Peter Lyle, 76, has turned his classic Devon Moonraker into a tribute to the Pixar franchise, repainting it in Buzz Lightyear’s colours and filling it with more than 100 figures collected over 15 years.
The van has been in the family since the 1980s, when the father of four needed the extra space to carry his family around. But the Toy Story makeover only began six years ago.
Peter Lyle with his grandchild and the van (Image: Shannon Lyle)
“I had a sticker of Buzz on the front spare tyre, and when it came to spraying the van I just asked the guy if he could do the Buzz Lightyear colours – I already had toys collected and it started there,” the Garston resident said.
@theofficialbuzzbus #toystory #toystorycollection #pixar #collector #buzzlightyear ♬ Collector Check – Samantha
He began collecting Toy Story figures 15 years ago and has since accumulated around 130, some of which are displayed inside the van which his grandchildren have dubbed the “Buzz Bus”.
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Peter said the reaction from strangers has been overwhelmingly positive, with parents regularly stopping to ask for photos with their children.
“It puts a smile on people’s faces whenever they see it,” he said. “The fact that it makes people smile makes me smile — it’s a really nice feeling. It’s lovely when people approach me.”
The toys inside the van (Image: Shannon Lyle)
With the help of his grandchildren, Mr Lyle has also been sharing videos and pictures on his TikTok page, Buzz Bus, with one video racking up more than 27,000 views.
“Clearly it makes people nostalgic when they see it. It is a really special film,” Peter added.
The project has also given him a new way to bond with his grandchildren, who are always eager to be driven around in it.