Trolleybuses in Belfast

The Belfast trolleybus system served the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was the only trolleybus system built in Ireland. Opened on 28 March 1938 (1938-03-28), it gradually replaced the city’s tramway network.

See also: Belfast Corporation Tramways

Belfast trolleybus system
Harkness bodied Sunbeam F4A 246 on
Shore Road in May 1968
Operation
LocaleBelfast, Northern Ireland
Open28 March 1938 (1938-03-28)
Close12 May 1968 (1968-05-12)
StatusClosed
Routes17
Operator(s)Belfast Corporation Tramways
Infrastructure
Electrification(?) V DC parallel overhead lines
Depot(s)3
Stock245 (maximum)
Statistics
Route length37.5 miles (60.4 km)

The Belfast system was the second largest trolleybus system in the United Kingdom, after the London system. It had a total of 17 routes, and a maximum fleet of 245 trolleybuses. It closed on 12 May 1968 (1968-05-12).

History

In 1936, Belfast Corporation's tramway committee recommended that an experimental trolleybus service be inaugurated after inspecting the Birmingham, Bournemouth, London, Nottingham, Portsmouth and Wolverhampton systems.[1][2] Seven pairs of chassis from AEC, Crossley, Daimler, Guy, Karrier, Leyland and Sunbeam were acquired. These were fitted with six types of electric motor with coachwork by five different builders, and were supplied on the proviso that should the trial be a success, Belfast Corporation would purchase them, and should it fail they would be returned.[3][4]

On 28 March 1938, operations commenced out of Falls Park depot along Falls Road. This was chosen as being a virtually stand-alone route.[5][6][7]

Judged a success, Belfast Corporation decided to replace the entire tramway network. An order was placed with AEC for 114 trolleybuses; however, wartime constraints resulted in only 88 being delivered.[3][8]

On 13 February 1941 operations began in East Belfast when the Cregagh route commenced from the new Haymarket depot. The network gradually expanded, with the last of the tram network closing in 1954. Further sections were added until 1959 to a total of 37.5 miles. In order to speed up the conversion, eleven second-hand trolleybuses were purchased from Wolverhampton in 1952.[7] In 1958 a prototype Sunbeam was acquired with a view to replacing the earlier vehicles; however, shortly afterwards the first section of the network closed, with the final section closing on 12 May 1968.[3][5][6][9]

Fleet
Fleet
numbers		QuantityChassisBodyIn serviceNotes
1-22AEC 664THarkness1938-1958
31Crossley TDD6Crossley1938-1958
41Crossley TDD6Harkness1938-1958
5-62Daimler CTM6Harkness1938-1958
71Guy BTXPark Royal1938-1958
81Guy BTXHarkness1938-1958
9-102Karrier E6AHarkness1938-1958
11-122Leyland TTB4Leyland1938-1958
13-142Sunbeam MS2Cowieson1938-1958
15-10288AEC 664THarkness1940-1963
103-12826Guy BTXHarkness1948-1963
129-1302Sunbeam W4Park Royal1941-1958
131-14212Sunbeam W4Harkness1946-1960
143-18644Guy BTXHarkness1948-1965
187-23448BUT 9641THarkness1950-1968
235-2406Sunbeam MF2Park Royal1952-1956ex Wolverhampton
241-2455Sunbeam MF2Charles H Roe1952-1956ex Wolverhampton
2461Sunbeam F4AHarkness1958-1968

Trolleybuses were initially painted in a blue and white livery. After World War II this was changed to red and white with silver wheels.[3]

In preservation

Five former Belfast trolleybuses have been preserved:[10]

Depots

Trolleybuses operated from three depots:[3]

  • Falls Park
  • Haymarket
  • Short Strand

See also

References

Notes
  1. Trolleybuses for Belfast Commercial Motor 23 October 1936 page 60
  2. Operating Aspects of Passenger Transport Commercial Motor 18 December 1936 page 48
  3. Harvey, David (2010). Belfast Trolleybuses. Stroud: Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84868-466-9.
  4. Meeting Belfast's Special Conditions in Trolleybus Manufacture Commercial Motor 24 December 1937 page 8
  5. Joyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). British Trolleybus Systems, pp. 22–26, 159. London: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 0-7110-1647-X
  6. Short, Peter. "Former UK systems". British Trolleybus Society. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
  7. Russell, Michael (2014). The Colours of Yesteryear's Trolleybuses. Crowthorne: Capital Transport Publishing. pp. 252–256. ISBN 9781854143860.
  8. Belfast to buy 114 trolleybuses Commercial Motor 2 June 1939 page 50
  9. Half-way Stage i Belfast Scheme Commercial Motor 29 November 1963 page 38
  10. Zebedee, John (30 November 2010). "A List of Preserved Trolleybuses in the UK". British Trolleybus Society. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
  11. Belfast 168 National Trolleybus Association
  12. East Anglia Transport Museum Fleetlist East Anglia Transport Museum

Further reading
  • Belfast Corporation Transport. London: PSV Circle / Omnibus Society. 1968. OCLC 505168814.
  • Maybin, Mike (1996). A nostalgic look at Belfast trolleybuses, 1938-1968. Wadenhoe, East Northamptonshire, UK: Silver Link. ISBN 978-1-85794-068-8.
  • Maybin, Mike (2006). Ireland in the age of the trolleybus: Belfast: 1938-1968. Kettering, Northamptonshire, UK: Silver Link. ISBN 978-1-85794-256-9.
  • Montgomery, W H (2001). Belfast Corporation Buses 1926-1973. Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK: Colourpoint Press. ISBN 978-1-898392-64-4.
  • Newman, Richard (2007). Irish Buses in the Mid 1960s. Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK: Colourpoint Press. ISBN 978-1-904242-88-8.

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