Bring your best British accent and jump on board a bit of history with
Pittsburgh Tour Company’s Double Decker Tours.
West Mifflin couple Manion and Vince LaMonica, co-owners of Celebrity Limousines, wanted to provide a hip way to see the city. Their wish came true when they located one of the few remaining vintage red double-decker buses made by AEC Routemaster for the London Transport Co. in 1964.
“A tour is more exciting when you’re riding on a piece of history," says Manion."There are only about 1,000 of these buses still in existence.”
The bus was refurbished and restored it to its original condition. “The seats, windows, switches even the bell you ring when you want to get off is original,” she adds. Manion particularly loves the original checkerboard seat fabric, which was used in London's transit buses back in the day.
Double Decker Tours launches this month with a loop that runs from South Side, down Carson Street to Station Square to the North Shore and PNC Park, through the Strip and by Grant Street to Point State Park. Then it heads up 2nd Avenue and returns to South Side over the Hot Metal Bridge.
“We plan to change the route over time,” Manion adds. “ It’s not just a tour of the city. We give you some history, fun facts. Hopefully people will get on and off the bus, go to museums, eat lunch at a local restaurant. People from here may even learn something.”
The tours will get underway this month from the kiosk at 445 S. 27th Street in the South Side. For more information, click
here.
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Writer:
Debra Diamond SmitSource: Manon LaMonica, Pittsburgh Tour Company