TROLLY BUSES.

Evening Star, Issue 26000, 15 January 1947, Page 5

TROLLY BUSES.

, TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I read a report in the ‘ Star ’ of May 23, 1946, by Mr L. C. Grejg as follows: “The trolly bus has been experimented with as early as 1911, when Bradford and Leeds adopted systems with this form of transport. The early" attempts were not a success, as the authorities tried to apply tramway methods to a bus. Leeds gave up trolly buses after seven years.” I sent a letter, dated August 5, to the Town Clerk, Leeds City Corporation, as follows: “1 read a report in the ‘ Evening Star ’ by a person who was giving an address about trolly' buses as follows: ‘ The trolly bus has been experimented with as early as 1911, when Bradford and Leeds adopted systems with this form of transport. The early attempts were not a success, as‘.the authorities tried to apply tramway methods to a bus. Leeds gave Up trolly buses after seven years.’ I shall be pleased if you will let me know why did Leeds give up trdfey buses after seven years.” ■ Fhave just received a reply, dated September 28, 1946, from Mr 0. A. Radley, Town Clerk, Leeds, and enclose a copy of his letter herewith, which will interest you.—l am, etc., January 14. F. R. Jamison. (Enclosure.) [Dear Sir.—ln reply to your letter of August 5 last, the trolly bus system commenced in Leeds in 1917. The original type was heavy, built on tram car lines with solid tyres and single deckers. The 1914-18 Far stopped all development in trolly buses. After the war Leeds experimented with frontwheel drive trolly buses" on one. route, but these were not a success. The route, Guiselcy to Otley and Burley, a railless route, was covered by one-man-owned motor buses after the war, and the public did not like changing ,from one vehicle to another at Ghiseley terminus when travelling from, say, Burley to Leeds or to Bradford. This system was not an economical proposition, and the trolly buses were taken out of service and scrapped in" 1928, being superseded by new petrol-engined single-deck buses.— Yours faithfully, O. A. Radley, Town Clerk.]