Remember the JUMBILANCE ?
It used to run up and down the M1, M25 and down to Dover to take sick people overseas, it was the first real bendy bus that i know of. It was more of an articulated luxury coach really and as it passed my lorry some nights I would look in the windows and see a section near the front with seats and nurseing staff and the rear 70% was double bunks beds, I could see patients with drips in their arms etc.
Hi Pat, I don’t know if it was called the Jumbilance but an old bell that has just started ringing reminded me of seeing a coach, complete with nurses and kitted out with beds on a couple of occasions in Dover and Calais. I seem to think that it was white with a green cross and I do remember it once passed me coming out of Italy with what could only be described as a load of half plastered skiers. I don’t think that it was a bendy bus but it was pre M25 days although I can remember the bendy buses in Monchen Gladbach circa 1969.
Regards Steve.
Pat Hasler:
Remember the JUMBILANCE ?
It used to run up and down the M1, M25 and down to Dover to take sick people overseas, it was the first real bendy bus that i know of. It was more of an articulated luxury coach really and as it passed my lorry some nights I would look in the windows and see a section near the front with seats and nurseing staff and the rear 70% was double bunks beds, I could see patients with drips in their arms etc.
I remember “them” well Pat. I think it was a charity for sick kids? There was more than 1 as I regularly saw a single decker coach and at other times, there was a double decker 6 wheeler.
They were blue and white and even had blue flashing beacons on the roof front and back! I wonder how safe all the kids felt as the driver sped at 80mph+ along the roads racing to hospital? 
Wasn’t it a charity that took people to Lourdes? Guess they must have walked home then…
I was only talking to a mate about this the other Sunday. It was called a Junmbilance and there was bendy bus or 2 and none bendys. all with blue becons and bed with breathing apps and lots more.
when I was at school some 30 + yrs ago they was about then. Volvos vanhools. Now about 9 yrs ago when I was in heavey recovery one turned up in our yard to park up for a couple of days but cant rember how old it was. but I think is was just about upto date for that time.
Regards Peter
Yes,remember them well.An outfit called ‘Across Trust’ ran them,and yes they were blue and white Van Hools.Lourdes was the usual (if not the only) destination.
There was one parked at Whalley Hospital (Lancs) when I used to deliver there in the mid 80’s,I thought it was LHD on a MAN Chassis,it was blue and white.
Sir +:
Yes,remember them well.An outfit called ‘Across Trust’ ran them,and yes they were blue and white Van Hools.Lourdes was the usual (if not the only) destination.
It used to operate from Don Everalls the coach dealers/repairers in Wolverhampton who were Van Hool agents, it usually parked there on fridays and over the weekend. There was quite a few newspaper articles about it and the Across charity that ran it.
Have a look at these two sites
What a strange coincidence that this thread has been started 
Years ago I remember reading about a charity that utilised a ‘Jumbalance’ to ferry patients around the UK and Europe and only this last week I saw one heading SB on the M1 and thought to myself 'I haven’t seen one of them for donkey’s years ’ and now a thread on TNUK 
Regards
Dave Penn;
A coincidence indeed Dave, I was talking to Carl who runs ,www.ineedaholidaytoo.com in La Roche Derrien last week and he said he gets the Jumbalance calling regularly there.
Edit,spelling !
Back in the early 1980,s. they run the jumbilance on a merc chassis.when i was a mere boy at Sparshatts of Kent it would come in for servicing.
They were called Jumbulance (Jumbo/Ambulance), run by the Across Trust based in Surrey. They had I think 16 in the end always left hand drive, the first ones were mid 1970s, Merc 0302 240hp chassis with Willowbrook bodies, then they became 0303 260hp Merc chassis with Van Hool bodies. The first bendi was I think 1988 or so and was a Van Hool built on an Iveco chassis with the 380 V8, I believe that they remained loyal to Iveco upto the end of Across Trust, the money ran out; but there is a new charity running I believe 3 Jumbulances still Van Hool but now using Volvo B12R chassis based in Argyll. The vehicles where based all over the place, in either Hospitals or the maintaining dealer site, although there were some based in Lourdes, where Across owned two adapted hotels.
It was run as a charity to give the handicapped holidays, they went all over Europe, but Lourdes was the main destination. My late sister went on the second Willowbrook bodied Jumbulances very first trip, I think it was April 1976.
there is a guy who does double driving for us who used to drive one, john shaws his name
There was a driver who left “Sykes Bulk Liquids” to drive them Ken Smith and they went to Lourdes this would be late 70s
I can’t believe I’ve just sat and read through this thread…and looked at the vid clips…and really enjoyed it all
I mean it’s all about BUSES! We truckers hate buses don’t we? Yet I’m enjoying this thread. Am I going mad?
I remember being “breifed” about buses, when I started European driving in the 80’s. There was always some animosity; truck drivers never “mixed” with bus drivers and visa-versa especially on the ferrys.
Then I found out why;
I’d just done a huge punch up from Italy to get home for Sat morning. Came up non-stop, through the night, got into Calais absolutely knackered, just in time for the boat, only to be told to park up as they were expecting “a load of buses” (sorry I mean coaches) and they would take priority on the ferry! GGRRR 
A friend of mine, who was a nurse at the the Manchester Christie’s hospital used to work on the Jumbilance in the early 90’s, As i remember, she would travel and work as a volounteer along with other doctors, surgeons and nurses etc,by adding her name to a long waiting list and if nominated have to pay around £600 (IIRC) for the pleasure. They usually travelled to Lourdes with patients that were severely handicaped, infirm or with terminal illnesses.
She did tell us of a few breakdowns they had, here and over the water, but was always impressed with how quick the dealers turned out to get them going and asked if they were always so quick and helpful.
She always said it was the best holiday she could think of, obviously dedicated to her job, can’t see the attraction myself but admire any of those who do it !!
Well just to expand this thread a little further my brother in law is a marine engineer and a couple of years ago he spent some time in Newcastle preparing one of the ‘Mercy Ships’ for sea. Apparentley all the engineers gave their time and skills for free and when the ship was underway all the medical staff provided their skills for frree as well. Same principal as the ‘Jumbalance’ but on a bigger scale
His real job is as the Chief Engineer on the Lifeboat that operates out of Alcudia on the Island of Mallorca so if you ever go out there for a holiday and get in difficulties whilst out in yer pedalo he will be there to rescue you. 
Regards
Dave Penn;
We have , or did have one here on the Island, not the same set up though. Ours is just a big ambulance that takes patients from our little hospital, over to the mainland for Ops. they don’t do here. I went in it when I had my heart “event” a few years back and the crew were just great, very caring and attentive. it holds a couple of stretcher cases and about half a dozen wheelchair jobs. Haven’t noticed it about lately though so hope it hasn’t suffered from cut backs! I will endeavor to find out.
Some of the ‘bendy’ ones ended up in a haulage yard around Shrewsbury area as I went to look at one for converting about 5 yrs ago.