Trolleybuses in Hobart
Hobart trolleybus system | |
---|---|
Operation | |
Locale | Hobart, Tasmania, Australia |
Open | 29 October 1935 |
Close | 22 November 1968 |
Status | Closed |
Operator(s) | Hobart City Council Metropolitan Transport Trust |
Statistics | |
Route length | 22 km (14 mi) |
The Hobart trolleybus system operated in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia from 1935 until 1968.
History
[edit]The Hobart trolleybus system opened on 29 October 1935 when a route from the Hobart City Centre to South Hobart commenced replacing a tram. Starting at Hobart Town Hall in Argyle Street it travelled along Macquarie Street, Davey Street and Huon Road terminating at the intersection with Congress Street.[1][2][3][4]
On 14 October 1937, a second route began running to New Town station and in mid-1939 was extended to Cornelian Bay.[5] A further service to Cascades commenced on 24 August 1942, being extended along Strickland Avenue on 11 October 1948.[6] Further lines opened to Dynnyrne on 4 June 1945 and Sandy Bay on 7 December 1952.[7]
On 1 March 1955, operation of the network passed from the Hobart City Council to the Metropolitan Transport Trust. A final line opened to West Hobart on 23 February 1958.[1][4] At this stage the network, extended for 22 kilometres.[3][8] In February 1967, much of the Strickland Avenue route infrastructure and one bus was destroyed by fire.[9][10]
The Cornelian Bay line closed in 1959 with the rest of the network closing in stages in 1968.[1][2][3]
Services
[edit]Hobart's trolleybus routes were as follows:
Route | Extension | Opened | Closed |
---|---|---|---|
Hobart City Centre - South Hobart | 29 October 1935 | 22 November 1968 | |
Hobart - New Town | 14 October 1937 | 23 August 1968 | |
New Town - Cornelian Bay | 1939 | 30 March 1959 | |
Hobart - Cascades | 24 August 1942 | 22 November 1968 | |
Cascades - Strickland Avenue | 11 October 1948 | 22 November 1968 | |
Hobart - Dynnyrne | 4 June 1945 | 22 November 1968 | |
Hobart - Sandy Bay | 7 December 1952 | 11 October 1968 | |
Hobart - West Hobart | 23 February 1958 | 23 August 1968 |
Fleet
[edit]Operations commenced with a single Leyland TTB bodied by Hobart Municipal Tramways. A further four were acquired in 1937.[11][12] Between 1939 and 1946, 22 Leyland TB5s were purchased. Between 1950 and 1952, 36 BUT ETB/1s bodied by City Body Works were delivered with the five Leyland TTBs withdrawn in 1953.[13] In 1964, five second-hand BUT RETB/1s were purchased from Launceston.[1][2][14]
BUT ETB/1 no. 235 has been preserved by the Tasmanian Transport Museum.[15][16]
Image | Fleet nos. | Quantity | Chassis | Body | Year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25 | 1 | Leyland TTB | Hobart Municipal Tramways | 1935 | renumbered 65 in 1946 | |
66-69 | 4 | Leyland TTB | Hobart Municipal Tramways | 1937 | ||
70-91 | 22 | Leyland TB5 | Hobart Municipal Tramways | 1939-1946 | 72 renumbered 92 in October 1958 | |
201-236 | 36 | BUT ETB/1 | City Body Works | 1950-1952 | body frames manufactured by Commonwealth Engineering, Sydney | |
237-241 | 5 | BUT RETB/1 | JA Lawton & Sons | 1950 | ex Launceston 326-330 |
Depot
[edit]Initially housed at the city tram depot on the corner of Macquarie and Campbell Streets, in 1944 a trolleybuses depot opened on Collins Street. On 29 October 1954, a new depot opened on Davey Street.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Cooper, Ian (1979). Trolley Buses of Tasmania. Sydney: Australian Electric Traction Association. pp. 2–44. ISBN 0-909459-05-3.
- ^ a b c Lynas, Ian (1983). Buses & Trams of Australia's Government & Municipal Operators. p. 58. ISBN 0-9592580-0-0.
- ^ a b c Jones, David (2000). Australian Trolley Buses. City Tramway Publications. p. 10-14. ISBN 0 473 07118 5.
- ^ a b Cooper, Ian (2010). Tasmania's Trolley Buses. Rozelle: Transit Australia Publishing. pp. 17–115, 184–195. ISBN 978-0-909459-22-2.
- ^ Trolley Bus to New Town Hobart Mercury 8 October 1937 page 5
- ^ Trolley Bus Installations for Two Tasmanian Cities Truck & Bus Transportation December 1948 page 36
- ^ Hobart Trolleybus Extension Truck & Bus Transportation Decdember 1952 page 7
- ^ Tramways of Australia Electric Traction June 1960 page 6
- ^ Bushfire Damage to MTT Property in Hobart Green over Red April 1967 pages 6/7
- ^ Many trucks, buses gutted in Tasmanian bushfires Truck & Bus Transportation May 1967 page 92
- ^ Leylands for Australasia Railway Gazette 14 February 1936 page 304
- ^ Hobart's Trolley-Bus Trial Leads to First Fleet Order Truck & Bus Transportation December 1936 pages 10/11
- ^ 40 per cent of BUT output for overseas Commercial Motor 22 July 1949
- ^ Hobart & Launceston Electric Traction May 1964 page 3
- ^ Tasmanian Transport Museum Society Trolley Wire issue 205 April 1983 page 22
- ^ Trolley Bus 235 Tasmanian Transport Museum
External links
[edit]Media related to Trolleybuses in Hobart at Wikimedia Commons