Trolleybuses in Glasgow

Public transport system in Glasgow, Scotland

Glasgow trolleybus system

TB116 en route to Clarkston, near Victoria Bridge.

Operation
Locale| Glasgow, Scotland
Open| 1949 (1949)
Close| 1967 (1967)
Status| Closed
Operator(s)| Glasgow Corporation
Infrastructure
Electrification|

*     *       * V DC parallel overhead lines

The Glasgow trolleybus system operated in and immediately surrounding the city of Glasgow, Scotland, between 1949 and 1967, with the network reaching its largest extent in 1959.[1] It was the only British system to open after World War II.

The trolleybuses were owned and operated by Glasgow Corporation's Transport Department (along with the city's buses, trams[2] and the Subway).

## Routes

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* v
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Glasgow Trolleybuses

Legend

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|  | Millerston

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|  | Queen's Cross
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|  | Riddrie
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|  | Royston Road
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|  | Shieldhall
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|  | Maitland Street
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|  | Linthouse
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|  | Cathedral Street
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|  | George Square
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|  | Summer Town Road
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|  | Dennistoun Depot
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|  | Govan Garage
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|  | Paisley Road Toll
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|  | Bellahouston
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|  | Shawfield
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|  | Larksfield Garage
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|  | Polmadie
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|  | Hampden Garage
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|  | Rutherglen
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|  | Hampden Pk / Mt Florida
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|  | Muirend
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|  | Clarkston
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Key

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etc.

|  | terminus for service 105

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etc.

|  | terminus for night service 5
|  |  |  |  |  |

All Glasgow's trolleybus routes were numbered from 101 onwards. Summary of services:[3]

* 101: Started on 6 November 1949,[4] initially between Shawfield and Cathedral Street (replacing part of tram route 10). The route was eventually extended to run between Rutherglen and Riddrie. Closed on 20 April 1966 and replaced by bus route 27.
* 102: Started on 3 April 1949, initially between Polmadie and Riddrie (replacing tram route 2). Cut back from Riddrie to Royston Road on 2 September 1962. Withdrawn on 30 April 1966.
* 103: Southerly extension of route 102 to Hampden Park, starting on 3 July 1949 (but not renumbered 103 until 6 August 1950). Withdrawn on 9 May 1959.
* 104: Started on 31 August 1952 between Muirend and Cathedral Street, replacing part of motorbus route 37. Withdrawn on 6 January 1962.t
* 105: Started on 5 July 1953 between Queen's Cross and Clarkston, replacing part of tram route 13. Withdrawn on 27 May 1967 and replaced by bus route 66. This was the last trolleybus route to operate in Scotland.
* 106: Started on 15 June 1958 between Millerston or Riddrie and Bellahouston, replacing tram route 7. Additional rush hour services to Linthouse and Shieldhall were replaced by motorbus route 106 on 14 November 1964, due to the construction of the Clyde Tunnel. Service withdrawn on 1 October 1966 and replaced by bus route 65.
* 107: Started 7 May 1958 between Maitland Street and Muirend, replacing parts of motorbus routes 18 and 43. Withdrawn 4 March 1967 and replaced by bus 67.
* 108: Started 15 November 1958 between Mount Florida and Paisley Road Toll (actually The Old Govan Town Hall at Princes Dock, was where this route turned around, after Tunnel opened), replacing tram service 12. Rush hour services to Linthouse and Shieldhall withdrawn on 14 November 1964 (see route 106). Withdrawn 4 March 1967 and replaced by bus 68.

## Vehicles

[edit]

TB110 at the route 105 terminus in Mearns Road, Clarkston.

The majority of Glasgow's trolleybuses were double-deck vehicles, painted in Glasgow Corporation's orange, green and cream livery (though in a different style from the buses and trams). The destination blinds on the trolleybuses used white letters on a green background (unlike the trams and buses, with more conventional white lettering on a black background).

Glasgow's first trolleybuses were a fleet of 34 three axle (six-wheeled), double-deck B.U.T. vehicles with bodywork by Metro-Cammell of Birmingham.[5] They were almost identical to those built for London Transport, even briefly including London's distinctive trolleybus symbol (a "T" over the London Transport roundel). In 1950 Glasgow bought 30 Daimler trolleybuses.[6]

Between 1957 and 1959, a fleet of 90 B.U.T. type 9613T trolleybuses with Crossley double-deck bodywork were built. Unlike the earlier vehicles, these trolleybuses had two axles.[7]

There were three of the former Glasgow trolleybuses saved from scrap: TB78, TBS13, and TBS21.

TB78 is fully restored and in operation at the British Trolleybus Society museum, Sandtoft. It remains the only Scottish double-decker trolleybus in existence.

TBS13 was displayed at the original Glasgow Museum of Transport in Albert Drive, Pollokshields, and moved with the museum to the Kelvin Hall. When that museum closed and some its collection was transferred to the new Riverside Museum in 2011, TBS13 was not one of the exhibits fortunate enough to be granted a place there; it resided at the Glasgow Museums Resource Centre at South Nitshill where it was not on public view except by arrangement at the Glasgow Transport Museum. However, to mark the 50th Anniversary of the end of the Glasgow system, TBS13 was returned to public display at the Glasgow Riverside Museum in May. It is now the only Scottish single-decker trolleybus in existence.

TBS21 was eventually scrapped by 2015. TBS21 was almost the last trolleybus to run on the streets of Glasgow. It had been repainted inside and out by GCT at Larkfield Works and, having been purchased by the NTA, it was allowed to tour the system on the final evening and ran behind the final service trolley (TB105) on the last 105 from Queen's Cross to Hampden Garage, for which it displayed a specially made 'Scotland’s Last Trolleybus' blind. It was, however, trumped by TB123, (the last trolleybus built for the city) which made a final trip under power the following morning (Sunday 28 May 1967) from Hampden to Gorbals Cross; from there it was towed by CUS807 to Ibrox bus garage where, as a final show of independence, it reversed into line on its batteries.

It was also the only preserved trolleybus to run under wire in Scotland, England, and Wales - it completed tours of Cardiff in September 1967 and Bournemouth in May 1968. In the years since then, it has led a peripatetic existence, often stored outside, its condition deteriorating all the while until, eventually, it wound up at the ill-fated Beith Transport Museum in North Ayrshire. It was subsequently offered for sale again and there was a real chance that it might have been acquired by Sandtoft although its restoration would have been a long and expensive business. Unfortunately, its eventual purchaser, who apparently tried very hard to find a suitable home for it, had to accept the inevitable and TBS21 was scrapped in late 2014/early 2015.

## Closure

[edit]

The trolleybuses (as well as the city's much larger tram fleet) used electricity generated at the Pinkston power station, later sold to the South of Scotland Electricity Board. Following the closure of the tram system in 1962, the maintenance of the electrical supply system solely for the trolleybuses became impractically expensive.

Construction of approach roads to the Clyde Tunnel led to the abandonment of trolleybus services to Linthouse and Shieldhall in 1964. In 1965, Glasgow Corporation agreed to purchase 150 new Leyland Atlantean diesel buses to replace the remaining trolleybuses.[8] Glasgow's last trolleybuses ran on 27 May 1967.

## See also

[edit]

* Buses portal
* Scotland portal

* Transport in Glasgow
* List of trolleybus systems in the United Kingdom
* Scottish Tramway and Transport Society
* The Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Deans (1977), p. 3
2. ^ Glasgow Trams through the Years, Part 1, Glasgow History, 12 October 2019
3. ^ Deans (1977), p. 16
4. ^ Glasgow’s Trolleybuses, Glasgow History, 4 June 2018
5. ^ Lumb (1995), p. 41
6. ^ Lumb (1995), p. 60
7. ^ Lumb (1995), p. 44
8. ^ Deans (1977), p. 30

### Books

[edit]

* Deans, Brian T. (1977). Glasgow's Trolleybuses (2nd ed.). Scottish Tramway Museum Society. ISBN 0-900648-17-1.
* Lumb, G. (1995). British Trolleybuses 1911-1972. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-2347-6.

## External links

[edit]

Media related to Trolleybuses in Glasgow at Wikimedia Commons

* Photograph of Glasgow trolleybus TB78 at the Trolleybus Museum
* Glasgow Transport Memorabilia - A website displaying many different items from Glasgow trams, buses and Subway
* John Walker's Glasgow trolleybus pages on the www.semple.biz website
* Web page featuring drawings of the TB and TG series of Glasgow trolleybuses

* v
* t
* e

Historic trolleybus systems in the United Kingdom

England|

* Ashton-under-Lyne
* Birmingham
* Bournemouth
* Bradford
* Brighton
* Chesterfield
* Cleethorpes
* Darlington
* Derby
* Doncaster
* Grimsby
* Halifax
* Hartlepool
* Hastings
* Huddersfield
* Ipswich
* Keighley
* Kingston upon Hull
* Leeds
* London
* Maidstone
* Manchester
* Mexborough and Swinton
* Newcastle upon Tyne
* Nottingham
* Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire
* Oldham
* Portsmouth
* Ramsbottom
* Reading
* Rotherham
* St Helens
* Southend-on-Sea
* South Lancashire
* South Shields
* Stockport
* Teesside
* Walsall
* Wigan
* Wolverhampton
* York

Wales|

* Aberdare
* Cardiff
* Llanelli
* Pontypridd
* Rhondda

Scotland|

* Dundee
* Glasgow

Northern Ireland|

* Belfast

Museums|

* Black Country Living Museum
* East Anglia Transport Museum
* Ipswich Transport Museum
* London Transport Museum
* North West Museum of Road Transport
* The Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft

Manufacturers|

* AEC
* Brush
* British Electric Traction
* British United Traction
* Clough, Smith
* English Electric
* Garrett
* Guy
* Karrier
* Railless
* Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies
* Sunbeam
* Tilling-Stevens

* v
* t
* e

Transport in Glasgow

Bus

Present|

* First Glasgow
* McGill's
* Stagecoach Glasgow
* Glasgow Citybus

Past|

* Kelvin Central Buses
* Glasgow Corporation Transport
* Arriva Scotland West
* Western Scottish
* Trolleybuses in Glasgow

Bus stations|

* Buchanan bus station

Rail

Present|

| Operations|

* Avanti West Coast
* Caledonian Sleeper
* London North Eastern Railway
* ScotRail
* TransPennine Express

|

Stations|

* Alexandra Parade
* Anderston
* Anniesland
* Argyle Street
* Ashfield
* Baillieston
* Barnhill
* Bellgrove
* Bridgeton
* Cardonald
* Carmyle
* Carntyne
* Cathcart
* Charing Cross
* Corkerhill
* Croftfoot
* Crookston
* Crosshill
* Crossmyloof
* Dalmarnock
* Drumchapel
* Drumry
* Duke Street
* Dumbreck
* Easterhouse
* Exhibition Centre
* Garrowhill
* Garscadden
* Gilshochill
* Glasgow Central
* High Street
* Hillington East
* Hillington West
* Hyndland
* Jordanhill
* Kelvindale
* Kennishead
* King's Park
* Langside
* Maryhill
* Maxwell Park
* Mosspark
* Mount Florida
* Mount Vernon
* Muirend
* Nitshill
* Partick
* Pollokshaws East
* Pollokshaws West
* Pollokshields East
* Pollokshields West
* Possilpark & Parkhouse
* Priesthill & Darnley
* Queens Park
* Queen Street
* Robroyston
* Scotstounhill
* Shawlands
* Shettleston
* Springburn
* Summerston

Commuter
lines|

*   Argyle
*   Ayrshire Coast
*   Cathcart Circle
*   Croy
*   Cumbernauld
*   Inverclyde
*   Maryhill
*   Motherwell–Cumbernauld
*   North Clyde
*   Paisley Canal
*   Shotts
*   South Western
*   Whifflet

Main lines|

* CrossCountry network
* East Coast Main Line
* Glasgow–Aberdeen line
* Glasgow–Edinburgh via Carstairs line
* Glasgow–Edinburgh via Falkirk line
* Highland Main Line
* TransPennine North West
* West Coast Main Line
* West Highland Line

Past|

| Operations|

* Caledonian Railway
* Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
* Glasgow and South Western Railway
* North British Railway
* LMS
* LNER
* Scottish Region of British Railways
* ScotRail

|

Stations|

* Bellahouston
* Bellahouston Park Halt
* Botanic Gardens
* Bridge Street
* Bridgeton Central
* Buchanan Street (mainline)
* College
* Crow Road
* Cumberland Street
* Dunlop Street
* Eglinton Street
* Finnieston
* Gallowgate
* Gallowgate Central
* Glasgow Cross
* Glasgow Green
* Gorbals
* Govan
* Hyndland
* Ibrox
* Kelvinbridge
* Kelvinside
* Kirklee
* Main Street
* Maryhill Central
* Merkland Street
* Mount Vernon North
* Parkhead Stadium (GCR)
* Parkhead North (NBR)
* Partick Central (aka Kelvin Hall)
* Partickhill
* Partick West
* Pollokshields
* Possil
* Shields
* Shields Road
* Southside
* St Enoch (mainline)
* Strathbungo
* Tollcross
* Whiteinch Victoria Park

Lines|

* Cathcart District Railway
* City Union Line
* Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
* Glasgow City and District Railway
* Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway
* Glasgow Central Railway
* Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway
* Glasgow and Renfrew District Railway
* Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Railway
* Polloc and Govan Railway
* Stobcross Railway

Future|

* GARL
* Crossrail Glasgow (proposed)
* Clyde Metro (proposed)

Subway

Operations|

* Glasgow Subway
* Rolling stock

Stations|

* Bridge Street
* Buchanan Street
* Cessnock
* Cowcaddens
* Govan
* Hillhead
* Ibrox
* Kelvinbridge
* Kelvinhall
* Kinning Park
* Partick
* Shields Road
* St Enoch
* St George's Cross
* West Street

Roads

Motorways|

* M8
* M73
* M74
* M77
* M80

A roads|

* A8 / European route E5
* A74
* A77
* A726
* A727
* A728
* A730
* A736
* A739
* A749
* A761
* A763
* A80
* A81
* A82
* A89
* A803
* A804
* A814
* A879

Streets /
junctions|

* Argyle Street
* Broomielaw
* Buchanan Street
* Byres Road
* Candleriggs
* Charing Cross
* Clydeside Expressway
* Cochrane Street
* Dalmarnock Road
* Duke Street
* Dunlop Street
* Edinburgh Road
* Gallowgate
* George Square
* Glasgow Cross
* Glassford Street
* Great Western Road
* High Street
* Ingram Street
* London Road
* Maryhill Road
* Millbrae Crescent
* North Street
* Paisley Road West
* Partick Cross
* Queen Street
* Rottenrow
* Saltmarket
* Sauchiehall Street
* Shettleston Road
* Springburn Road
* St. Andrew's Cross
* St. George's Cross
* St. Vincent Street
* Trongate
* Wilson Street

Tram

Past|

* Glasgow Corporation Tramways

Other

Air|

* Glasgow Airport
* Glasgow Prestwick Airport
* Glasgow Seaplane Terminal

Water|

* SPT Ferry Services
* Forth and Clyde Canal

Cycling|

* National Cycle Route 7
* National Cycle Route 75
* National Cycle Route 754
* National Cycle Route 756

* SPT
* Transport in Scotland

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