Trolleybuses in Leeds

Last updated

Leeds trolleybus system
Leeds trolleybus, 1912 - Ex(Tas).jpg
An original Leeds trolleybus, ca. 1912.
Operation
Locale Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Twentieth century era: 1911 (1911)–1928 (1928)
StatusClosed
RoutesLeeds–Farnley
Guiseley–Otley/Burley-in-Wharfedale
Electrification *** V DC parallel overhead lines
Depot(s)Kirkstall Road; Guiseley
Twenty-first century era: NGT
StatusCancelled
Routes3
Operator(s)New Generation Transport
Electrification *** V DC parallel overhead lines
Route length 14 km (8.7 mi)
7-8 million (targeted for 2020)
NGT Leeds Trolleybus System.png
Website New Generation Transport

The Leeds trolleybus system served the West Riding of Yorkshire city of Leeds in England between 1911 and 1928. In May 2016, plans to construct a new system, the New Generation Transport (NGT) project, were refused approval from the UK Department for Transport, following a negative report from the planning inquiry. [1]

Contents

The original system was one of the first two trolleybus systems in the United Kingdom, along with Bradford. [2] [3] Both systems commenced operation on 20 June 1911, [2] [3] but public service in Bradford did not start until four days later. [2] [3] The Leeds system had three routes, and closed on 26 July 1928. [4]

Twentieth century routes

An original Leeds trolleybus, ca. 1912. Leeds trolleybus, 1912 - ST(WA).jpg
An original Leeds trolleybus, ca. 1912.

The original Leeds route, operated by Leeds Tramways, was from City Square to Moor Top via Lower Wortley and Farnley. [5]

The route was launched at Thirsk Row, off Wellington Street on 20 June 1911. The first of two buses to set off on the first official run was driven by the Lord Mayor, William Middlebrook, and the second by his deputy, Frederick James Kitson. Both buses went on a round trip to Farnley, four miles from Leeds, returning 45 minutes later. [5] [6]

When the original route commenced operation, it had four trolleybuses. [5] [6] They were manufactured by the Railless Electric Traction Company, and powered by Siemens motors. [5] They had solid rubber tyres and carried 28 passengers, who paid their fares when boarding. [4] Known officially as "trackless cars" to distinguish them from trams, [6] they ran on rural routes, to which trams were not suited. [7]

In 1915 two further routes were opened, unconnected to the first route and operated from an existing tram depot at Guiseley, constructed from stone, which still exists. [4] These were feeder routes to the tram system.

The three routes were: [4]

The system was not hugely successful. [7] There was controversy between Leeds Corporation and the various councils over several issues relating to its operation. [4] As time passed, internal combustion engined buses became more competitive. They soon replaced the trolleybuses, which closed on 26 July 1928. [7]

Proposed NGT system

Map of the proposed system NGT - Leeds.jpg
Map of the proposed system

Following the failure of plans for a Leeds Supertram network, which was rejected by the Department of Transport as being too costly in November 2005, the public transport provider Metro proposed the construction of an electric bus network, at an estimated cost of £300 million. The trolleybus system would be similar to that operating in the French city of Lyon, and gained support from the Regional Transport Board in June 2007. [8]

Proposed vehicles

The NGT trolleybus vehicles would likely have been single-articulated single-deck vehicles with multiple doors (typically three or four sets). They would have been fully DDA-compliant with low floors to allow through movement by wheelchair users and those with pushchairs and prams. [9]

Proposed routes

Three initial routes were planned, to north, south and east Leeds: [10]

Proposed demolition

The former First Church of Christ Scientist building in Headingley was set to be demolished to make way for the Trolleybus. First Church of Christ Scientist Leeds - Alma Road, Headingley - geograph.org.uk - 379996.jpg
The former First Church of Christ Scientist building in Headingley was set to be demolished to make way for the Trolleybus.

Several buildings were set to be demolished to accommodate the scheme, all of these lie on the Northern leg of the route. The buildings are as follows:

Progress of the NGT proposal

A 'Major Scheme Business Case' was submitted to the Department for Transport in October 2009 [13] In March 2010, the Government announced that the proposal had been awarded 'Programme Entry Approval'. [14]

Funding was approved for the North Route to Bodington and an extension to Holt Park, the South Route to Stourton and a section of the city centre loop linking these two lines. The government did not approve funding for the East Route or a full city centre loop. [15]

The DfT approved the Holt Park - Stourton route on 5 July 2012. [16] The planned scheme was subject to a public Inquiry in 2014. [17] Following a negative report from the public Inquiry, the proposed scheme was cancelled in May 2016. [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trolleybus</span> Electric bus taking power from overhead wires

A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws power from dual overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires, and two trolley poles, are required to complete the electrical circuit. This differs from a tram or streetcar, which normally uses the track as the return path, needing only one wire and one pole. They are also distinct from other kinds of electric buses, which usually rely on batteries. Power is most commonly supplied as 600-volt direct current, but there are exceptions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trolleybuses in Greater Boston</span> Electric powered public transportation

The Boston-area trolleybus system formed part of the public transportation network serving Greater Boston in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It opened on April 11, 1936, with a large network operating for the next quarter-century. Measured by fleet size, the Boston-area system was the second-largest trolleybus system in the United States at its peak, with only the Chicago system having more trolleybuses than Boston's 463. After 1963, the only remaining portion was a four-route cluster operating from the Harvard bus tunnel at Harvard station, running through Cambridge, Belmont, and Watertown. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority took over the routes in 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leeds Supertram</span> Proposed transit system in Leeds, England

The Leeds Supertram was a proposed light rail/tram system in Leeds and West Yorkshire in England. It would have been a three-line, 17-mile (27 km) system with 50 stations. It received provisional government approval in 2001, and was specifically for corridors ill-served by the existing heavy rail network. Supertram would have been 75% funded from the public sector, with final contracts for construction and a 27-year operating concession due to have been awarded in 2003. By 2004, disquiet about rising costs had caused the scheme to be scaled back, and it was finally cancelled in 2005 by the Transport Secretary, Alistair Darling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otley Run</span> A pub crawl in Leeds, England

The Otley Run is a pub crawl in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The popular route covers Far Headingley, Headingley and Hyde Park areas and commonly continues towards Leeds City Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West London Tram</span> Proposed light rail line in London, England

The West London Tram was a proposed on-street light rail line that was to run along the Uxbridge Road (A4020) corridor in West London, England. The scheme was promoted by Transport for London (TfL). It was postponed indefinitely on 2 August 2007, as it was opposed by the then councils of all three bisected London Boroughs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A660 road</span> Road in West Yorkshire, England

The A660 is a major road in the Leeds and Bradford districts of West Yorkshire, England that runs from Leeds city centre to Burley-in-Wharfedale where it meets the A65. The A660 is approximately 10 miles (16 km) long, and crosses the watershed from Airedale to lower Wharfedale. For most of its length the road is in the metropolitan district of the City of Leeds; the last 0.4 miles (0.6 km) is in City of Bradford district.

The Mexborough and Swinton Traction Company was the name adopted by the Mexborough & Swinton Tramways Company in 1929 following the introduction of trolleybuses on all its routes. It operated in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England, over routes serving Manvers Main Colliery, Wath upon Dearne and the towns of Rotherham, Rawmarsh, Swinton, Mexborough, Conisbrough and the estate at Conanby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport in Leeds</span> Road, rail and bus transportation in Leeds, England

Transport in Leeds consists of extensive road, bus and rail networks in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Public transport in the Leeds area is coordinated and developed by West Yorkshire Metro. The city has good rail and road links to the rest of the country. Leeds railway station is one of the busiest in Britain, and Leeds is connected to the national road network via the A1(M) motorway, M1 motorway and M62 motorway. The city is served by Leeds Bradford Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trolleybuses in Wellington</span>

Trolleybuses in Wellington were part of the Wellington public transport system from 1924 until 1932 and again from 1949 until 2017. It was the last trolleybus system operating commercially in Oceania and the last major system operating in a country where driving is on the left side of the road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trolleybuses in Doncaster</span>

The Doncaster trolleybus system once served the town of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. Opened on 22 August 1928, it gradually replaced the Doncaster Corporation Tramways. By the standards of the various now-defunct trolleybus systems in the United Kingdom, the Doncaster system was a moderately sized one, with a total of 6 routes, all radiating out from the town centre, and a maximum fleet of 47 trolleybuses. The Bentley route was the first to close, on 12 February 1956, and the Beckett Road route was the last to go, on 14 December 1963.

The South Lancashire trolleybus system once served towns in South Lancashire, England, including Atherton, Bolton, Swinton and Leigh and St Helens. Opened on 3 August 1930, it replaced the South Lancashire Tramways network.

The Southend-on-Sea trolleybus system once served the town of Southend-on-Sea, in Essex, England. Opened on 16 October 1925, it gradually replaced Southend-on-Sea Corporation Tramways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trolleybuses in Philadelphia</span> Trolleybus system in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Philadelphia trolleybus system forms part of the public transportation network serving Philadelphia, in the state of Pennsylvania, United States. It opened on October 14, 1923, and is now the second-longest-lived trolleybus system in the world. One of only four such systems currently operating in the U.S., it presently comprises three lines and is operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), with a fleet of 38 trolleybuses, or trackless trolleys as SEPTA calls them. The three surviving routes serve North and Northeast Philadelphia and connect with SEPTA's Market–Frankford rapid transit line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trolleybuses in Cape Town</span> Public transport network in Cape Town, South Africa

The Cape Town trolleybus system was part of the public transport network in Cape Town, South Africa, for nearly 30 years in the mid-twentieth century. The trolleybuses on the system were always referred to by English-speaking locals as "Trackless trams", and even the systems's stops were marked "Trackless Tram Stop".

Aberdare Urban District Council Tramways operated a tramway service in Aberdare between 1913 and 1935. It was the only system in the United Kingdom which consisted of a tramway with feeder services run by trolleybuses from the start. The trolleybuses used the Austrian Cedes-Stoll system, and became increasingly difficult to maintain. Parts of the trolleybus network were converted to tramways in the early 1920s, and the rest stopped operating in 1925, when no trolleybuses were available for service. The tramway continued for another ten years, but was closed in 1934 and 1935 as a result of a downturn in the prosperity of Aberdare, due to collieries closing and the population dwindling. Motor buses took over the local services once the tramway had closed.

Keighley Tramways Company operated a tramway service in Keighley between 1889 and 1901 with horse power. The system re-opened three days later as Keighley Corporation Tramways and stayed in service until 1924 when it closed for good.

As of 2012 there were around 300 cities or metropolitan areas where trolleybuses were operated, and more than 500 additional trolleybus systems have existed in the past. For complete lists of trolleybus systems by location, with dates of opening and closure, see List of trolleybus systems and the related lists indexed there.

Bradford Corporation Tramways were a tramway network in the city of Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England which operated trams from 1882 until 1950 and trolleybuses from 1911 until 1972. The track gauge of the tramways was 4 ft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Yorkshire mass transit system</span> Future transport system in West Yorkshire, England

The West Yorkshire mass transit system, is a proposed transport system connecting the larger conurbations of West Yorkshire, England, with a central hub at Leeds. The city of Leeds is known to be the largest city in Western Europe without a light rail or metro-style system.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ "TRANSPORT AND WORKS ACT 1992: APPLICATION FOR THE PROPOSED LEEDS TROLLEY VEHICLE SYSTEM ORDER AND DEEMED PLANNING PERMISSION" (PDF). assets.publishing.service.gov.uk.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Joyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). British Trolleybus Systems. London: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN   0-7110-1647-X.
  3. 1 2 3 Bruce, Ashley. "British Trolleybus Systems". British Trolleybuses website. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Andrews, FA (August 2007). "Light Rail Transit Association Discussion Document 48: Trolley buses - A second time around in Leeds" (PDF). Light Rail Transit Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 May 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "History". New Generation Transport. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 Thorpe, John (23 June 2007). "First outing for city's 'trackless cars'". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 "Leeds Experimental Trolleybus, no. 503". Leodis. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
  8. ↑ "Plan for city trolleybus comeback". BBC. 15 June 2007.
  9. ↑ "Leeds NGT - Major Scheme Business Case - Strategic Case". New Generation Transport. October 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2010.[ permanent dead link ]
  10. ↑ "About NGT". New Generation Transport. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  11. 1 2 "Frequently Asked Questions about NGT". New Generation Transport. Archived from the original on 6 April 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  12. ↑ "Revealed: Demolition list for Leeds trolleybus". Yorkshire Evening Post. 16 October 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  13. ↑ "Leeds trolleybus bid on way to DfT". New Generation Transport. 2009. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  14. ↑ "Major boost for City Region economy". New Generation Transport. 2010. Archived from the original on 27 March 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  15. ↑ "NGT Routes". New Generation Transport. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  16. ↑ "Leeds trolleybus comeback scheme approved". BBC News . 5 July 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  17. ↑ "Go-ahead for Leeds trolleybus network". West Yorkshire Metro. 5 July 2012. Archived from the original on 7 August 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  18. ↑ "Leeds trolley vehicle system: Transport and Works Act order". GOV.UK.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.