43 YEARS OF TROLLEYBUS
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RATION
Long Life, Excellent Performance and Satisfactory Experience over 43 Years, Have Made the Trolleybus Bradford's Choice for City Transport Services
By Alfred Woolf, B.A.
BRADFORD'S population counts itself as being fortunate in having an enterprising transport manager, an efficient transport department and
trolleybuses. After 43 years of experience with the " trackless," as the trolleybuses are still called, the citizens find little cause to complain about the city's transport system.
With a population of 292,394, Bradford is Britain's eighth city, although, with an area of almost 40 sq. miles, it is the seventh in physical size. It is the centre of the wool world, and in public transport has the longest continuous record of trolleybus operation of any city in Britain. At a time when the role of this type of vehicle in the future of passenger transport is undecided, a survey of the use of the trolleybus in dealing with the mixed traffic of a busy industrial city like Bradford, will indicate its advantages and its shortcomings.
Topographically, the city hardly favours the operation of a public transport system. It lies over undulating ground and its centre coincides with the apex of two shallow converging valleys. Most of the centre of the city was built in Victorian days, when wool was becoming one of Britain's main industries. The importance of wool in those days is revealed by the presence in the central area not of shops, as is the case in most large cities and market towns, but of the head offices of large wool concerns. The main shopping areas are scattered around the centre up to half a mile from the town hall.
Because of the large municipal area, Bradford has no suburban development as such. New housing estates have been constructed both before and since the war; but there are still large gaps inside the city boundaries to be
filled by urban development. Moreover, the older
industrial parts lie near the centre of the city, surrounded by domestic premises.
The development of municipally owned transport in Bradford started early. Powers to run tramways were obtained in 1880, although until 1898 the only services, operated first with horsed and then with steam-driven vehicles, were provided by two private concerns, Bradford Tramways and Omnibus Co., Ltd., and Bradford and Shelf Tramway Co., Ltd., to which running powers were leased by the corporation. On July 30, 1898, the first electric tram service operated by the corporation was opened, although electric traction had been used by the private concerns since 1892.
On February 1, 1902, the corporation took over all the leased lines and thenceforward, extension of the system continued at an accelerating rate, until, in 1926, there were 59 miles of route in operation. Services outside' the city boundary were started before the 1914-18 war.
From 1928 onwards, the tramway system began to decline. Conversion to trolleybus and motorbus operation took place year by year. The first route, CityGreengates via Undercliffe, was changed to motorbus operation in November, 1928. Trolleybuses took over the Allerton route in 1929, and two more in -1930-31.
The first trolleybuses were seen in the city on June 24, 1911, when two " trackless " single-deck vehicles began a service from Laisterdyke to Dudley Hill, a distance of 14 miles. In 1914, the route was extended from Dudley Hill to Bankfoot and from Laisterdyke to Bolton, a distance of 41 miles. The same route is still operated, although it has been extended at both ends. It is interesting as being one of the only two services run by the undertaking which start at one side of the city and finish at the other, without crossing the centre.
Three ■;ears later, another trolleybus route was opened, this time from Odsal, 14 miles from the centre of the city, to Oakenshaw, just over 11miles farther south. In March, 1915., a route from Forster Square, in the centre of the city, to Bolton Woods was opened. Both these were converted to motorbus operation, the first after it had been extended into the centre, and the • second by being absorbed in a motorbus route.
The first conversion from tramto trolleybus working
saw the introduction of six-wheeled vehicles in Bradford. These were employed for a time on the Altenon route on the • west side of Bradford, the idea being that the larger vehicle would be needed to replace the high-capacity tramcars. Later experience proved that the accelerated schedules possible with the trolleybuses, and the not entirely satisfactory performance of the transmission, made the operation of two-aided vehicles convenient and the present fleet is composed entirely of four-wheelers.
Between 1931 and 1952, eight routes were converted to trolleybus working, and at present 12 services, totalling 41+ miles of route, are worked with vehicles of this type. Fourteen tram routes were converted to motorbus working, two being subsequently reconverted to electric traction, in this case with trolleybuses.
The last of these, the Thornbury route, although worked by motorbuses, was actually wired for trolleybuses, because the main overhaul works of the undertaking are within a few yards of the Thornbury terminus. One of the first tasks of the present general manager, Mr. C. T. Hurnpidge, was to institute trolleybus working on this route, thus effecting useful economies. The other route which suffered conversion twice was only temporarily operated by motorbuses while being re-wired.
From the very beginnings of the undertaking, therefore, there has been steady interest in the trolleybus. Extensions have been continuous, and new powers are being obtained for trolleybus working on a section of the route to Wibsey now run with motorbuses. Powers for further conversions are held for 10 routes or sections.
In their first year of operation, 1911-12, the two single-deck trolleybuses, which owed much to the trams in their design, carried 214,966 passengers and covered 28,485 miles. In the year ended March, 31, 1952, the 162 double-deckers operated, covered 5,268,593 miles and carried 72,843,403 passengers. The 190 motorbuses covered 6,394,844 miles and carried 77,999,636 passengers, the total mileage run throughout the system being 11,663,437 and the total number of passengers carried, 150,843,039. '
In 1951-1952, total mileage increased by 91,970 and passengers by 775,765. Receipts went up by £60,222 to a new record figure, £1,403,063, a clear indication of the
efficiency of the organization. Although the year in question was one in which a deficit was incurred, the healthy state of the undertaking is beyond doubt.
Like all industrial cities, Bradford has its peak-hour problems. The day's operations begin well, because starting times in the mills and engineering works are staggered. The mills begin between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., although the first service, for dyers, starts soon after 4.30 a.m. Traffic increases quickly after 8 a.m., and by 8.20 a.m., when most of the office staff are coming into the city, either to their places of work or to continue their journeys across the city, the worst part of the morning peak has been reached. Until 8.40 a.m. conditions are difficult, but thereafter ease off rapidly. There is a small mid-day peak, but the morning is quiet.
From 5-6 p.m. is the worst period. Although the school-children who form part of the morning traffic have by then reached home, almost all the travellers dealt with between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. have to be found seats or standing room in this one hour, between 5-6 p.m. Over 60 extra vehicles may be turned out to deal with the evening peak alone.
Conditions of this kind, apart from being costly, make heavy demands on the vehicles. As far as can be judged, the trolleybuses cope well with peak traffic, their acceleration in particular being valuable.
Mr. L. L. Christie, traffic superintendent, has, there-fore, to deal with an exceptional peak period. He is, however, fortunate in that traffic is fairly heavy and even throughout the year. The disposition of the main termini over a wide part of the central area, where passengers interchange, helps in some cases to even out the peak demand, because vehicles are unloaded and start off with a new load, instead of running through laden, leaving passengers at intermediate stops. Considering the close relationship between domestic and industrial premises, passengers travel comparatively long distances, no doubt encouraged by the fare system to seek employment anywhere in the city.
The fare system was revised in 1951, every route being divided into approximately ?t-mile stages. The minimum fare is 24. for three stages. The structure is then four stages for 3d., six for 4d., nine for 5d., 12 for 6cI., up to a maximum of 18 for 8d.
Further inducement to travel is provided by the close headways maintained on all the trolleybus routes. In only a few cases, and then at certain times of the day only, does this reach 15 minutes, the normal headway being 4-6 minutes, down to 21-3 minutes at peak hours.
That this is possible in a busy city and over routes w'dh gradients up to 1 in 6 in parts, often on a busy corner
Its powers of acceleration are valuable in the planning and running of services in Bradford. As for the problems of duplication sometimes associated with vehicles of this type, it has been recorded that on a. Bank Holiday, over 60 buses were put on one route, providing a trolleybus every minute.
It is in the engineering department. however, that the greatest enthusiasm for the trolleybus is found. The docking schedules are arranged so that trolleybuses are brought to the main works at Thornbury at between 100,000150.000 miles, Even when dock lug is delayed to 150,000 miles more work is entailed in the complete stripping of the vehicle than in reconditioning components.
Proof of the long-wearing properties of the trolleybus is provided by the fleet list. At present, the fleet comprises 36 A.E.C. 56-58-seat double-deckers which entered service in December, 1934. These were equipped with new bodies, either by Brush Coachwork, Ltd., or Northern Coachbuilders, Ltd.. in 1944-49. The original bodywork, like the electrical equipment, was by English Electric Co., Ltd., which also made the bodies and supplied the motors for the 43 A.E.C. vehicles which were taken into the fleet between 1938-39. Only four of this batch have had new bodies, in this case by Crossley Motors, Ltd.
English Electric equipment is also found in the 16 Karriers purchased in 1938 and 1939. Twelve of these have been re-bodied or rebuilt. In 1942, 10 Sunbeam 56-seaters, originally intended for Johannesburg, were allocated to Bradford. These are 8 ft. wide, and still have their original Wernann bodywork. After the war, in 1945-1946, 37 Karrier 56-seaters with Park Royal and Roe bodywork were obtained. Five of these have English Electric equipment and the rest Metropolitan-Vickers motors and Series Dynamic control equipment, and 85 h.p: instead of 80 h.p. motors. The latest additions are 20 B.U.T. 56-seaters, 8 ft. wide, with English Electric 120 h.p. motors.
Not only does the bodywork last over long periods
without loss of efficiency, but most of the components run long mileages before any attention is necessary. Thus, although the vehicles are greased and inspected weekly and the trolley heads inspected nightly, the extended interval between docks i quite reasonable. Brake facings normally require replacement at about 80,000 miles, the work being carried out at the depots. Some vehicles may run over the 100,000-mile mark with one set of facings. The motorbus average is 20,000_
Work on the trolley heads is carried out at the depots. Normally one man inspects and changes, where necessary, up to 70 inserts a night. The split slipper-type carbon insert now being used is proving most successful, a mileage of 1,500-1,600 being obtained, or 50 per cent. more than with the solid type. Another depot task is the daily draining of brakereservoirs.
The Thornbury works is well equipped for dealing with the fleet. A new electrical test plant has been installed, although much of the equipment, including the traverser by which vehicles are propelled sideways down the shops to the pit allocated to them, has its origins in the tram days_ The rolling-stock engineer, Mr. N. A. Scurrah, considers the maintenance of trolleybuses to be a particularly straightforward job.
Maintenance of overhead equipment is carried out with the six Karrier tower wagons. Dewirements are dealt with rapidly and the traction feeder layout ensures the rapid provision of an alternative supply in the case of supply failure on any section.
According to the annual report for last year, inadequate provision in the past for vehicle replacement has had an adverse effect on the running of the undertaking. For example, last year, the trolleybuses made a profit £30,146, whilst debt charges amounted to £40,131, producing a net loss of £9,985. The position was even worse with the motorbuies, which, despite an operating profit of £30,009, had to bear debt charges of £80,647.
The recent purchase of 32 trolleybuses from Notts and Derbys Traction Co., and of 10 chassis, formerly operated by Llanelly District Traction, Co., together with the decision to run cross-city services for an experimental period, show that the role of the trolleybus in Bradford's transport system is growing ever more important. It is an efficient vehicle and skilled management can make it an economic proposition.
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