Leeds trolleybus
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| Basic information | |
| Country | Great Britain |
| city | Leeds |
| opening | June 20, 1911 / planned 2018 |
| Shutdown | July 26, 1928 |
| operator | Leeds Tramways (1911-1928) |
| Infrastructure | |
| Route length | 14.8 km (from 2020) |
| Depots | Kirkstall Road / Guiseley (1911-1928) |
| business | |
| Lines | three (1911–1928) / one (from 2020) |
| statistics | |
| Passengers | 7–8 million (target for 2020) |
 ▬ approved route (north and south branch) ▬ further sections included in the planning (east branch) |
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The trolleybus Leeds ( English Leeds Trolleybus System ) was an electrically operated means of transport in the greater area of the English city of Leeds in the county of Yorkshire . The system existed from June 20, 1911 to July 26, 1928 and was operated by Leeds Tramways . Before the network opened a short time later in the neighboring city of Bradford, it is the oldest trolleybus network in the United Kingdom . At times there were up to three routes.
In July 2012, the authorized UK Department of Transport , the project New Generation Transport (NGT), which provides for the construction of a modern O bus system in Leeds. In the opening year, 7 to 8 million passengers are targeted. After the trolleybus system in the neighboring city of Bradford was discontinued in 1972, it would be the first trolleybus network with regular service in Great Britain.
Former system (20th century)
opening
The first O-route operated by Leeds Tramways ran from City Square via Lower Wortley and Farnley to Moor Top.
It opened on June 20, 1911 on Thrisk Row, a side street off Wellington Street, in the city center. For the first trip, two trolleybuses were ready, driven by Lord Mayor William Middlebrook and his deputy Frederick James Kitson. The trip went out to Farnley, about four miles from Leeds, and back, and took 45 minutes.
For this first line four vehicles were with Siemens - engines available, manufactured by Railless Electric Traction Company . Each car could carry 28 passengers . Payment was made at the start. To distinguish them from the trams , the trolleybuses were referred to as trackless cars . The trolleybus was a supplement to the tram network and concentrated on less frequented routes in rural areas.
The vehicles used on the first route were stored in a depot on Kirkstall Road.
Network expansion
In 1915 two more routes were opened, but they had no connection to the existing line. A depot was set up for them in Guiseley, which still exists today. The two new routes also served as feeders for the tram system.
At the time of its greatest expansion, the first trolleybus system consisted of the following routes:
- Leeds ↔ Lower Wortley ↔ Farnley ↔ Moor Top (opened June 20, 1911)
- Guiseley ↔ Otley (opened September 9, 1915)
- Guiseley ↔ Burley-in-Wharfedale (opened October 22, 1915)
Shutdown
However, the system did not prove to be very successful. In addition, there were always disagreements between the parties involved in the operation, so that with the advent of buses with combustion engines, the end of trolleybuses in Leeds was approaching after around 17 years. On July 26, 1928, the system was finally discontinued and later dismantled.
Planned system (21st century)
Intended route
Originally, three different routes were planned to open up the north, south and east of Leeds, with large park-and-ride areas being planned at the end points in the north and south :
- North: Leeds City Center ↔ Bodington (Park & Ride with up to 800 parking spaces)
- South: Leeds City Center ↔ Stourton (Park & Ride with up to 2200 parking spaces)
- East: Leeds City Center ↔ St James's Hospital
In the city center, a loop tour was planned through The Headrow, Eastgate, past Leeds City Bus Station and Leeds Outdoor Market and on to York Street, New York Street, Call Lane, Duncan Street, Boar Lane, City Square and Park Row .
The northern route is to leave the inner city ring at the corner of Park Row and The Headrow, the southern route branches off at the intersection of Boar Lane and Duncan Street into Lower Briggate. In the direction of St. James's Hospital, the route would follow York Street further east out of the city center.
Intended vehicles
The vehicles are single-story articulated trains in a low-floor design with three or four entrances. An exact manufacturer or vehicle type has not yet been determined.
Planning process
In October 2009 the NGT project was presented to the Department of Transport as a Major Scheme Business Case .
In March 2010, the government approved the project and issued the planning approval decision. For the northern route including an extension from Bodington to Holt Park, for the southern route to Stourton and for the western part of the inner city ring connecting the two sections, the government also approved financial support, but not for the eastern part of the ring and the route to Hospital.
On July 5, 2012, the Department of Transport approved the construction of the NGT route between Holt Park and Stourton. Construction can begin after the necessary preliminary investigations have been completed. If everything goes according to plan, the route could be opened in 2020.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ James Joyce, John Stanley King, AG Newman: British Trolleybus Systems . Ian Allan Publishing, London 1986, ISBN 0-7110-1647-X .
- ^ A b c F. A. Andrews: Document 48: Trolley buses - A second time around in Leeds . Light Rail Transit Association. August 2007. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
- ↑ The Tbus: Modern electric transportation for Leeds . Insideyorks. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
- ↑ Leeds trolleybus comeback scheme approved . BBC News. July 5, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
- ^ A b John Thorpe: First outing for city's 'trackless cars' . In: Yorkshire Evening Post , June 23, 2007. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
- ↑ a b c History . New generation transport. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
- ↑ Leeds NGT - About ( Memento of the original from October 2, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . New generation transport. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
- ↑ a b Leeds NGT - Major Scheme Business Case - Strategic Case ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . New generation transport. October 2009. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
- ↑ Frequently asked questions about NGT and trolleybuses - Background ( Memento of the original from October 2, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . New generation transport. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
