Throw Back Thursday ~ Great Yarmouth Open Toppers

Following the reported arrival of First's open topper at Caister Road on Tuesday, I thought I would have a rummage through my old photos to see the last time when an open topper operated a regular service in Great Yarmouth

The last operator was Awaydays Travel of Wood Dalling of Norfolk which regularly used MCW Metrobus KYV670X in Great Yarmouth Sightseeing livery. Originally numbered M670 in the London Buses fleet, it moved to London General on privatisation, then to City Sightseeing  for use in Inverness before passing to Awaydays who operated the City Sightseeing franchise.

The open top service continued until the end of the summer of 2010, although KYV didn't quite make it until the end necessitating the use of Bath Bus Company's Leyland Olympian E767LBT. Originally registered TWY7, it was new to South Yorkshire Motors of Pontefract and moved on to to Arriva Yorkshire and subsequently saw use with City Sightseeing. In January 2011 it was exported to Cyprus where it continues to operate

Finally, I found an old photo of Caroline Seagull's open topper former Leyland Atlantean JSC890E. New to Edinburgh (later Lothian) in September 1967, it is pictured outside Caroline's Queen's Road premises during August 1982.

Let's hope it wont be too long before First's Dennis Trident W905VLN is seen in service on the streets of Great Yarmouth

Roy