Iconic Arriva Biennial Buses Hit the Road

Three Arriva buses are sporting eye catching new liveries thanks to support from Manchester based HMG Paints. The buses are a part of the largest festival of contemporary art in the UK, Liverpool Biennial, which is running from the July 9th to October 16th.

The three Arriva double decker city buses, designed by contemporary artists for the festival, have been hand painted by the Arriva St Helens painting team, using HMG Paints market leading products, including SAH300, a high solids 1K Polyurethane alkyd designed for brush application.  Tony O’Connor and Martyn Binnington, worked closely with the Arriva St Helens painting team, the Liverpool Biennial team and the designers throughout the creative process, specifying the best products and colour matching for each of the designs.

“This was an exciting and challenging project, our painters enjoyed working with artists and HMG to produce three excellent results. We are very pleased with HMG’s “can do” attitude and advice throughout,” said Dave White, bodyshop manager.

One of the buses for the festival, entitled “Hello Future Me” and also known as the “Space Bus,” has been designed by Year 7 pupils from Childwall Sports & Science Academy in collaboration with design studio Hato. The second bus in the collection is called “Blaze” and is designed by Liverpool-based artist Frances Disley, which is inspired by the 1990’s game-show Gladiators.

The final bus, “Mrs. Muir”, was designed by Portuguese artist Ana Jotta and disguises the vehicle in a solid brick pattern. The “Brick Bus” used HMG Paint’s C71 Speedline, a fast drying synthetic alkyd enamel, to provide outstanding film hardness and toughness to protect the intricate design. The team used an incredible 30 rolls of fine line tape to recreate the brick design as realistic as possible.
HMG Paints’ General Sales Manager – CT & Distribution, Martyn Binnington, was thrilled with the results of the project. He said: “Once again the Arriva team have shown they are one of the best in the business. The team have managed to replicate the initial designs down to the smallest detail, especially on the “Brick Bus,” it is a remarkable achievement.  The team deserve all the plaudits they have received for their hard work and, as a result, the three buses look outstanding.”

Sally Tallant, director of Liverpool Biennial, said: “The three artist-designed buses are a significant commission for the Biennial, the city and its people. We are delighted to have worked with HMG Paints, who have been brilliant in bringing the artists’ designs to life. The team has done a truly outstanding job.”

To see more on the project you can search #SpaceBus, #BrickBus and #BlazeBus online and on social media sites or head to Youtube to see a timelapse of the processes.
For “Blaze” and the “Brick Bus” visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzWirm2Wf0I
For the “Space Bus” visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFJXtwTKpeI