A VINTAGE vehicle turned back time, and turned plenty of heads, when it paid a visit to Largs.

The bus was painted in the bright red and green colours of the old MacBrayne's transport company, which ran buses, lorries and ships across the country until merging with the Caledonian Steam Packet Company in 1973 to become Caledonian MacBrayne.

A number of former MacBrayne's vehicles have been taken on by transport enthusiasts keen to restore and preserve them and, where possible, to get them back out on the road.

The bus which visited Largs is owned by transport historian and author Lawrence MacDuff, who lives in Kilmarnock and, though semi-retired, still retains all his professional bus driving licences.

Lawrence is also familiar with the local area, having lived on Cumbrae for a spell in the late 1970s while working at the Bank of Scotland branch in Millport.

Lawrence said: "For over 30 years, I have owned a restored MacBrayne's 49-seater that was bought new in 1967 to run the Glasgow-Campbeltown service.

"Given the connection with MacBrayne and CalMac, and they used to own a full fleet of these buses, I feel the heritage link is very important."

(Image: Lawrence MacDuff)

He bought the bus with fellow transport author Robert Grieves, who had spotted it for sale in Northern Ireland, and the pair owned it jointly until Lawrence took sole ownership of the vehicle in 1995.

Lawrence's bus has been used by the Royal National Mod as a PR vehicle for many years, and it is also used for wedding hire.

It also has a secure future, as Lawrence has a young friend who is a graduate engineer who will maintain it in future years.