The City's trolleybuses had been banished from the streets some three years when this picture was taken in the summer of 1966. Town Hall Square (now Guildhall Square) was once a busy thoroughfare for Portsmouth's trolleybuses; the Town Hall off to the left of picture.
In the absence of the trolleys, three-year old Portsmouth, Leyland Atlantean 213 is working the 19 service to Clarence Pier, a former trolleybus route. The bus was relatively long-lived, seeing further service with independent operators after withdrawal from use with Portsmouth.
Today, this scene is changed beyond recognition, the only thing remaining in this view is Portsmouth Town Station, now named Portsmouth & Southsea Station. The city's planners have destroyed this fine view, a monstrous glass and concrete structure blocking sight of the station from this vantage point.
Tags: 213BTP Portsmouth Corporation trolleybus guildhall sqaure Portsmouth town station 19 route service PDR/1 MCCW MCW Leyland Atlantean 1960s 1966 Portsmouth & Southsea station Railway Station 213
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A scene close to my heart having caught the bus here my times in the past. We are in Stafford Street, Wolverhampton, the bus parked outside the old South Staffordshire Regiment's Drill Hall, from this angle the scene is still very recognisable. This was a timing and change-over point for bus crews on the Low Hill services. To the right off picture was a small inspector's office and waiting room where staff could rest between journeys.
In the background is Whitmore Street with a Guy Arab IV about to emerge. Some services used Whitmore Street and Thornley Street (not in view) as terminal points, but these services where later moved to other loading points in the town centre. The 12 and 13 Low Hill services stop seen here was later moved out of Stafford Street around the corner into Broad Street.
Wolverhampton Corporation 164 was a 1965, MCW bodied Guy Arab V motorbus, one of many of this type operated by Wolverhampton Corporation. The bus served with WMPTE from 1969 until 1977 when it was withdrawn. It was sold for scrap in June 1977.
Scanned from the original 35mm negative.
Tags: 1960s wolverhampton corporation 13 service route merry hill mcw 1968 Stafford Street GJW164C whitmore street guy arab wolverhampton corporation transport drill hall
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A scene like so many from this era that is barely recognisable today. Then a reasonably quiet suburban junction on the borough boundary, Derby trolleybus 234 makes the turning-circle on the B5020 Uttoxeter Road at its junction with Corden Avenue.
The 55 route served the district of Littleover and the Eastern edges of Mickleover via two separate roads, Uttoxter Road and Burton Road - via the town centre. Both roads run in a sort of parallel fashion from the West side of Derby. Had the trolleybuses run down Cordern Ave and Chain Lane, which linked Uttoxeter Road to Burton Road, I am guessing that a circular service could have been created.
Returning to the image, the houses in the picture still stand but are joined by a new housing development. The junction seen here is considerably widened and traffic light controlled, it is of course is much busier. Nothing remains to tell of the former trolleybus terminal point, but a little of the land on which the turn circle stood is undeveloped at the junction of Rough Heanor Road.
Photo - 14th September 1963 - Scanned from an original but slightly deteriorating B&W slide.
Tags: DRC234 Willowbrook Sunbeam F4 Corden Avenue B5020 Derby Uttoxeter road 55 route service trolleybus turning point turning circle wires overhead trolleybuses 1960s 1963 B&W
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Huddersfield trolleybus 629 pictured at the Outlane terminus of the 73 service, which was situated on New Hey Road at its junction with Slack Lane. Today, the scene remains semi-recognisable, the turning loop is no more, but part of it is discernible. The stone built public toilets are long gone, a private property now stands on the site. The shop and the detached house are still there, the chimney on the house having been shortened in recent years.
The 73 service was Huddersfield's last trolleybus route in 1968, and 629 would become Huddersfield's last trolleybus. At the end of the final day, 629 pulled into Longroyd Bridge depot on Saturday 13th July 1968, with "Last Trolley" scribbled into the road dirt below the lower saloon rear window. It's sad to record that 629 wasn't made pristine for that last journey.
Photo - June 1961. Scanned from the original 35mm slide.
Tags: Outlane Huddersfield 73 route service Trolleybus Trolleybuses Overhead wires wiring east lancs KVH229 slack lane wall's ice cream toilet toilets
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A view along Morledge towards Cock Pit Hill in Derby, a scene that has been completely obliterated by redevelopment.
To the right of picture is the Castle & Falcon pub and beyond it, Cock Pit Hill. This 170-years old area of the city was cleared in 1970 to make way for the Lego looking Eagle Centre, a combined shopping and markets complex that still stands.
To the left is the Central Bus Station, an art-deco designed structure that served the city until the early 2000s. It was pulled down despite public outcry, a modern none distinguishing facility now stands on the site.
Trolleybus 206, a 1949 Brush bodied Sunbeam F4 is bound for Victoria Steet. The 0 - 1 destination looks wrong to me, the bus possibly working the No11 service?
Photo - April 1964 - scanned from the original 35mm slide.
Tags: cock pit hill cock pit lane derby morledge 1960s 1964 ARC506 206 sunbeam F4 Brush city centre trolleybus
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