Classic Buses Profiles

Preserved British trolleybuses (by Shane Conway)

Last updated 28 December 2023

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Another look at some delightful vehicles from the past. Here we attempt to list all surviving British native trolleybuses, of which there are no less than 120 still in existance, from 33 different operators across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Chassis and body manufacturers of these vehicles is also a varied selection, as will be seen.

The first systems opened were in Leeds and Bradford in June 1911, the latter also being the last to close in March 1972. Scotland had just two systems, the Dundee one being the first to close anywhere (in 1914), while Glasgow was the last to introduce trolleybuses, as late as 1949, a network that lasted 28 years.

The batch of nine Sunbeam dual door double deckers which entered service in Bournemouth in late 1962 were the final new ones anywhere, some months after the London Transport network had closed. One by one all the remaining systems closed down over the following ten years. At the beginning of 1960 there were 30 different systems still in use, but only four of these were still operating into the 1970s. The late survivors were Cardiff (11/1/1970), Walsall (3/10/1970), Tees-side (4/4/1971) and finally Bradford (26/3/1972). Thirteen years later a new trial operation using a modified Dennis Dominator began running in the Doncaster area, this being ended with the onset of bus service de-regulation in 1986.

This page was compiled by Shane Conway, with assistance from Dave Lawrence and Nick Street. The preserved vehicles are listed in date order according to the original operator. Those which moved later are shown under each operator. Additional data or photographs would be welcome.

FLEET LIST

ASHTON CORPORATION (26/8/1925 to 30/12/1966) (Total 2)

BELFAST CORPORATION (28/3/1938 to 12/5/1968) (Total 4)

BOURNEMOUTH CORPORATION (13/5/1933 to 20/4/1969) (Total 7)

Bournemouth 202, owned by the National Trolleybus Association, operating at the East Anglia Transport Museum (EATM), Carlton Colville, near Lowestoft.

BRADFORD CORPORATION (20/6/1911 TO 26/4/1972) (Total 20)

Bradford 746 and Nottingham 493, which are both privately owned, are seen at the Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft.

BRIGHTON CORPORATION (1/5/1939 to 30/6/1961) (Total 1, later passed to Maidstone)

BRIGHTON, HOVE and DISTRICT (3/3/1946 to 24/3/1959) (Total 1)

CARDIFF CORPORATION (1/3/1942 to 11/1/1970) (Total 4)

CLEETHORPES CORPORATION (18/7/1937 to 4/6/1960) (Total 2)

DARLINGTON CORPORATION (17/1/1926 to 31/7/1957) (Total 3, of which 2 passed to Doncaster, and all 3 later to Bradford)

DERBY CORPORATION (10/1/1932 to 9/9/1967) (Total 5)

DONCASTER CORPORATION (22/8/1928 to 14/12/1963) (Total 4, of which 3 passed to Bradford)

GLASGOW CORPORATION (3/4/1949 to 27/5/1967) (Total 2)

HASTINGS TRAMWAYS COMPANY (1/4/1928 to 31/5/1959) (Total 4)

HUDDERSFIELD CORPORATION (4/12/1933 to 13/7/1968) (Total 4)

IPSWICH CORPORATION (2/9/1923 to 23/8/1963) (Total 9)

KEIGHLEY CORPORATION (3/5/1913 to 31/8/1932) (Total 2)

LONDON TRANSPORT (1/7/1933 to 8/5/1962) (Total 13)

The Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, North Lincolnshire, also held a London themed event in 2012. London Transport 260 was on loan from the LTPS and is seen here with 1348 and 1812 behind.

London United 1, owned by the London Transport Museum, last operated at the EATM for their London event in May 2012. It is seen here outside the main trolleybus depot being prepared for service.

LONDON UNITED TRAMWAYS (16/5/1931 to 1/7/1933) (Total 1, which passed to London Transport)

MAIDSTONE CORPORATION (1/5/1928 to 15/4/1967) (Total 3)

MANCHESTER CORPORATION (1/3/1938 to 30/12/1966) (Total 2)

MEXBOROUGH & SWINTON (31/8/1915 to 26/3/1961) (Total 5, of which 4 passed to Bradford)

NEWCASTLE CORPORATION (1/10/1935 to 1/10/1966) (Total 2)

Newcastle 628 is seen at the EATM, operating the evening services at the annual trolleybus weekend event, held each September.

NOTTINGHAM CORPORATION (10/4/1927 to 30/6/1966) (Total 7)

NOTTS and DERBY TRACTION COMPANY (7/1/1932 to 25/3/1953) (Total 3)

PORTSMOUTH CORPORATION (4/8/1934 to 27/6/1963) (Total 2)

READING CORPORATION (18/7/1936 to 3/11/1968) (Total 6, of which 1 passed to Tees-side)

ROTHERHAM CORPORATION (3/10/1912 to 2/10/1965) (Total 4)

SAINT HELENS CORPORATION (11/7/1927 to 1/7/1958) (Total 1, which later passed to Bradford)

SOUTH SHIELDS (12/10/1936 to 29/4/1964) (Total 1)

SOUTH YORKSHIRE P T E (--/09/1985 to --/--/1986) (Total 1)

TEES-SIDE RAIL-LESS TRACTION BOARD (8/11/1919 to 4/4/1971) (Total 3)

WALSALL CORPORATION (22/7/1931 to 3/10/1970) (Total 3)

Walsall 862 was seen on 31st May 1993 during a visit to the Black Country museum, and was busy ferrying visitors around the grounds.

WOLVERHAMPTON CORPORATION (29/10/1923 to 5/3/1967) (Total 4)

Wolverhampton 433 was seen on 31st May 1993 during a visit to the Black Country museum, although not in use on the day.

Total buses = 120.

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