Leicester’s Lindzi transformed a double-decker bus into a travelling library and off-grid home packed with books and personality.
If you spotted a bright double-decker bus rolling through Leicestershire packed with books, plants, cozy furniture, and some serious personality, there’s a good chance you’ve already encountered Lindzi Hargrave’s latest adventure.
But this is not Leicester City Council’s BookBus.
Lindzi’s library bus is entirely her own project. It’s a home, a community space, a traveling library, and a fresh start. The 38-year-old from Anstey has transformed an old double-decker bus into an off-grid living space complete with a free library and book swap service. She plans to take it around to festivals and communities to give people access to books and a chance to connect.
From Dream Idea to Double-Decker Reality
Most people have random thoughts they never act on. “I’d love to live in a cottage,” “I should open a café,” “Maybe I’ll buy a campervan one day…” But Lindzi actually followed through.
She had dreamed of owning a bus since she was a girl. The idea had been sitting in the back of her mind since childhood. First, she wanted to be a bus driver, then she dreamed about creating a café on a bus, and eventually, the idea evolved into something much bigger.
In August 2023, she found a double-decker bus on eBay. £18,000 later, her project started. Where most people would see a logistical headache, she saw a possibility. Her dreams were coming true, after all those years.
Over the course of 2024, she transformed the vehicle into a fully functioning, off-grid home and traveling library. She installed solar panels, rescued and upcycled furniture, and curated a cozy, book-filled space within the metal walls of her double-decker bus.
By the time it was done, the project cost around £50,000.
Not Your Typical Tiny Home
There’s been a huge rise in alternative living over the last few years. Tiny homes, converted vans, canal boats, and off-grid cabins have exploded online as people search for cheaper, freer, and more creative ways to live. Lindzi’s setup feels different because it’s not about aesthetics or social media appeal. Yes, it’s equally as quirky and visually brilliant as the other tiny homes we see online. But there is also a strong sense of purpose behind it. It’s more than just a fun DIY project.
Lindzi wants her bus to provide access to books in places where libraries have disappeared, or in places where they’ve become harder to reach. She wants it to function as a community space where people can stop, chat, browse, and connect.
In a time when literacy levels are dropping, and connection happens more through screens than anything else, it’s a refreshing idea.
Lindzi is pushing to create a real space, with real books, for real conversations.
The Personal Journey Behind the Bus
Lindzi’s story is also deeper than just a person deciding a mortgage or forever-rising rent wasn’t for her. Her buying the bus was changing her life. She’s been very open about her need to change something, in part because of the issues she was facing prior to buying the bus.
In an interview with a local newspaper, she spoke candidly about battling alcohol problems. She described periods where drinking had become overwhelming and admitted that she “couldn’t stop drinking.” When she realized there was a problem, she knew she had to act.
Step one?
She shaved her head. As a symbol of taking control back. As a fresh start.
Step two?
She bought the bus.
Lindzi’s story isn’t a polished influencer narrative. She’s not pretended she’d always been sorted and inspirational. She has been honest about difficulties, unhealthy habits, and the messy reality of life.
A Library on Wheels
So now the bus has been bought. It’s been made. And books are right in its heart. Lindzi has described living in the bus as “living in a library,” which, for any reader, is basically the dream. Falling asleep next to a log burner and shelves of books? Where do we sign up?
But it isn’t just for her. The project is about people. It’s about communities and learning. Libraries have always been bigger than the books on their shelves. They’ve always been places of curiosity, comfort, and access.
They provide warmth, peace, and connection. That’s what Lindzi’s fostering with her bus. Her plan is to travel around and take that feeling to places that need it, to bring back the love of the library.
This is especially important in a time of number crunching. Libraries all over the world are struggling, losing budget and being forced to shrink, or worse, close. In a time when we’re losing libraries regularly, people like Lindzi become heroes.
A New Chapter
The bus has now passed its MOT, meaning Lindzi can officially begin traveling with it around the country. After years of wishing, a rollercoaster of feelings, and an eBay purchase that many would consider crazy, it’s time. The project is finally moving forward, literally.
Lindzi hopes to take her home around the UK for festival season, giving people the chance to engage with books and with one another.
1000 LIBRARIES
Color Your Way Through Summer
With 25 summer-inspired illustrations, the Bookish Coloring Book (Summer Edition) is the perfect companion to your sunny days.
Join our community of 1.5M readers
Like this story? You'll love our free weekly magazine.
Millie Ramm
Millie has been writing since she was a child, and has spent more time with her nose in books than anywhere else. She has been ghostwriting novels and editing for the past few years, and when not working she is curled up with her cats, looking for her next read.
