Travel back to trolleybus days

From the Telegraph & Argus, first published Monday 7th Jun 2004.

Bradford's famous trolleybuses are making a comeback at the world's biggest working trolleybus exhibition.

Three of the city's trolleybuses, including the last one to be in service in the country, will be featured in the event.

Trolleybuses ran on wheels and were powered by overhead electric cables.

For many years they were known as `rail-less trams' or `tracklesses' because, unlike trams, they did not need tracks.

At their peak, 20,000 trolleybuses were in operation in the UK and Bradford ran more than 350.

Bradford was the first city to run trolleybuses and the last to stop using them.

They made their debut on the Laisterdyke to Dudley Hill route on June 20, 1911. In 1972 a ceremony was organised by Bradford Councillor Stanley King to mark the last journey made by a trolleybus in the city.

"When I joined the Council in 1970 plans had already been made to get rid of them but I would have liked to keep them going," said Coun King (Con, Heaton).

"They are the most civilised form of transport: quiet, clean, quick and pleasant to ride on.

"They were very suitable for Bradford because of the hills. They used to soar up Church Bank like a flying carpet.

"On the way down electricity was regenerated."

Coun King has received a special invitation to attend the exhibition at the Black Country Living Museum in the West Midlands.

The 26-acre open-air attraction is being held until Sunday, June 20.

Keith Bodley, chairman of the Black Country Museum Transport Group, which has organised the event, said: "We are expecting thousands of visitors to attend the exhibition. The trolleybuses have a big following."

Also featured in the exhibition is bus number 735, built in 1946, and bus number 792, built in 1944.

Mr Bodley said: "The 735 was one of the only trolleybuses used in Bradford that was bought brand new.

"Bus number 792 was originally a single deck but when Bradford bought it for about £30 they made into a double deck."

Visitors to the museum will be able to ride on trolleybuses from all over the UK as well as a 43ft long Swiss model which has been out of service for 20 years.

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