1. Such operations have been in situ since the 1979 summer season, when five former Southdown Motor Services Leyland PD3 full fronted Northern Counties “Queen Mary” bodied buses were placed into service by the United subsidiary of the National Bus Company. 3215 was captured by the photographer as it wandered along the Promenade carrying an impressive loading of passengers.

2. By the 1983 season the handsome PD3s had been replaced by a fleet of Bristol VRs with their distinctive Eastern Coachworks bodies. This flat fronted version had begun life with a solid roof in place with Scottish Omnibuses as their fleet number AA 310. However, some years later these were deemed unsuitable north of the Border and were swapped with a number of older Bristol FLF half-cabs from within various English operators. Thus as time progressed, far from it’s Scottish roots (or was it routes), 637 waited patiently on the southern Spa terminus stand at the end of the 1983 season.

3. This rather splendid converted Bristol RELL6G from United made a fine sight as it rested between duties at the southern Spa end of the route. Few of this type were converted, maybe less than a handful (unless someone else knows otherwise). Although the bus was captured during the NBC era it was operated in the former company livery complete with scrolled fleetname. Later when transferred to the ownership of the East Yorkshire Motor Services, it was repainted into a red and cream livery as illustrated in the previous posting of Part 1.

4. By the time that the 1990 season came around competition was to be found in the shape of the Lincolnshire based Applebys Coach Company. Having established a base north of the River Humber, a number of open-topped buses were either acquired or placed on hire. One from the latter category was another of those fine Leyland PD3s similar to that in image number 1 that operated originally with Southdown, but by 1990 was in the hands of the Essex-based Harris company. As the conductor took fares on the top deck and was about to depart, the bus was joined at the Corner Café by a Scarborough & District Bristol VR that deposited yet another healthy loading of passengers.

5. Around the same time a company by the name of Yesteryear Travel was also involved with a very small number of buses. Here a former Brighton & Hove Bristol FS6G was seen as it approached the Corner Café, with a fulsome loading that included several standing passengers on the lower deck. Although the vehicle here displayed an A-suffixed registration plate, it was originally delivered to the B&H company as XPM 41 in 1962. This caption has been modified in the light of information received from Rob Sly. See more about this bus on his website HERE.

6. Another fine vehicle operated by the same company was this former Lancaster City Transport double-decker. Although delivered as a full roofed vehicle, at some stage unknown to the author the man with the can opener was set to work and converted the vehicle to open-topped form. Here the bus pulled away from the Corner Café terminus during the 1990 season, along with the competition in the shape of a Scarborough & District Park Royal bodied Leyland Atlantean, originally number 170 with Sunderland & District. The popularity of the services was illustrated by the queues that were left behind as both buses departed with maximum loadings.

7. In 1992 the Scarborough & District operation was a subsidiary of East Yorkshire Motor Services and ECW bodied Bristol VR 658 at the Corner Café provided a contrast with the similar bodywork from that supplied on what appeared to be a Leyland Atlantean as illustrated by the bustle behind.

8. Two years on and the Applebys company continued to provide much contrast in the shape of buses from various sources. One such was this MCW bodied Leyland Fleetline originally supplied to the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive as their number 6326.

9. Another source was way down in the West Country from where this former Plymouth City Leyland Atlantean had been acquired for the 1994 season. Also with MCW bodywork it was placed into service in as acquired livery, this rather ‘in your face’ representation of the Golden Hind galleon.

10. Advertising is a useful medium to provide additional revenue and comes in various formats from the overall style as illustrated by the previous image to the small individual type affixed to side and front panels. In between are various others such as this three-sided version applied to EYMS 600 in 1994 at the Corner Café. This flat fronted ECW bodied Bristol VR previously operated by the Midland General company, originally in closed top form.

11. In 1994 another protagonist for the battle of the beaches was Shoreline Suncruisers that provided yet more variety for the enthusiast and perhaps the travelling public alike. With the Corner Café behind, this long wheel-based Bristol VRTLL6G operated an alternative but circular route 110 to the town centre and back. The Scottish registration LFS 296F again suggested an origin north of the Border with Scottish Omnibuses. Images on the bus between the decks illustrated a couple of alternative leisure cruises on the Regal Lady and the Coronia from the South Bay.

12. An alternative view of the Corner Café in 1996 provided a view of Applebys Bristol Lodekka from high up the banking overlooking the half moon of the bus terminus. With cloudless blue skies above and relatively calm waters below, many tourists took advantage of the conditions, either by travelling up top on the bus or taking in the therms on the beach and around the terminus.

13. By the 1996 season Applebys former Plymouth City Leyland Atlantean had been repainted. Gone was the Jolly Roger style colours, replaced by the company’s standard fleet livery. Here the bus approached the Spa Bridge near the Southern end of the route. To the left of the bus one can observe the tracks for the cliff lift along with the two cabins at the top of the picture.

14. In the same year the former Lancaster Leyland PD2 had been fully integrated into EYMS as their fleet number 202. Illustrated here is the rear aspect of the vehicle as it bore a vintage livery at the Corner Café terminus. More cloudless blue skies allowed the sun to blaze down on the apparently fresh paintwork and holidaying tourists alike.

15. EYMS 619 at the Corner Café in 1996 was a new service bus in 1972 delivered to and formerly operated by SELNEC the South East Lancs North East Cheshire company. The Leeds based Roe company supplied the body that sat upon this Leyland Atlantean illustrated here.

16. The 1996 season heralded the arrival of the ubiquitous AEC Routemaster to the Yorkshire coastline. Here former RM 2065 by now EYMS 812 took in the bracing fresh sea airs along the Marine Drive far away from the stuffy carbon-filled streets of London.

17. The nearside aspect of the same bus is illustrated here as 812 approached the Spa Bridge roundabout on way to the Southern terminus earlier on the same day before the daytrippers and other holidaymakers had arrived beside the seaside.

18. In contrast the half-cabbed Park Royal bodied Routemaster was soon followed along by this Bristol VR. The bus was one of two originally supplied to Alder Valley in 1975 with ECW coach seating for commuter services from the Thames Valley townships into central London. A fresh lick of paint had by now been applied by the new owners, Shoreline Suncruisers.

19. Acquired from a bit closer to home though was this Roe bodied Daimler Fleetline, having made the relatively shorter transfer across from the south side of the Humber river. Previously operated by Grimsby Cleethorpes, it was probably quite used to the bracing salty airs of the North Sea as it promenaded its way along the Promenade during the 1996 season. Scarborough Castle and a filled South beach provided the backdrop.

20. And finally another view of the long wheel-based Bristol VRTLL6G operated by Shoreline Suncruisers. LFS 296F by August 1996 had been repainted into the company’s livery. Instead of the local cruisers prominent on the bus previously, advertising by now featured a local Honey Farm. Here the bus once again operated on the one-way circular 110 route and was observed as it descended from the town centre towards the Spa Bridge and the seafront.