Trolleybuses in Walsall

Walsall Corporation had run an electric tramway system since 1901, when it took over 1.37 miles (2.20 km) of electric tramway which had been constructed within its boundaries by the South Staffordshire Tramways Company.[5] In 1911, when the first two trolleybus systems in Britain were opened, at Leeds and Bradford, they looked at the possibilities of using trolleybuses to feed traffic into the tramway network, and in 1914 obtained the powers necessary to do so, but no routes were constructed. The next significant move was enshrined in the Walsall Corporation Act (1925), which allowed them to run trolleybuses on any of the existing tramway routes, on some other roads within the borough, and to run services outside of their area to Willenhall, Shireoaks and Brownhills. Again, nothing was done immediately, but the tramway to Willenhall met the Wolverhampton tramway at that point until 1926, when Wolverhampton replaced their trams on the route with motorbuses. On 15 May 1927, they replaced the motorbus service with trolleybuses.[6]

Walsall continued to run trams to Willenhall until 1928, when they were withdrawn and a joint motorbus service was introduced between the towns. However, they soon decided to extend the trolleybus wiring from Willenhall into the town centre, and on 22 July 1931 began operating their first trolleybuses, though only as far as Willenhall. To run the service they bought two three-axle double-deck vehicles from Associated Equipment Company (AEC) and two from Guy Motors. Wolverhampton had used singe-deck vehicles on the route, because there was a low bridge at Horseley Fields, but this was reconstructed to allow a through service to run from 16 November 1932. Conversion of the tram route to Walsall Wood, to the north east of the town, had been considered in 1927, but because the roads were affected by mining subsidence, the trams were replaced by motorbuses when they ceased in 1928.[7]

Walsall Trolleybuses
32 Lower Farm Estate 31 Mossley Estate 30 Bloxwich 15 Blakehall 33 Beechdale Estate Birchills Depot 33 Cavendish Road 29 33 Walsall 29 Joint working to Wolverhampton 15 30 31 32 33 Bus Station

That left just the tramway northwards from the town to Bloxwich, which already had trolleybus wiring along half of its length, since the depot for both the trams and trolleybuses was at Birchills. The final trams ran on 30 September 1933, with the trolleybus service starting the following day. A batch of 15 three-axle double-deck vehicles were ordered from Sunbeam Commercial Vehicles for the start of the service, and were supplemented by another six similar vehicles between 1938 and 1940.[8] The possibility of creating a circular route running through Wednesbury and Darlaston was considered, but because it would have involved a number of sharp turns and running along narrow streets, it was deemed to be unsuitable. During the Second World War, traffic levels rose, and to meet the demands, the Corporation managed to obtain 12 utility-bodied Sunbeams between 1943 and 1946.[9] Bournemouth saw reduced traffic levels at this time, and loaned 30 of their vehicles to six other operators, two of which operated in Walsall between 1943 and 1945.[10]

In 1947, the trolley booms on existing vehicles were modified, with the trolley wheels being replaced by carbon-insert trolley heads. Another ten Sunbeams were purchased in 1950, enabling some of the early pre-war vehicles to be withdrawn. The employment of a new General Manager, R Edgley Cox, in 1952 was the start of a new phase for the network, as he had his mind set on upgrading and extending the system. An experimental three-axle Sunbeam S7 was acquired in 1953, with a rear entrance, a central exit, electrically operated doors and a desk at which the conductor sat, collecting the fares as passengers boarded. This was not liked by the crews, and it was later altered, losing its central exit and the conductor's desk. The next batch of new vehicles were 15 Sunbeam F4As obtained in 1954-1955. These were 30 feet (9.1 m) long, and were the first vehicles of this length to be built with only two axles for use in Britain. When the first of these entered service, the legislation had not been changed to allow them to operated, and a special dispensation had to be obtained from the Ministry of Transport. New vehicle purchases came to an end when another seven Sunbeams were obtained in 1956.[11]

In the early 1930s, the country had been hit by depression, resulting in large scale unemployment, which had been relieved by the Government assisting in the construction of new council housing estates. Walsall had benefitted in this way, and had provided new or extended bus services to the estates, but realised that a proper bus station was required. The Blue Coat School had recently constructed a new school building in Springhill Road, leaving their former site on St Paul's Road vacant, and this was chosen as the site for the central Bus Station. It included new offices for the Corporation Transport department, and although it was not officially opened until 23 September 1937, buses had been using it for over two years by that time. However, there was no access for trolleybuses, until in 1950 some housing on lower Stafford Street were demolished, allowing the trolleybuses to run along St Paul's Street, use a turning circle opposite St Paul's Church, and run into one of the bays in the bus station.[12] Walsall was one of a very small number of towns where trolleybuses departed from a bus station.[13]

When Walsall started operating trolleybuses in 1931, they bought four vehicles, two from Associated Equipment Company (AEC) with English Electric electrical equipment and bodywork, and two from Guy Motors, with Ress-Stevens equipment and bodywork by Brush Traction. For the opening of the route to Bloxwich, they standardised on vehicles from Sunbeam Commercial Vehicles with electrical equipment from British Thomson-Houston, but the 15 vehicles had bodywork by three different manufacturers. Many of these early vehicles had artificial radiators at the front, making them look a little like motorbuses, but subsequent vehicles had a flat front. Further batches of Sunbeams were acquired in 1938 and 1940, with bodywork by a fourth manufacturer, Park Royal Vehicles of west London, although they seemed to have standardised on British Thomson-Houston electrical equipment by this time, and all of the early vehicles had three axles.[18]

During the Second World War, options for buying more vehicles were severely limited, as most manufacturers were engaged in war work, and there was only one model available. This was the Karrier or Sunbeam W4, all of which were built at Wolverhampton in the Sunbeam factory. The model included the best features of the Karrier E4 and the Sunbeam MF2 two-axle designs, and was badged with a Sunbeam logo if the order was placed through Sunbeam's Wolverhampton office, and a Karrier logo if it was placed through Karrier's Luton office.[19] All came with simple utility bodywork, but again, an eclectic mix of bodywork builders were used, with five batches of vehicles having bodywork from three manufacturers.[9]

When replacement of the pre-war vehicles became necessary, Walsall stayed with their local manufacturer, buying a batch of ten Sunbeam F4 models in 1950-51, Nos.334 to 343, but the arrival of Edgley Cox as General Manager in 1952 signalled the start of a period of innovation. The next vehicle ordered, initially No.850 but renumbered as No.350 in 1961, was a three-axle Sunbeam S7, designed to test the concept of pay-as-you-enter. The entrance was at the rear, where there was a desk for the conductor who collected the fares as passengers boarded. There was also a central exit, with a straight staircase opposite it, but the design was not well-received, resulting in the vehicle being rebuilt with just a rear entrance, after which it was renumbered. Innovation continued when a batch of 15 Sunbeam F4A models were obtained in 1954 and 1955. These were of a special lightweight construction, and had 70 seats for passengers. They were 30 feet (9.1 m) long with only two axles, and were built in advance of legislation allowing this length of two-axle vehicle, resulting in No.851 requiring a special dispensation from the Ministry of Transport when it entered service, until the legislation could be amended.[11] One of this batch, No.866, was rebuilt with a forward entrance, in anticipation of the introduction of one-man operation.[16]

Cox's next design for a 100-seat two-axle vehicle which was 35 feet (11 m) long reached the drawing board, but no vehicles were actually built. Instead, second-hand vehicles were acquired from other systems which were contracting or closing. Two came from Pontypridd, eight from Hastings, six from Cleethorpes, and eight from Ipswich.[20] Most of these vehicles entered service as they were bought, but three of the Cleethorpes vehicles originally built by British United Traction in 1950 were rebuilt, with longer bodies and higher seating capacity before being put to use. All had been built with H28/26R rear-entrance bodywork, but they were redesigned with front entrances, Nos.60 and 61 having seating for 69, and No.62 having seating for 67.[21]

In 1965, one of the ten Sunbeam F4 models acquired in 1951, No.342, was rebuilt. The chassis was extended using parts from a motorbus, and the bodywork was adapted accordingly. The extra length meant that the seating capacity could be increased from 56 to 65, although this was the only vehicle in the batch which was altered in this way.[22] The Sunbeam F4A models were ordered in two batches, 15 in the first and a subsequent batch of seven vehicles. Most entered service between November 1954 and June 1955, but delivery of the final new vehicle that the Corporation bought was delayed, as No.872 was exhibited at the 1956 Commercial Motor Show, and did not arrive until 14 October 1956. The batch were fitted with automatic acceleration equipment, while the bodywork was designed to give a streamlined appearance, with the weight and cost reduced as much as possible. No.872 was decorated for the closure of the system, and became Walsall's official last trolleybus.[23]

• History of Walsall
• Transport in Walsall
• List of trolleybus systems in the United Kingdom

Media related to Trolleybuses in Walsall at Wikimedia Commons

• SCT'61 website - photos and descriptions of Walsall trolleybuses and early motorbuses.
• National Trolleybus Archive
• British Trolleybus Society, based in Reading.
• National Trolleybus Association, based in London.