Open top buses on the seafront in Scarborough – 7 Sep 1996 (327-10)

Saturday afternoon 7 September 1996 – Open top buses competing in Scarborough.

Applebys of Cornisholme, Lincolnshire grew to quite a sizeable business and created a base in Scarborough running open top seafront and normal town bus services. The coach fleet worked private hire and excursions. The company had latterly been part of the ill-fated Bowens Group went into receivership during late 2012.

JTD 387P, a Northern Counties bodied Daimler Fleetline new to Southend Transport in November 1975 as a normal covered top bus.

Heading away from the camera is East Yorkshire Motor Services/Scarborough and District 637 (DRB 307H), an Eastern Coachworks bodies Bristol VR new to Midland General in October 1969 also as a normal covered top bus. It carries an all over advertising livery for a local theme park.

The Grand Hotel dominates the background. Completed in 1867 the ‘V’ shaped building pays homage to Queen Victoria. It was designed around the theme of time with 4 towers to represent the seasons, 12 floors for the months of the year and 52 chimneys for the weeks. Originally there were 365 bedrooms - one for each day of a non-leap year. Apparently at the time it was opened it was one of the largest hotels in the world and one of the first giant purpose built hotels in Europe.