Trolley Buses

[Three Litre]

Whatever happened to them? They were a good idea, even more so these days with the drive on pollution free transport.

I can remember seeing some.

[Cartman]

I just about remember the Manchester ones, they closed in December 1966,the last route was along Ashton new Road. They were good, I think the cost of copper wiring which needed replacement at a time when oil was cheap killed them off.

The last four systems just made it into the 70s, Cardiff closed in January 1970, Teesside and Walsall closed in 1970 or 71, and Bradford in 72. If they had managed to hang on until the oil crisis in 73, I am certain that they would still be operating now 

[Villain]

Jan 11, 2020 15:08:12 GMT Cartman said:

I just about remember the Manchester ones, they closed in December 1966,the last route was along Ashton new Road. They were good, I think the cost of copper wiring which needed replacement at a time when oil was cheap killed them off.

The last four systems just made it into the 70s, Cardiff closed in January 1970, Teesside and Walsall closed in 1970 or 71, and Bradford in 72. If they had managed to hang on until the oil crisis in 73, I am certain that they would still be operating now 

Didn't realise they lasted that long up there Cartman, that's quite surprising really. I know that the least ones in London ran until 1962, my Nan used to tell me about them occasionally, quite often the connecting cables on the roof would come adrift from the power lines causing havoc in the rush hour.

Villain 

[Cartman]

Reading and Bournemouth were quite late closures too, they ran them until 1968 and 69. I think an issue with the wiring was that is quite complicated in comparison to trams and electrified railways, they can use the track as the earth return and only need one power wire. A trolleybus needs separate pick up and return wires and two trolley poles 

[Three Litre]

Think you're probably right their Carty. Plus the cables would be deemed unsightly and prone to weather damage, I suspect.

[D.C. Burtonshaw]

I remember my Mum saying she used Trolley Buses to get to school in her day (1950's), that was Kent. There's a couple of Youtube vids of them in service as well as a black and white video of the last one in service in 1960, and another colour Pathe film from 1959, of Trolley Buses being scrapped.

[Cartman]

Trolleybus and tram abandonment seems to have been a British thing, European cities kept them and are still running them. The last tramway systems, apart from Blackpool, to close were Sheffield in 1960 and Glasgow in 62, Liverpool and Leeds also lasted until 1957 and 59.

Maybe the massive redevelopment which occurred in many cities in the 60s influenced the decision to abandon them as the wiring and tracks would have to be changed and moved around to cater for ring roads and so on