Trolleybuses in Teesside
Encyclopedia
The Teesside trolleybus system once served the conurbation
of Teesside
, in the North East
of England
. Opened on , it was unusual in being a completely new system that was not replacing any previously operating tram
way network.
By the standards of the various now defunct trolleybus
systems in the United Kingdom
, the Teesside system was a small one, with a total of three routes, and a maximum fleet of only 21 trolleybuses. However, it was unusually long-lasting, as it did not close until , and was therefore the penultimate system in the UK to do so.
Three of the former Teesside system trolleybuses are now preserved, one of them at Black Country Living Museum
, Dudley
, West Midlands
, one at the Kirkleatham Old Hall Museum, and the third one near the Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft
, Leicestershire
.
Conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
of Teesside
Teesside
Teesside is the name given to the conurbation in the north east of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements near the River Tees. It was also the name of a local government district between 1968 and 1974—the County Borough of...
, in the North East
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Opened on , it was unusual in being a completely new system that was not replacing any previously operating tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
way network.
By the standards of the various now defunct trolleybus
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
systems in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the Teesside system was a small one, with a total of three routes, and a maximum fleet of only 21 trolleybuses. However, it was unusually long-lasting, as it did not close until , and was therefore the penultimate system in the UK to do so.
Three of the former Teesside system trolleybuses are now preserved, one of them at Black Country Living Museum
Black Country Living Museum
The Black Country Living Museum is an open-air museum of rebuilt historic buildings, located in Dudley in the West Midlands of England. The museum occupies a urban heritage park in the shadow of Dudley Castle in the centre of the Black Country conurbation...
, Dudley
Dudley
Dudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
, West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, one at the Kirkleatham Old Hall Museum, and the third one near the Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft
The Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft
The Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft is a transport museum which specialises in the preservation of trolleybuses. It is located by the village of Sandtoft, near Belton on the Isle of Axholme in the English county of Lincolnshire.-Description:...
, Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
.
See also
- History of Middlesbrough
- Transport in Middlesbrough
- Teesside Municipal Transport
- List of trolleybus systems in the United Kingdom
External links
- The 500 Group - Teesside bus preservation society.
- The 500 Group short history of the Tees-side Railless Traction Board
- Teesside trolleybus route map
- SCT'61 website - photos and descriptions of Teesside trolleybuses and early motorbuses.
- British Trolleybus Society, based in Reading.
- National Trolleybus Association, based in London.