Pictures PSG7A and PSG8A
The Museum was full of visitors and the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the passing of the London Trolleybus was well planned and executed. At opening time a variety of vehicles were being demonstrated, however by mid afternoon, London took over.

All three London trolleybuses were working along with HR2 tram 1858 a vintage taxi and a collection of the London buses designed and built for London. These formed into a procession that drove around the whole museum site.

The pictures show the beginning of the procession with an RT, RTL and RTW [my favourite London bus] beginning to lead off. I tried to avoid one of the dreaded Routemasters but one has slipped into a couple of pictures.

Background Story on Tram 1858.

Pictures PSG9A and PSG10A
260 is seen with interior lights waiting at the stop with 1201, showing the 649A destination coming in behind to take up service. 1201 was a native of Stamford which operated the Sundays only 649A [Wood Green - Liverpool Street], the only route to have a suffix on the London system.

260 shows a short working 660 destination. The route operated from August 1936 until January 1962 between North Finchley trolleybus station and Hammersmith and was shared between Stonebridge [where 260 spent its working life] and Finchley depots. The RM in the picture displays route 18 which replaced the 662, another Stonebridge route and one that 260 regularly worked.

The picture gives an indication as to how well 66 year old 260 has been kept by the EATM.

Pictures PSG11A and PSG12A
Taken at the main terminal, 1858 waits to depart for Hedley Grove. The tram is one of class HR2 and was used on the hilly routes and through the Kingsway subway. There are notices inside about alighting at the subway stations. It remained in service until the last day of the tram system.

1521 is being restored to its "delivery" condition. Dating from 1940, it entered service at West Ham, prepared for the blackout with masked headlights and white painted mudguards and the white strip painted at the rear.

It is showing a short working on route 665 [Barking-Bloomsbury], on which West Ham provided vehicles to supplement those from Poplar. The 665 lasted from June 1940 until November 1959. Following the east end conversion 1521 was transferred to Finchley and then in November 1961 to Fulwell, where it became the last London trolleybus to run in public service. It was saved from the scrap yard by members of the LTPS.

1858 stands alone as 1201 is seen taking up service on route 683 [Stamford Hill-Moorgate], a route that commenced in February 1939 and withdrawn in January 1959.

Pictures PSG13A and PSG14A
All three London trolleybuses can be seen, with 1521 showing the wartime headlight masking and the white painted mudguards. The RM is also in the picture, but I wanted to get all three trolleybuses in a single shot.

Picture PSG15A
A sideways view of 260 parked before being attached to the wires, taken from the top of 1201. The Charlton side blind is very clear showing the 664 [Edgware-Paddington], another route withdrawn in January 1959.

Picture PSG16A and PSG17A
Closer views of the fronts of 1201 and 1521 and then the rear of 1521 and the side of 1201.

Picture PSG19A
LCD 52 is photographed in the livery of the Maidstone system. It was also 52 in the Brighton system and was new in 1947. Sold to Maidstone in 1959 as the Brighton conversion commenced, it remained in the Maidstone fleet until closure on 15 April 1967. Whilst in Maidstone it was fitted for a period with a circular wire grill and was nicknamed "the goldfish" by locals.

Belfast 264 entered service in 1958 and was both the last trolleybus and the only four wheeler built for Belfast. It was also the only Belfast trolleybus whose registration numbers were before the index letters. It was planned to be the prototype of a fleet of 100 replacement vehicles for a second generation of Belfast trolleybuses, which had the largest fleet of trolleybuses after London. By the time it entered service the giant London system was poised for abolition and there appeared to be no future for trolleybuses in Britain.

264 was in service until the final closure of the system and is shown displaying the Falls Park service, which was operative until the last day, 12 May 1968.

Pictures PSG20A and PSG21A
My two favourites of the day, which show Carlton Colville at its considerable best. These could pictures look as if they are in service in actual streets and one has the real feel of being back in the tram/trolleybus era. 1201 heading for Upper Edmonton, rain glinting off the road and a mix of trees and an industrial building. Surely this could feature as a set in a movie.

Pictures PSG22A and PSG23A
1521 is parked up waiting to be fixed to the wires, as 260, interior lights glowing passes. Sadly 1521 could not take passengers on the day, but it was great to see it under power.

Derby 224, which entered service in 1952 and remained in service until closure in 1967, can also be seen.

Picture PSG24A
Shows 1201 about to enter service. This vehicle was sold for use as an "office" to a car show room following withdrawal. It was saved from scrapping for the second time by the LTPS and has been restored to Stamford Hill "service condition". Early History

Picture PSG25A
The terminus with a rain soaked 'inspector' as 260 takes up service in the evening dusk.

Sadly this is a museum, but for an afternoon I travelled on trolleybuses all over north and north west London.