By Jensen
Oxfordshire,
United Kingdom 
Three More Photos of Bramley Apple Tree Trouble.
The fourth and fifth photos show close-ups of the other two main large branches above the trunk.
I have tried to show the tree in perspective to give a good idea of it, as opposed to simply showing close-up shots.
The photos do not always reproduce the colours exactly - I do not have a top-of-the-range camera with a very long lens. The first four were taken when it was sunny this morning, whereas the sun was not shining for the last two. I rejected some photos which seemed to make the trouble look even worse than it does. I think I have conveyed it adequately.
1 Mar, 2014
Answers
We have a very old apple tree and parts of that are losing bark, a tree surgeon friend thought old age.....
the upside is that the greater spotted woodpeckers are regular visitors :0)
I suppose one day it will have to go if its unsafe so a couple of years ago we planted a new one
2 Mar, 2014
Thanks for your replies. Myron - the whole of the trunk and three main branches are similar to the last two photos, and so I presume I can rule out Sun scald.
I welcome any more advice from other members of the Forum.
2 Mar, 2014
This could be normal. If the tree experiences rapid growth for some reason then the tree will expand. The dead tissues of the outer bark can't stretch quick enough to accommodate the larger size and the bark drops away to reveal new bark below.
Another cause could be Sun scald and this is easily ruled out. If the tree is losing bark only on the south side then it's Sun scald. This usually only occurs with young trees though.
1 Mar, 2014