Journeying vehicles reminisce tales of journeying and existence
In the heart of Italy's Vercelli province lies the small town of Cigliano, home to an extraordinary collection of vintage Esabus buses. This unique assortment, known as Esabus, unites eight vehicles, seven buses, and one truck, each a testament to a bygone era.
The collection's oldest member, a Fiat 309 from 1959, is a hill bus that once served the routes of Biella. Other buses, built between the late 1950s and the mid-1970s, were designed with personalized liveries and interiors for the companies that ordered their construction.
One of the most notable buses in the collection is a 1965 model that starred in an RAI spot with Giorgio Panariello and an Italia 1 spot where Raimondo Vianello played the role of the driver.
The vehicles are housed in a hangar in the Cigliano area, where they are meticulously maintained. The group's founder, Gian Paolo Arborio, a former banker, led the initiative alongside a pool of enthusiasts and experts. Paolo Lucchini, a former driver, and Fabio Mazzoncini, a mechanic, later joined the group, ensuring the vehicles' continued care.
Arborio has been nurturing the dream of creating an exhibition of vintage buses since the '90s. He has also created a documentary section on Facebook, featuring photographs, routes traveled, schedules, and testimonials collected by interviewing drivers and speaking with personnel and managers of the companies and manufacturing plants.
The group has had success in rescuing buses belonging to the Sita company, with two vehicles being saved just before they were sold abroad. Unfortunately, efforts to recover buses belonging to companies in Cigliano have not been successful, with one being tracked down only to find it had been demolished.
The collection mourns the loss of its founding members, Luigi and Fabrizio Gonella, father and son, who were initial members of the group but unfortunately passed away during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Arborio plans to organize a rally to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Saacv of Cigliano in 2027. He is also working on a small book about the history of the Saacv of Cigliano.
For those interested in learning more about the Esabus vintage bus collection in Cigliano, including its history, restoration projects, and upcoming events, it is recommended to contact local cultural or historical societies in Cigliano or the Vercelli area, check local municipality resources or event calendars for announcements about vintage vehicle exhibitions, or follow specialized automotive or vintage bus collectors’ clubs in Italy for scheduled shows or restoration gallery openings.
The Esabus vintage bus collection, located in Cigliano, showcases the intersection of finance and industry, with its founder, Gian Paolo Arborio, being a former banker. The collection, a significant part of Italy's transportation history, offers insights into the lifestyle and design of the home-and-garden sectors during the late 1950s to the mid-1970s, as evidenced by the personalized liveries and interiors of the buses. The group, dedicated to preserving these relics, has found success in rescuing buses from the Sita company and is planning events, such as a rally, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Saacv of Cigliano in 2027, thus contributing to the culture and tourism of the Vercelli province.
