Open top buses in the United Kingdom
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Open top buses, or open toppers, are used for a variety of reasons in the United Kingdom, mainly for sightseeing and seasonal services. Open top buses are also often exported to other countries, to give the impression of the 'traditional British bus', i.e. a double-decker bus[1].
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[edit] History
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The first open top buses in the United Kingdom were regular service buses.
In the nationalised era of the National Bus Company (UK), several subsidiary companies operated Bristol VRT open toppers[2].
[edit] Tourist services
Nearly all major cities in the United Kingdom are served by tour bus services, most using open top buses.
Other picturesque rural areas and monuments are also served by open top tours, such as Stonehenge and the New Forest [1].
[edit] Open tour bus operators
- The Original Tour (Arriva)
- City Sightseeing
- Lothian Buses
- The Big Bus Company
- Ensignbus
- London Pride Sightseeing
- Guide Friday
- Southern Vectis (Island Breezers)
- Solent Blue Line (New Forest Tour)
[edit] Regular seasonal routes
Open-top buses are employed on regular timetabled stage-carriage services at many scenic locations in the United Kingdom, especially at the coast. Generally these run during the summer season, usually from Easter until September, and may be replaced by closed vehicles during inclement weather, or a refitable roof may be fitted to the regular open top bus[3][4]. Services may also run on holiday weekends outside the summer season.
They are often sea-front services in urban coastal resorts, but some are longer distance services through scenic areas such as Exmoor National Park, the South Downs and the Jurassic coast in Dorset.
- Wilts & Dorset route 150 from Bournemouth to Swanage in Dorset which takes its passengers over the entrance to Poole Harbour on the Sandbanks chain ferry before continuing over Studland Heath and through a gap in the Purbeck Hills before arriving at Swanage station (from where the journey to Corfe Castle may be continued by steam train on the Swanage Railway[5].
- Quantock Motor Services route 300 runs from Minehead in Somerset (where it connects with the West Somerset Railway), through Porlock, to Lynmouth in Devon. The route takes in part of Exmoor National Park and some very attractive coastal scenery[6].
- Quantock Motor Services route 400 runs a circular route from Minehead through Exmoor, calling at the scenic villages of Dunster (for Dunster Castle), Timberscombe and Porlock[6].
- Riverlink service 100[2], Paignton - Totnes [7]
- Brighton and Hove services 77/78/79[3] to the South Downs
- Western Greyhound service 500 Newquay circular[8][9]
- East Yorkshire Motor Services service 108/109[10][11] along Scarborough sea-front.
- Stagecoach Devon service 200[12] Paignton - Totness
- First Devon & Cornwall service 300 clockwise & anti-clockwise orbital routes around the Penwith district of West Cornwall. Buses start from Penzance and run via Marazion, St Ives, Zennor, St Just, Land's End, Porthcurno & Newlyn or the reverse.
[edit] Other uses
Open top buses are also often used in the UK for victory parades for sport teams, such as the Premier League champions, the England cricket team's victory in the Ashes.
Open top buses also see regular use as temporary viewing platforms at events such as the Epsom Derby or for promotional reasons[13]. Private hire is sometimes employed for occasions such as weddings[14], using the large number of preserved vehicles in the UK.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Image of a traditional London bus converted to open top for export to Canada
- ^ [http://simonsbuses.photoblog.org.uk/p35580054.html Image of a Bristol VR open top bus operated by former NBC subsidiary East Kent
- ^ a b A Brighton and Hove open top service bus that is fitted with a roof in winter
- ^ [http://kfcpics.fotopic.net/p34717200.html A Stagecoach Devon open top bus with its temporary roof fitted
- ^ Wilts & Dorset Bus Company web site
- ^ a b Quantock Motor Services - modern fleet
- ^ Riverlink Service 100 timetable
- ^ Western Greyhound service 500
- ^ Western Greyhound open toper on a regular service route
- ^ http://www.eyms.co.uk/timetable/scarborough/108DYSC.HTML East Yorkshire Motor Services service 108
- ^ http://www.eyms.co.uk/timetable/1092007.htm East Yorkshire Motor Services service 109
- ^ Stagecoach Devon open topper on service 200
- ^ A Sun newspaper liveried open top bus in Blackpool for the Womens Beach Volleyball Championships
- ^ [http://western7642.fotopic.net/p46098626.html A Western Greyhound open topper on hire for a wedding
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