Trolleybuses in Belfast

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.[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/23rd-october-1936/60/trolleybuses-for-belfast Trolleybuses for Belfast] Commercial Motor 23 October 1936 page 60[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/18th-december-1936/48/operating-aspects-of Operating Aspects of Passenger Transport] Commercial Motor 18 December 1936 page 48 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.{{cite book|last=Harvey|first=David|title=Belfast Trolleybuses|year=2010|location=Stroud|publisher=Amberley Publishing|isbn=978-1-84868-466-9}}[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/24th-december-1937/8/meeting-belfasts-special-conditions Meeting Belfast's Special Conditions in Trolleybus Manufacture] Commercial Motor 24 December 1937 page 8

On 28 March 1938, operations commenced out of Falls Park depot along Falls Road. This was chosen as being a virtually stand-alone route.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}}{{cite web|url=http://www.britishtrolley.org.uk/former-uk-systems|title=Former UK systems|author=Short, Peter |publisher=British Trolleybus Society|access-date=18 March 2011}}{{cite book|last=Russell|first=Michael|title=The Colours of Yesteryear's Trolleybuses|date=2014|publisher=Capital Transport Publishing|location=Crowthorne|isbn=9781854143860|pages=252–256}}

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.[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/2nd-june-1939/50/operating-aspects-of Belfast to buy 114 trolleybuses] Commercial Motor 2 June 1939 page 50

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. 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.[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/29th-november-1963/38/half-way-stage-in-belfast-schemes Half-way Stage i Belfast Scheme] Commercial Motor 29 November 1963 page 38

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

Five former Belfast trolleybuses have been preserved:{{cite web|url=http://www.britishtrolley.org.uk/preserved-trolleybuses|title=A List of Preserved Trolleybuses in the UK|author=Zebedee, John|date=30 November 2010 |publisher=British Trolleybus Society|access-date=18 March 2011}}

• AEC 664T 98 and Guy BTX 112 at the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum, Cultra
• Guy BTX 168 at the Keighley Bus Museum[http://www.trolleybus.co.uk/nta/168.html Belfast 168] National Trolleybus Association
• Guy BTX 183 at the National Transport Museum of Ireland, Dublin
• Sunbeam F4A 246 at the East Anglia Transport Museum, Carlton Colville[http://eatransportmuseum.co.uk/pdf/websitefleetlist.pdf East Anglia Transport Museum Fleetlist] East Anglia Transport Museum

Trolleybuses operated from three depots:

• Falls Park
• Haymarket
• Short Strand

{{portal|Buses|Northern Ireland}}

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

{{reflist|1}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book |title=Belfast Corporation Transport |year=1968 |location=London |publisher=PSV Circle / Omnibus Society |oclc=505168814}}
• {{cite book |last=Maybin |first=Mike |title=A nostalgic look at Belfast trolleybuses, 1938-1968 |year=1996 |location=Wadenhoe, East Northamptonshire, UK |publisher=Silver Link |isbn=978-1-85794-068-8}}
• {{cite book |last=Maybin |first=Mike |title=Ireland in the age of the trolleybus: Belfast: 1938-1968 |year=2006 |location=Kettering, Northamptonshire, UK |publisher=Silver Link |isbn=978-1-85794-256-9 |author-mask=6}}
• {{cite book |last=Montgomery |first=W H |title=Belfast Corporation Buses 1926-1973 |year=2001 |location=Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK |publisher=Colourpoint Press |isbn=978-1-898392-64-4}}
• {{cite book |last=Newman |first=Richard |title=Irish Buses in the Mid 1960s |year=2007 |location=Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK |publisher=Colourpoint Press |isbn=978-1-904242-88-8}}

{{refend}}

{{commonscat-inline|Trolleybuses in Belfast}}

{{Historic UK Trolleybuses}}

Category:History of Belfast

Category:Transport in Belfast

Belfast

Belfast

Category:1938 establishments in Northern Ireland

Category:1968 disestablishments in Northern Ireland