Sinking feeling for floating bus

A bid to replace a historic ferry with a futuristic amphibious bus was delayed - when the £700,000 vehicle was damaged on its first day of testing.

Stagecoach bosses saw their hi-tech Amfibus crash into a ramp as it tried to navigate on to dry land, reports The Sun.

The two-day trial on the River Clyde was axed after just 30 minutes when emergency mechanics were unable to fix the damage.

Crowds had gathered to watch the trial run of the yellow coach - which runs on roads and water - between Renfrew and Yoker in Glasgow.

But the rear suspension was damaged as the vehicle drove up a slipway at Renfrew. And then it got stuck on the way to a nearby garage.

Onlooker Joe McLelland, 34, of Yoker, said: "We heard a bit of a thud and when it came out there were long scrapes where it must have hit.

"It was a bit embarrassing. The guys from Stagecoach didn't look happy."

Stagecoach hopes the 50-seater Amfibus will replace the 500-year-old Renfrew ferry service which is being scrapped in March.

The Dutch-made vehicle combines a bus chassis with a boat-like hull. It runs like a normal coach on the road, but in water twin jets power it to a top speed of eight knots.

Spokesman Steve Stewart said: "It's all part of the challenges that you face when you have a technical trial and that will go back into the evaluation process."