Bergen trolleybus
Encyclopedia
The Bergen trolleybus system serves the city of Bergen
, Norway
. It is the only trolleybus
system still in operation in Norway.
The system opened on February 24, 1950, as the Bergen Tramway
was gradually closed and some of the tramway lines were transferred to trolleybus operation. It was originally built and operated by Bergen Sporvei
, and is now operated by its successor, Tide
.
As of 2007, the system consisted of six trolleybuses and two dual-mode bus
es.
network, opened in 1909. Planning for a trolleybus system of their own first began in Bergen
in 1928, and in 1937 Bergen Sporvei, the company operating Bergen's tramway, began studying trolleybus systems around Europe. On July 7, 1940 the city council decided to build two trolleybus lines: Line 5 , with a Mulen - city centre - Møhlenpris
route, and line 7, with a Nordnes
- city centre - Fjøsangerveien route. In 1942 Bergen Sporvei started converting some of their gasoline
buses to trolleybuses, but in 1944 the German occupation forces took the completed bus and moved it to Lübeck
, and the company stopped rebuilding their buses.
The fuel shortage during World War II
made trolleybuses extremely popular, since Norway had an abundance of cheap electricity
. After the war the construction of the 4.1-km line 5 started, and in 1950 tramline 3 was replaced with the new trolleybus line 5. By that time, five gasolene buses had been converted, giving a headway
of 10 minutes. A year later, three more buses were bought from Strømmens Værksted
and the headway was reduced to 7.5 minutes. The line was popular, and traffic increased. In 1954 the conversion of tramline 2 to trolleybus started, and in 1957 the 6.5-km line 2 opened with 18 new buses. The ridership reached its peak in 1959 with more than ten million passengers per year on the two routes. In 1960 the sale of cars in Norway was deregulated
, resulting in fewer public transport
riders.
Through the 1970s Bergen Sporvei tried to end the trolleybus operation, but the city council wouldn't allow that. However, in 1995 there was major road work resulting in the closure of line 5. As of 2007, line 5 was still closed, leaving line 2 the only operational trolleybus line in Norway.
Plans related to the new Bergen Light Rail
system involve expanding the trolleybus line from Møhlenpris to Oasen and from Mulen to Paradis
.
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It is the only 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...
system still in operation in Norway.
The system opened on February 24, 1950, as the Bergen Tramway
Bergen Tramway
Bergen Tramway was a tramway in Bergen, Norway, which was in operation from 1897 to 1965. The first three lines were opened on 29 June 1897. Starting in 1950, tramway lines were gradually replaced with bus and trolleybus routes. The last line was closed in 1965. Since 1993, a heritage tram operates...
was gradually closed and some of the tramway lines were transferred to trolleybus operation. It was originally built and operated by Bergen Sporvei
Bergen Sporvei
Bergen Sporvei AS was a municipal owned public transport company that operated in Bergen, Norway from 1898 to 1998. The company operated both the Bergen Tramway, Bergen trolleybus and the yellow buses in Bergen.-History:...
, and is now operated by its successor, Tide
Tide (transportation company)
Tide ASA is a public transport company in Hordaland, Norway which resulted from the merger of Gaia Trafikk and Hardanger Sunnhordlandske Dampskipsselskap . The company provides the public transit network in the city of Bergen, and most of the bus service in Hordaland...
.
As of 2007, the system consisted of six trolleybuses and two dual-mode bus
Dual-mode bus
A dual-mode bus is a bus that can run independently on power from two different sources, typically electricity from overhead lines or batteries, alternated with conventional fossil fuel ....
es.
History
The first trolleybus network in Norway, the Drammen trolleybusDrammen trolleybus
The Drammen trolleybus system was a system of trolleybuses in Drammen, Norway, which operated between 15 December 1909 and 10 June 1967. The system stretched from the city center to Brakerøya, Merket and Vårveien and was operated by the companies Drammens Elektriske Bane, A/S Trikken and Drammen...
network, opened in 1909. Planning for a trolleybus system of their own first began in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
in 1928, and in 1937 Bergen Sporvei, the company operating Bergen's tramway, began studying trolleybus systems around Europe. On July 7, 1940 the city council decided to build two trolleybus lines: Line 5 , with a Mulen - city centre - Møhlenpris
Møhlenpris
Møhlenpris, formerly Vestre Sydnes, is a neighbourhood in the city of Bergen, Norway, located next to the Puddefjord. The neighbourhood is named after Jørgen Thor Møhlen, who established some industry at Møhlenpris in the late 17th century...
route, and line 7, with a Nordnes
Nordnes
Nordnes is a peninsula and neighbourhood in the city centre of Bergen, Norway. Bergen Aquarium is located at the tip of the peninsula. The Norwegian Institute of Marine Research and Fredriksberg Fortress are also located on Nordnes....
- city centre - Fjøsangerveien route. In 1942 Bergen Sporvei started converting some of their gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
buses to trolleybuses, but in 1944 the German occupation forces took the completed bus and moved it to Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
, and the company stopped rebuilding their buses.
The fuel shortage during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
made trolleybuses extremely popular, since Norway had an abundance of cheap electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
. After the war the construction of the 4.1-km line 5 started, and in 1950 tramline 3 was replaced with the new trolleybus line 5. By that time, five gasolene buses had been converted, giving a headway
Headway
Headway is a measurement of the distance/time between vehicles in a transit system. The precise definition varies depending on the application, but it is most commonly measured as the distance from the tip of one vehicle to the tip of the next one behind it, expressed as the time it will take for...
of 10 minutes. A year later, three more buses were bought from Strømmens Værksted
Strømmens Værksted
Strømmens Værksted A/S was an industrial company based in Skedsmo, Norway, specializing in the production of rolling stock. Founded in 1873, it remains as a part of Bombardier Transportation...
and the headway was reduced to 7.5 minutes. The line was popular, and traffic increased. In 1954 the conversion of tramline 2 to trolleybus started, and in 1957 the 6.5-km line 2 opened with 18 new buses. The ridership reached its peak in 1959 with more than ten million passengers per year on the two routes. In 1960 the sale of cars in Norway was deregulated
Deregulation
Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or...
, resulting in fewer public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
riders.
Through the 1970s Bergen Sporvei tried to end the trolleybus operation, but the city council wouldn't allow that. However, in 1995 there was major road work resulting in the closure of line 5. As of 2007, line 5 was still closed, leaving line 2 the only operational trolleybus line in Norway.
Plans related to the new Bergen Light Rail
Bergen Light Rail
Bergen Light Rail is a light rail system in Bergen, Norway. The first stage of the project is a fifteen-station, stretch between the city center and Nesttun, which opened on 22 June 2010...
system involve expanding the trolleybus line from Møhlenpris to Oasen and from Mulen to Paradis
Paradis, Bergen
Paradis is a neighbourhood in the city of Bergen, Norway, located between Storetveit and Hop in Fana borough. The name, which literally means "paradise" in Norwegian, is shared with several other locations in Norway and denotes a location with positive qualities not present in the surrounding areas...
.