Arms of the County Borough of Bournemouth 'Beautiful and good for your health' Bournemouth
Picture Gallery

Test line started on 13 May 1933
and remained until official start of service
Service introduced on 22 June 1934 - Ceased on 19 April 1969

Memories of Bournemouth's Trolleybuses

red line

Click on any thumbnail for a larger image but wait until all thumbnails have downloaded

25
Picture 25
Entering the Dolphin Inn yard, Christchurch [turntable] terminus of service 21
27
Picture 27
Christchurch terminus. Note the small triangular windows in the foremost upper-saloon side windows
26
Picture 26
Outbound service 23 to Tuckton Bridge crossing the junction with Holdenhurst Road at the Lansdowne roundabout
28
Picture 28
Outbound service 21 Belle Vue Road at Southbourne Cross Roads [frog to the Southbourne turning circle is evident above the trolleybus]
29
Picture 29
Inbound service 38 in Boscombe High Street
31
Picture 31
Avenue Road, Bournemouth Square boarding points for Richmond Hill services
33
Picture 33
Inbound service 21 crossing Tuckton Bridge [from Christchurch into the County Borough of Bournemouth]
34
Picture 34
Inbound service 35 to the Triangle at the bottom of Richmond Hill, Bournemouth Square crossing the western most end of Gervis Place
40
Picture 40
Outbound service 21 in Belle Vue Road, Southbourne
39
Picture 39
Western most end of the Avenue Road boarding points and parking area, with Fairlight Glen BCT offices and canteen at rear
32
Picture 32
Inbound service 20 at Stour Road junction Christchurch [just south of Christchurch Station] turning from Stour Road into Barrack Road
36
Picture 36
Southcote Road Depot. An enthusiasts tour prepares to leave heading west towards Holdenhurst Road
Picture PL1
Trolleybus Turnable at Christchurch Picture PL2
Trolleybus Turnable at Christchurch Picture PL3
Trolleybus Turnable at Christchurch
Manufacturer's Plate Picture PL4
Blue Plaque for Trolleybus Turnable at Christchurch
Pictures PL1, PL2, PL3 and PL4
More Information

Acknowledgements to "David Bowler" <dt.bowler@bluewin.ch> for caption and routing information.

The next group of pictures were taken by Ian Banks
"Ian Banks" <ian.banks1@googlemail.com>
Visit Ian Banks web site

The Square
Picture Ib1
The Square, Old Christchurch Roads in the background, with an H&D bus visible.
At the Pier
Picture Ib2
At the Pier. The stand was where the passing loop in the overhead was.
Christchurch Turntable
Picture Ib3
Christchurch Turntable
Christchurch Turntable
Picture Ib4
Christchurch Turntable
Mallard Road Depot Mallard Road Depot
Pictures Ib5 and Ib6
Some where 'round the back' of Mallard Road Depot. There was a circle of wiring all round the building, used for moving and testing vehicles and the occasional enthusiasts' circular 'crank'.
IB7
Picture Ib7
...
IB8
Picture Ib8
...
IB9
Picture Ib9
Tuckton Bridge, unmistakable with the flying buttresses [in architectural terms] to the traction standards.
IB10
Picture Ib10
...
IB11
Picture Ib11
...
IB12
Picture Ib12
...
IB13 IB14
Pictures Ib13 and Ib14
...

A further selection of Bournemouth trolleybus pictures can be found on the
Scottish Tramway and Transport Society web site

Seen in Bournemouth on closure day

Rotherham Corporation Tower Wagon CET440 Picture Ib15   Photographed by: "Ian Banks" <ian.banks1@googlemail.com>
Additional notes written by: "M J Russell" <mjrussell174@supanet.com>

Tower Wagon CET440. Originally owned by Rotherham Corporation, having been converted from a former single-deck bus, it was used by them until closure of their own trolleybus system in October 1965.


It was then sold to the Maypine Trolleybus Company [operators of the miniature passenger carrying model of Reading 182], who used it for towing various trolleybuses up and down the country in the UK between then and the end of British operation in 1972. Its visit to Bournemouth on the occasion of the closure was in connection with the towing of preserved vehicles used in the closure ceremonies, though by then its long-distance towing duties had been largely taken over by an ex-Shellmex Scammell tractor unit, GGU 264.

During the 1970's, CET440 was sold and its present where whereabouts are unknown. It was thought to have gone to a preservationist somewhere in the north-west. The DVLA website shows CET 440 as registered until 1 March 2006, but the present owner details are withheld.

The Preserved Scene for Bournemouth Trolleybuses

Vehicle Owner Generally found at: No. Registration Picture
British Trolleybus Society

Web Site
 Sandtoft Transport Centre Logo
[Vehicle re-numbered 212 in the mid-50's]
99 ALJ 973  Bournemouth 99
National Trolleybus Association

Web Site
 East Anglia Transport Museum Logo 202 ALJ 986  Bournemouth Trolleybus #202
Bournemouth Museums and the Bournemouth Passenger Transport Association [BPTA] Former industrial unit at Newtown, Poole 212 KLJ 346 Picture Sought - Can anyone help to fill this gap?
London Trolleybus Preservation Society  East Anglia Transport Museum Logo 286 YLJ 286  Bournemouth 286
Bournemouth Museums and the Bournemouth Passenger Transport Association [BPTA] Former industrial unit at Newtown, Poole

More Information
297 297 LJ  Bournemouth 297
Irish Transport Museum Society  National Transport Museum [Ireland] Logo 299 299 LJ Picture Sought - Can anyone help to fill this gap?
Bournemouth Museums and the Bournemouth Passenger Transport Association [BPTA] Former industrial unit at Newtown, Poole

More Information
301 301 LJ Bournemouth 301

Well, worth a picture surely?

30 Picture 30
Open top Guy Arab heading west along East Overcliff Drive [between Boscombe Pier and Bournemouth Pier]

Available Models

Bournemouth Trolleybus Model
To purchase this model please go to:
Wicor Models Original Omnibus Company