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List of trolleybus systems in the United Kingdom

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of trolleybus systems in the United Kingdom by Home Nation and by regions of England. It includes:

  • Past trolleybus systems in the UK.
  • Museums in the UK capable of running trolleybuses (i.e. possessing overhead wires and trolleybuses in working order).

There are currently no operational trolleybus systems in the UK.

In the United Kingdom the first trolleybus systems were inaugurated on 20 June 1911[1] in Bradford and Leeds, although public service in Bradford did not commence until 24 June.[1] Coincidentally, the UK's last trolleybus service also operated in Bradford, on 26 March 1972.[1][2]

A Walsall trolleybus at the Black Country Living Museum

England (by region)

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East Midlands

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Name of system Location Date (from) Date (to) Notes
  Chesterfield 23 May 1927 24 March 1938 See also Trolleybuses in Chesterfield.
  Derby 9 January 1932 9 September 1967 See also Trolleybuses in Derby.
  Nottingham 10 April 1927 30 June 1966 See also Trolleybuses in Nottingham.
Notts & Derby Traction Company Nottingham 7 January 1932 25 April 1953 See also Trolleybuses in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

East of England

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Name of system Location Date (from) Date (to) Notes
  Ipswich 2 September 1923 23 August 1963 See also Trolleybuses in Ipswich.
  Southend-on-Sea 16 October 1925 28 October 1954 See also Trolleybuses in Southend-on-Sea.

Greater London

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Name of system Location Date (from) Date (to) Notes
  London 1912 - Demonstration
16 May 1931 8 May 1962 See also Trolleybuses in London.

North East England

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Name of system Location Date (from) Date (to) Notes
  Darlington 17 January 1926 31 July 1957 See also Trolleybuses in Darlington.
  Hartlepool 28 February 1924 2 April 1953 See also Trolleybuses in Hartlepool.
Tees-side Railless Traction Board Middlesbrough 8 November 1919 4 April 1971 See also Trolleybuses in Teesside.
  Newcastle upon Tyne 1 October 1935 1 October 1966 See also Trolleybuses in Newcastle upon Tyne.
  South Shields 12 October 1936 29 April 1964 See also Trolleybuses in South Shields.

North West England

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Name of system Location Date (from) Date (to) Notes
South Lancashire Transport Company Atherton 3 August 1930 31 August 1958 See also Trolleybuses in South Lancashire.
  St Helens 11 July 1927 1 July 1958 See also Trolleybuses in St Helens.
  Blackpool 1983   Demonstration.
Manchester Corporation Transport Manchester 1 March 1938 30 December 1966 See also Trolleybuses in Manchester.
  Ashton-under-Lyne 26 August 1925 30 December 1966 See also Trolleybuses in Ashton-under-Lyne.
  Oldham 26 August 1925 5 September 1926  
  Ramsbottom 14 August 1913 31 March 1931 System closed officially in 1928.[citation needed] Occasional operation thereafter to 31 March 1931.[1] See also Trolleybuses in Ramsbottom.
  Stockport 10 March 1913 11 September 1920 See also Trolleybuses in Stockport.
  Wigan 7 May 1925 30 September 1931 See also Trolleybuses in Wigan.

South East England

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Name of system Location Date (from) Date (to) Notes
Brighton Corporation Transport (BCT) Brighton 23 December 1913

1 May 1939

16 September 1914

30 June 1961

See also Trolleybuses in Brighton.
Brighton, Hove & District Omnibus Company (BHC) Brighton 3 March 1946 24 March 1959 All Brighton trolleybuses were lettered "Brighton, Hove & District Transport".
See also Trolleybuses in Brighton.
Hastings Tramways Co. Hastings 1 April 1928 31 May 1959 A wholly owned subsidiary of Maidstone & District Motor Services from 1935.
See also Trolleybuses in Hastings.
Maidstone Corporation Transport Maidstone 1 May 1928 15 April 1967 See also Trolleybuses in Maidstone.
Portsmouth Corporation Transport Portsmouth 4 August 1934 27 July 1963 See also Trolleybuses in Portsmouth.
Reading Corporation Tramways Reading 18 July 1936[3] 3 November 1968 See also Trolleybuses in Reading.

South West England

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Name of system Location Date (from) Date (to) Notes
Bournemouth Corporation Transport (BCT) Bournemouth & Christchurch 13 May 1933 20 April 1969 See also Trolleybuses in Bournemouth.

West Midlands

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Name of system Location Date (from) Date (to) Notes
  Birmingham 27 November 1922 30 June 1951 See also Trolleybuses in Birmingham.
  Wolverhampton 29 October 1923 5 March 1967 See also Trolleybuses in Wolverhampton.
  Walsall 22 July 1931 3 October 1970 See also Trolleybuses in Walsall.

Yorkshire and the Humber

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Name of system Location Date (from) Date (to) Notes
  Bradford 20 June 1911 26 March 1972 The last trolleybus system (apart from museum lines) in the UK.[2] See also Trolleybuses in Bradford.
  Doncaster 22 August 1928 14 December 1963 See also Trolleybuses in Doncaster.
1985 1986 Demonstration
  Grimsby 3 October 1926 4 June 1960 See also Trolleybuses in Grimsby.
  Cleethorpes 18 July 1937 4 June 1960 See also Trolleybuses in Cleethorpes.
  Halifax 20 July 1921 24 October 1926 See also Trolleybuses in Halifax.
Huddersfield Corporation Transport Trolleybuses Huddersfield 4 December 1933 13 July 1968 See also Trolleybuses in Huddersfield.
  Keighley 3 May 1913 31 August 1932 See also Trolleybuses in Keighley.
  Kingston upon Hull 23 July 1937 31 October 1964 See also Trolleybuses in Kingston upon Hull.
  Leeds 20 June 1911 26 July 1928 See also Trolleybuses in Leeds.
  Rotherham 3 October 1912 2 October 1965 See also Trolleybuses in Rotherham.
Mexborough and Swinton Traction Company Mexborough 31 August 1915 26 March 1961  
York Corporation Tramways York 22 December 1920 5 January 1935  

Scotland

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Name of System Location Date (From) Date (To) Notes
  Dundee 5 September 1912 13 May 1914 First UK system to close.[1] See also Trolleybuses in Dundee
Glasgow Corporation Transport Glasgow 3 April 1949 27 May 1967 See also Trolleybuses in Glasgow.

Wales

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Name of System Location Date (From) Date (To) Notes
  Aberdare 14 January 1914 1 July 1925 See also Trolleybuses in Aberdare.
  Cardiff 1 March 1942 11 January 1970 See also Trolleybuses in Cardiff.
  Llanelli 26 December 1932 8 November 1952 See also Trolleybuses in Llanelli.
  Pontypridd 18 September 1930 31 January 1957 See also Trolleybuses in Pontypridd.
  Rhondda 22 December 1914 1 March 1915 See also Trolleybuses in Rhondda.

Northern Ireland

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Name of System Location Date (From) Date (To) Notes
  Belfast 28 March 1938 12 May 1968 See also Trolleybuses in Belfast.

Museums with working trolleybuses

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See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e Joyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). British Trolleybus Systems. London: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 0-7110-1647-X.
  2. ^ a b Murray, Alan (2000). World Trolleybus Encyclopaedia. Yateley, Hampshire, UK: Trolleybooks. ISBN 0-904235-18-1.
  3. ^ "Reading Corporation Transport - Trolleybuses". Bus Zone. Retrieved 28 February 2008.

Further reading

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  • Lockwood, Stephen (2011). Trackless to Trolleybus: Trolleybuses in Britain. Brora, Sutherland: Adam Gordon. ISBN 978-1-874422-86-0.
  • ————————— (2017). A–Z of British Trolleybuses. Ramsbury, Marlborough, UK: The Crowood Press. ISBN 9781785002892.
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