A recent day out took friend Peter Rose and myself into pastures new when the transport delights of ‘Sandtoft Trolleybus Museum’ were explored.
As we have done before, we have combined all the images we gathered on the day.
The credits being joint D.Basford/P.M.Rose.
The early years of the third decade of this century has seen a rush to electric traction for buses albeit with the extensive use of batteries to store the electricity.
Many of the younger generation may not realise that the rush to electric traction for buses originally started in the 1920s and 30s and peaked in the 1950s.
At that time the electricity came down wires that required a lot of overhead infrastructure and numbers of support poles to get it to the buses.
That was part of the downfall of the trolleybus because it was expensive to construct and expensive to replace when time expired.
It was unsightly and just imagine getting planning permission for getting more of it erected these days.
The trolleybus, then, was a bit of a blind alley but it is fondly remembered by many who grew up with it for its cleanliness and quietness.
Hence the numbers of people who turn up regularly to see and to ride.
Many modern day operators would be delighted to see the queues that formed for the experience..
The only downside to the museum has to be its location which is on the Isle of Axholme northeast of Doncaster.
Just in Lincolnshire and as such, literally, miles from any substantial centre of population.
FWX 914 ‘Bradford City Transport’ No. 844
Sunbeam F4 / East Lancs
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
New to ‘Mexborough & Swinton’ No. 30 In 1948 with a Brush single deck body.
Re-bodied by EL in 1962.
It has the distinction of being the very last trolleybus of its generation in service.
I say that because ‘South Yorkshire PTE’ built a prototype trolleybus in the 1980s registered C45 HDT, number 2450.
Referred to as an ‘Electroliner’ it utilised an Alexander ‘R’ type body.
Although trialled, it came to nothing and it was eventually transferred to Sandtoft.
I actually saw it on an earlier visit but where it is now, I do not know.
FWX 914 ‘Bradford City Transport’ No. 844.
Sunbeam F4 / East Lancs /2
on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
FWX 914 ‘Bradford City Transport’ No. 844.
Sunbeam F4 / East Lancs /3
on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
FWX 914 ‘Bradford City Transport’ No. 844.
Sunbeam F4 / East Lancs /4
on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
PVH 931 ‘HUDDERSFIELD’ No. 631.
Sunbeam S7 / East Lancs /1
on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
I can remember the ‘HUDDERSFIELD’ system, with the mainly red livery and I liked the idea of the cream ‘aprons’ worn at the front of the bus.
I cannot remember seeing that anywhere else
New in 1959.
PVH 931 ‘HUDDERSFIELD’ No. 631.
Sunbeam S7 / East Lancs /2
on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
CVH 741 ‘HUDDERSFIELD’ No. 541.
Sunbeam MS2 / Park Royal
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
New in 1947.
KVH 219 ‘HUDDERSFIELD’ No. 619 (right).
BUT 9641T / East Lancs
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
New in 1957.
