vision with what work had already been done. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t the one for us and after a lot of thought, we decided to keep looking. 

A short time after we came across a coach advertised by a local coach company, and needless to say it ticked all the boxes and was within budget! We viewed the coach a couple of times before committing to it, but once the deal was done, the real excitement began. 

As we currently don’t hold the required license yet to drive the coach on UK roads, getting the coach back to base was going to be one of the biggest or most expensive hurdles for us, but with a friendly transport manager, the company offered to have the coach driven out to us. If you are finding yourselves in the same situation, don’t be shy to ask your seller if they could do the same, you never know!

We had bought a 2000 Volvo B10M Plaxton Panther. Buying an older coach didn’t bother us, it was within budget, and knowing the reputation of the B10s, we knew it was a good decision. Although the delivery was put back a week or two due to a breakdown on the route during the first delivery, we stayed positive with excitement. The fuel lift pump had failed and needed to be replaced, which was thankfully done back in their yard with no additional charge to us. The wait for delivery then seemed very long but come the end of September 2022 it was delivered and in one working piece again.

As soon as we had the coach home, we were super keen to get started! The first job was to remove all the vinyl stickers off the side of the bus which displayed the name and details of the company which we bought it from. (It was used as a school bus right up until the day it came to us!) Then the next job was to remove all 51 seats. 

Thankfully, the seats were super easy to remove, they were all unbolted with ease and no angle grinder was required, but probably the most disgusting job we faced on this journey with so much litter, sweets, chewing gum, glass, stationary, the list goes on.

We tried to sell the seats, however, we had no interest from advertising them so the only way to get rid of them involved stripping the seats down even further into every single component, so all the materials could be recycled correctly and adding some money back into the pot from scrap value. This was a tedious task but the only way to dispose of them in the end.

The next job for stripping the coach was removing all the overhead lockers and curtains, and ripping up all the flooring, ceiling, and walls to remove any old insulation. Given the model we wanted and bought, we had to remove the bathroom. This was a difficult and long job which resulted in us having to cut the fiberglass into pieces and pulling it out from above. After the bathroom had been removed, we had just the bare bones of the coach ready to start building our dream home on wheels! 

We had no real drawn plans of the coach to build off, so a lot of it was mapped out on the floor using tape and notes placed here and there on pieces of paper throughout. We did draw a completed floor plan with electrical details and plumbing eventually…even if it was halfway through the build, it still helped! 

Given the fact we had no plan at the start, we had plenty of ideas and inspiration in our heads of what we wanted, along with individual specifications as we both wanted a change and improvement from the old static that we used to live in. 

The first internal building job we faced was to raise the floor at the front of the coach. From about two meters (6.5’) in from the cab, the floor sloped downward, this obviously wasn’t suitable for living. It was raised 8 inches at the front to nothing, so it carried out flat the whole way through. Given the access hatch for air tanks that were in the raised area, it gave us the perfect chance to create a “secret” storage compartment down the middle of the planned living room space. 

Our insulation choice for the coach was to use lamb’s wool and silver blanket insulation. The value and properties of the blanket were a no-brainer for us along with the natural benefits of the wool made it a clear choice against current market-leading fiberglass insulation. All the roof and walls are insulated using this insulation, while the foil blanket was also used under our finished floor throughout. 

For us, having as much power off the grid was a big yes, so we fitted four 400W solar panels to the roof which gives us a 1.6KW solar system. This is paired with two Renogy charge controllers, a Renogy battery monitor, a Renogy 3kW pure sinewave inverter charger, and the Renogy One; we have a complete off-grid system that can be remotely accessed and monitored anytime. 

Victron Energy was going to be our choice for the DC side of things but after sizing the system and what we would need, we just couldn’t justify spending that amount of money for something that was available for less and just as good. The storage for the system consists of four 180Ah Leisure batteries, giving a total capacity of 720Ah, and all the equipment is specified to take and operate off lithium batteries later. 

Water-wise, we have installed two 210 Liter (55-gallon) tanks which are adequate for our needs, one being fresh and one grey. Our black tank is a Thetford cassette. The coach has been plumbed to take water from the onboard tank or to be connected to the main water supply when available for better water pressure. Both inputs feed our LPG combi boiler which provides our hot water and central heating via radiators placed throughout the coach.

As this was going to be our new home, we needed to make it feel as modern and homely as possible. To be able to live in and be in something that didn’t feel like a coach was the main goal, and that was what we have achieved very well, we often forget we are on wheels!

Having a full-size bathroom with a big shower and space to move around in was one of our requirements as we didn’t have this before. The other requirement was a functional kitchen with plenty of counter space to cook, eat, work, and socialize. Having a selection of base units, including a pantry and a built-in fridge freezer let us achieve this. 

All kitchen units had to be custom fitted including the build of the wall cupboard above the hob to include the 12V extractor. All the doors were made by hand and painted in a gorgeous dark green for the country-style kitchen we were after! We couldn’t forget our dogs in all of this, so space for their bed was created underneath the breakfast bar! 

For the bedroom, storage was important. We decided that having a raised ottoman bed would be ideal, but we then decided to go one step further and add drawers underneath that too! The bed has been built against the back wall, which helps maximize space but also the views we get from lying in bed are dreamy. As for clothes storage, we have built a small wardrobe in the corner of the room where we have a hanging rail and some shelves. 

We decided to get lots of small, fabric storage boxes to put on these shelves to keep our clothes in, rolled, as again this maximizes storage which is essential for a tiny home! Finally, a space to get ready in the morning was needed, so with the leftover worktop we added a small dressing table. This fits beautifully between the wardrobe and our bedroom door. Alcove shelves and dimmable LED lighting make it the perfect space for unwinding and sleeping in.

Just as we couldn’t forget about our dogs, we certainly couldn’t forget about our cat either! We wanted a private space for him where he could feel safe and secure, especially for any future travels. After watching many videos for inspiration, we had the perfect spot…the old coach bathroom area. This was boarded over for extra kitchen space and to act as a floor for the dog's bed, underneath was a perfect space for the cat house! 

It consists of two floors, a feeding station, a bed area for sleeping or comforting (although our bed is his preferred option), a litter tray, and a microchip-activated cat flap. He is also lucky enough to have his own lights and security camera to keep an eye on his activity. Access is needed to feed him and clean, so the door is a recessed push-to-open door located on the side of the staircase wall, coming in through the main door (side door).

Moving on to the living room space located down at the front of the bus, where we had raised the floor level. We had a lot to fit into this area, but we have managed this with a custom-built media and storage unit. The unit is the whole length of the living room and butts up against the kitchen on one end and the back of the driver's seat on the other. 

Located in this unit are two cupboards with shelves for storage. All the electronics i.e., computer, printer, TV aerial, sockets, and 4G router are nicely tucked away, not forgetting the TV which sits between the two cupboards and is fitted on a motorized rise and fall bracket. 

This is perfect for us as when not in use, we have the full workspace free, then when the TV is needed it opens and rises from the back of the top using our remote! In front of the TV is a small built-in bookshelf, lit by LED lighting at night. Opposite all this is the sofa with a slatted feature wall presented behind it complete with hand-made custom brass wall lights for the finishing touch. These are also made and used for the bead headwall in the bedroom.

The cab area was also revamped a little with new flooring to match the rest, new carpeted steps, and brass trims. It still has the original dash so it can be driven with no problems when required. 

The major modification made on the bus was the roof. Originally there were two A/C units fitted on each side of the centre skylight. These internals were already stripped out when it came to us so the idea to remove them and open a whole lot of light seemed to be a great option. 

The air conditioner units were removed, and plexiglass was installed to create the two new roof windows. They are situated in the kitchen/hallway and over the entrance door/bathroom areas. Other than a couple of additional skylights cut into the roof that’s about it for modifications to the actual bus other than the installation of four CCTV cameras located around the outside. 

The coach originally had a Webasto coolant heater fitted which seemed to have failed at some point. This was removed and a new modern diesel heater was put in its place. Located in the same compartment and plumbed to the same fuel lines we don’t need to worry about having two separate fuel tanks. There is a Victron AC to DC charger wired down in the cab area, this keeps the coach starter batteries charged when on shore power or if being sat still in one place for a period. 

On the outside, there are a couple of inlet points, one for water and one for the electric hookup. On the same side is the gas fill input too. We decided to install a Gas-It system for ease of connection and practicality on the move, this means we can stop at any garage that sells LPG and simply top up our onboard propane tank. Or if being stationary for a long period and traveling to a garage for fuel isn’t easy, we can connect a bigger 47kg (103 lbs.) bottle to the outside and run our appliances from that!

As we still do not hold the required license to drive the bus (it's being worked on) we haven’t yet taken any adventures in it. Once all the licenses are in place and the use of the bus has been changed with the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency), we are excited to take some trips away and explore new heights! 

Currently, we plan to sit still for a little while as we get things sorted and little touches finished but the main aim is to buy our own land to which the coach will live on. Providing us with a place to call home and adventure off to, while possibly later in life it has been thought to open it up to the Airbnb market for others to enjoy our space and experience it for themselves! 

For those of you who are thinking about doing a conversion, our suggestion is to embrace it and go for it! The freedom and less stress/hassle of being free and able to do what you want, when you want definingly outweighs the system's way of having to run and look after a home made from bricks and mortar. 

It might not seem right for everyone, but with the right planning and building, your dream space is achievable. For the cost of a deposit on a house here in the UK, we have bought and built our home, just on wheels. With the added benefits of low energy bills, it is something that is ours, not the banks!

A massive thank you to the special people who helped us build Ophelia It’s been and journey for sure! Also, to BCM for wanting to feature our conversion with you all and share about our build. We hope we have passed on some inspiration to you all and if you want to see more of the build and finished photos please visit and follow us on Instagram.

BUS SPECIFICATIONS

General

Year: 2000

Manufacturer: Volvo B10M

Model: Plaxton Panther

Vehicle Weight: Unknown (Not Been Weighed Since Conversion)

Fuel Tank Capacity: 450 Litre / 99 Gallons  

Miles Per Gallon: 6-10 MPG

Engine: 9.6Ltr Turbo Diesel Volvo Engine

Transmission: Manual 6-Speed 

Overall Length: 12M (39’)

Overall Width: 2.5M (8.2’)

Overall Height: 3.6M (11.8’)

Raised Roof: N/A 

Solar Power: Yes

Total KW: 1.6KW (Four 400W Panels)

House Batteries: Yes

What Type & Amp; How Many: Four 180Ah Enduroline Heavy Duty Calcium Leisure Batteries (720Ah total)

               Electrical System: 12V & 240V Shore Power  

Shore Power Amps: 16- & 32-Amp Inputs 

Inverter: Pure sinewave inverter (3kW)

Manufacturer: Renogy

External Equipment

Fresh Water Tank Capacity: 210L (55 Gallon)

Black Water Tank Capacity: 17L Cassette (4.5 Gallon)

Grey Water Tank Capacity: 210L (55 Gallon)

Is Black and Grey Water in one tank? No, black is a removable cassette. 

Tank Material: Medium-density Polyethylene (MDPE)

Water Heater Type: LPG Combi Boiler

Plumbing Materials Used: Plastic Hep2o and Copper

Propane: Yes

Total Capacity: Two 6kg (13.2 lbs.) fixed & 47kg (103 lbs.) removable. 

Internal Equipment

Stove: 4-burner LPG gas hob

Oven: Electric fan oven (full size)

Microwave: Yes

Convection Oven: N/A

Microwave/Convection Combo: N/A

Refrigerator: Mains integrated full-size fridge freezer

Air Conditioning: N/A

Heating: Five central heating radiators & a 5KW diesel heater

Ceiling Fans: One Fiamma Turbo-vent 

Generator: Honda Pure Sinewave backup generator 

TV: 50” Smart TV

VCR: N/A

DVR: No, but we have a CCTV NVR recording five security cameras all around the outside of the bus.

BLU-RAY: N/A

Internet: 4G Router providing WIFI and ethernet connection 

Satellite TV: No, Digital amplified aerial 

Bed(s) - How Many and What Size: One full double-size bed 

Interior

Wall Material: MDF & Ply Wall Panelling 

Ceiling Material: Plywood

Flooring Material: Laminate floorboards 

Type of Insulation: Sheep’s wool and Airtec reflective foil

Cabinets: Chipboard & MDF custom-built cabinetry 

Countertop Material: Quartz and Chipboard

Window Coverings: Custom-made Venetian blinds

Lighting Type: LED spotlights in ceiling and wall lights & and LED strip tape for mood lighting

Miscellaneous

How long have you owned your bus? Ten months

Did you do the conversion yourself? Yes

How long did it take? Seven months 

How much did you spend on your bus and your conversion to complete it? Bus £5K ($6,247.00, Conversion £17,800 ($19,693).

Notable Features: Oak-stained slatted ceiling, long custom skylights, hand-built green kitchen, rise & fall TV media unit, and a full-size bathroom.

What would you do differently next time, or do you have any afterthoughts? Use a different base ceiling fixing technique, use fully waterproof flooring, remove unwanted fixed windowpanes and replace them with RV windows, and add a roof fan in the bedroom.

How many buses did you look at before buying this one? Only one.