Trolleybuses in Brighton
Encyclopedia
The Brighton trolleybus system once served the town of Brighton
, East Sussex
, England
. Opened on , it gradually replaced the Brighton tramway network.
By the standards of the various now defunct trolleybus
systems in the United Kingdom
, the Brighton system was a moderately sized one, with a total of 9 routes. It was also unusual, in that it had two operators.
The main operator of the system was Brighton Corporation Transport, which owned the wires, and had a maximum fleet of 58 trolleybuses. The other operator, Brighton, Hove & District Omnibus Co. Ltd., introduced its fleet of 11 trolleybuses to the system on , and ran them on four of the system's routes. The whole system was closed relatively early, on .
Two of the former Brighton trolleybuses are now preserved. One is at the Science Museum
annexe at Swindon
, and the other is at the East Anglia Transport Museum
, Carlton Colville
, Suffolk
. The latter vehicle, no 52, is preserved in the livery of Maidstone Corporation, which acquired it and used it on the Maidstone trolleybus system
, following the closure of the Brighton system.
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, 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 gradually replaced the Brighton tramway 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 Brighton system was a moderately sized one, with a total of 9 routes. It was also unusual, in that it had two operators.
The main operator of the system was Brighton Corporation Transport, which owned the wires, and had a maximum fleet of 58 trolleybuses. The other operator, Brighton, Hove & District Omnibus Co. Ltd., introduced its fleet of 11 trolleybuses to the system on , and ran them on four of the system's routes. The whole system was closed relatively early, on .
Two of the former Brighton trolleybuses are now preserved. One is at the Science Museum
Science Museum (London)
The Science Museum is one of the three major museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry. The museum is a major London tourist attraction....
annexe at Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
, and the other is at the East Anglia Transport Museum
East Anglia Transport Museum
The East Anglia Transport Museum is an open air transport museum, with numerous historic public transport vehicles . It is located in Carlton Colville a suburb of Lowestoft, Suffolk...
, Carlton Colville
Carlton Colville
Carlton Colville is an area in the suburbs of Lowestoft in the Waveney District of the English county of Suffolk, located south-west of the centre of the town. Significant residential development has occurred in the area since the 1960s, including more than 1,000 homes built in Carlton Park...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. The latter vehicle, no 52, is preserved in the livery of Maidstone Corporation, which acquired it and used it on the Maidstone trolleybus system
Trolleybuses in Maidstone
The Maidstone trolleybus system once served Maidstone, the county town of Kent, England. Opened on , it gradually replaced the Maidstone tramway network....
, following the closure of the Brighton system.
See also
- Transport in Brighton and HoveTransport in Brighton and HoveThe public transport in Brighton and Hove has a history dating back to 1840. Today it has a major railway station, an extensive bus service, a large number of taxis, coach services, a Bus Rapid Transit system under construction and in the past it has had trolley buses, ferries, trams, auto...
- List of trolleybus systems in the United Kingdom
External links
- SCT'61 website - photos and descriptions of Brighton Corporation trolleybuses and early motorbuses.
- Brighton Hove & District Transport trolleybus historical site
- British Trolleybus Society, based in Reading.
- National Trolleybus Association, based in London.