Trolleybuses in Sydney

The Sydney trolleybus system in New South Wales consisted of two unconnected lines in the Eastern Suburbs and St George areas of Sydney.

Sydney trolleybus systems
Two trolleybuses in Kings Cross in 1934
Operation
LocaleSydney, New South Wales, Australia
Eastern Suburbs era: 1934 (1934)–1948 (1948)
Status Closed
Routes 1
Depot(s) Rushcutters Bay
Stock 5
Kogarah era: 1937 (1937)–1959 (1959)
Status Closed
Routes 1
Depot(s) Ritchie Street, Sans Souci
Stock 21

History
Trolleybus no 2 in January 1934
Opening of the Kogarah network on 3 July 1937

The first of these opened on 22 January 1934 when route 3 from Wylde Street, Potts Point to Town Hall station via Kings Cross and William Street. The route was temporarily converted to motor bus operation on 11 April 1948 while Liverpool Street was rebuilt. It was later decided not to reinstate the service.[1][2]

On 3 July 1937, the second line opened from Rockdale station to Sans Souci via Kogarah station, Rocky Point Road and Dolls Point replacing the Kogarah to Sans Souci steam tramway. It closed on 29 August 1959.[1]

Services

Sydney's trolleybus routes were as follows:

RouteviaOpenedClosed
Town Hall station - Potts PointWilliam Street, Kings Cross22 January 193410 April 1948
Rockdale station - Dolls PointKogarah station3 June 193729 August 1959
Kogarah station - Sans SouciDolls Point3 June 193729 August 1959

Fleet

For the commencement of operations in the Eastern Suburbs, two single deck three-axle AEC 663Ts were purchased.[2][3] One was bodied by Park Royal, London and the other by H McKenzie of White Bay. They were later joined by three AEC 761T double deck vehicles, one bodied by Park Royal and two locally by Syd Wood. For the commencement of the Kogarah services, 11 Leyland TTB4 and 10 AEC 664T double deck three-axle buses were bodied by Ritchie Brothers, Auburn.[1][4] After the Eastern Suburbs line, the four surviving buses were transferred to Sans-Souci.

ImageFleet numbersQuantityChassisBodyConfigurationIn service
11AEC 663TPark RoyalThree axle, single deck1934-1956
2–32AEC 663TH McKenzieThree axle, single deck1934-1956
31AEC 761TPark RoyalTwo axle, double deck1934-1948
4-52AEC 761TSyd WoodTwo axle, double deck1936/37-1956
6-1611Leyland TTB4Ritchie BrothersThree axle, double deck1937-1959
17-2610AEC 664TRitchie BrothersThree axle, double deck1937-1959

Depots

The Eastern Suburbs buses were based at Rushcutters Bay Tram Depot with a turntable installed. The Kogarah services were based at the former Ritchie Street tram depot in Sans Souci. After the trolleybuses ceased in 1959, it was used by the New South Wales Police as a storage area for recovered stolen vehicles before passing to the Housing Commission.[1]

Legacy

The Powerhouse Museum has AEC 663T trolleybus number 1 in its collection[2] while the Sydney Tramway Museum has AEC 664T number 19.[5]

References
  1. Travers, Greg (1982). From City to Suburb...a fifty year journey. Sydney: Historic Commercial Vehicle Association. pp. 10, 12, 27–31, 71. ISBN 0 959601 6 27.
  2. Sydney Trolley Bus No 1, 1933 Powerhouse Museum
  3. Trolley Buses Sydney Morning Herald 13 July 1933 page 6
  4. Sydney Trolleybuses Bus Australia
  5. Collections Sydney Tramway Museum

Further reading
  • Jones, David (2000). Australian Trolley Buses: the trolley buses that once served Australian cities. Tawa, NZ: City Tramway Publications. ISBN 0-473-07118-5.
  • MacCowan, Ian (1988). The Sydney trolley buses: a pictorial and detailed history of Sydney's two trolley bus systems. Oakleigh, Vic: I A MacCowan. ISBN 0-473-07118-5.
  • Patton, Brian (2004). Double-Deck Trolleybuses of the World: beyond the British Isles. Brora, Sutherland: Adam Gordon. ISBN 978-1-874422-50-1.
  • Simpson, Margaret (2004). On the Move: A History of Transport in Australia. Sydney: Powerhouse Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86317-101-4.
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