Monday, 7 April 2014

Ipswich Trolleybus Operates Again

Ipswich Trolleybus 105 runs at Carlton Colville for the first time since 1962
This weekend saw the first running of Ipswich trolleybus 105 at the East Anglia Transport Museum at Carlton Colville

Tim Major tells me it ran on Saturday for the first time since 1962, after undergoing a ten year period of restoration. A few minor jobs remain before the vehicle takes centre stage at the Suffolk Made and Operated event in May

Registered PV8270, it was constructed in 1948 with a Karrier W chassis and a Park Royal double deck body. Withdrawn in 1962 it was converted into a mobile Civil Defence showroom and then subsequently used as a temporary canteen. The trolleybus was purchased from Ipswich Corporation in 1971 for preservation 

Ipswich No 44 on loan from the Science Museum
Number 105 is not the first Ipswich trolleybus to operate at the museum, as for a time, in the early 1970's and 80's it was home to number.44 which was on loan from the Science Museum. Ultimately the vehicle was returned to the custody of the Science Museum and it currently resides in its store at Wroughton near Swindon. During the time 44 was at the museum' agreement was reached for the vehicle to be tested under power and ran around the museums somewhat limited overhead layout at the time.

My thanks to Tim for the report and photos - further information and photos of 105 can be seen on the Ipswich Transport Museum and East Anglia Transport Museum Facebook sites
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1 comment:

  1. jim long7 April 2014 at 12:14

    Oh boy how i remember Trolley no44,as a young 11 year old,sitting on her rear step as she lay unused at Priory Heath depot as did many other Trolleys doomed for scrap,but,she sticks in my mind as i didn't see too many saloons working the routes i lived near,i only ever recall being on one which was on the 2A to town jam packed,simply because it was usually decker operated,the second time i met up with 44 was at Clapon museum in the 60's,i would love to see her back in our area and restored to former glory.

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