Horse buses appeared in many places after the development of the railways. They were used to feed passengers to the stations. Railway companies operated some themselves but many others, such as this one at Giffnock, were run by private contractors.

By the Edwardian period a surge in demand for holidays and excursions had led to the development of further types of omnibuses or char-a-bancs. Contractors and hire firms in holiday resorts used them as taxi services too and from piers and stations but their principle use was for excursions. The White Hart's chara took passengers on trips from Campbeltown to Machrihanish.

By the 1920s, the horse drawn charabanc had been replaced by motor charas. Excursions could be much more ambitious, as the new vehicle's radius of operation was so much greater than could be achieved with horsepower. Outings were organised by youth groups, churches, schools, and even factory workforces.

Some excursions must have been logistical nightmares. This image shows seven motor charas lined up the side of a road. Dunblane Cathedral Choir had undertaken a day trip to Killiecrankie on 5 August 1924 - a round trip of 140 miles. Keeping everyone fed, watered and together must have taxed the organisers and drivers.

The first motor charas were open in all weathers and ran on solid tyres: passengers could experience cold, wet and bumpy rides even in summer. However, by the middle 1920s the first pioneering vehicles were being replaced by versions offering more comfort. The Redding School teachers opted for a chara with a soft top for their excursion.

Charas carrying youth groups on summer excursions were a familiar sight in lowland Scotland in the 1930s. Often the vehicle was decked in streamers and bunting. But their days were numbered. Hard top buses had always been an alternative to charas and they soon dominated, even in the excursion trade. However, the name lives on, still applied by many to their excursion buses.