Trolleybuses in Hobart

Hobart trolleybus system

Hobart's first trolleybus in 1935

Operation
Locale| Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Open| 29 October 1935
Close| 22 November 1968
Status| Closed
Operator(s)| Hobart City Council
Metropolitan Transport Trust
Statistics
Route length| 22 km (14 mi)

The Hobart trolleybus system operated in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia from 1935 until 1968.

## History[edit]

The Hobart trolleybus system opened on 29 October 1935 when a route from the Hobart City Centre to South Hobart commenced replacing a tram. Starting at Hobart Town Hall in Argyle Street it travelled along Macquarie Street, Davey Street and Huon Road terminating at the intersection with Congress Street.[1][2][3][4]

On 14 October 1937, a second route began running to New Town station and in mid-1939 was extended to Cornelian Bay.[5] A further service to Cascades commenced on 24 August 1942, being extended along Strickland Avenue on 11 October 1948.[6] Further lines opened to Dynnyrne on 4 June 1945 and Sandy Bay on 7 December 1952.[7]

On 1 March 1955, operation of the network passed from the Hobart City Council to the Metropolitan Transport Trust. A final line opened to West Hobart on 23 February 1958.[1][4] At this stage the network, extended for 22 kilometres.[3][8] In February 1967, much of the Strickland Avenue route infrastructure and one bus was destroyed by fire.[9][10]

The Cornelian Bay line closed in 1959 with the rest of the network closing in stages in 1968.[1][2][3]

## Services[edit]

Hobart's trolleybus routes were as follows:

Route | Extension | Opened | Closed

|
|
|

Hobart City Centre \- South Hobart |  | 29 October 1935 | 22 November 1968
Hobart - New Town |  | 14 October 1937 | 23 August 1968
| New Town - Cornelian Bay | 1939 | 30 March 1959
Hobart - Cascades |  | 24 August 1942 | 22 November 1968
| Cascades - Strickland Avenue | 11 October 1948 | 22 November 1968
Hobart - Dynnyrne |  | 4 June 1945 | 22 November 1968
Hobart - Sandy Bay |  | 7 December 1952 | 11 October 1968
Hobart - West Hobart |  | 23 February 1958 | 23 August 1968

## Fleet[edit]

Operations commenced with a single Leyland TTB bodied by Hobart Municipal Tramways. A further four were acquired in 1937.[11][12] Between 1939 and 1946, 22 Leyland TB5s were purchased. Between 1950 and 1952, 36 BUT ETB/1s bodied by City Body Works were delivered with the five Leyland TTBs withdrawn in 1953.[13] In 1964, five second-hand BUT RETB/1s were purchased from Launceston.[1][2][14]

BUT ETB/1 no. 235 has been preserved by the Tasmanian Transport Museum.[15][16]

Image | Fleet nos. | Quantity | Chassis | Body | Year | Notes

|
|
|
|
|
|

| 25 | 1 | Leyland TTB | Hobart Municipal Tramways | 1935 | renumbered 65 in 1946
| 66-69 | 4 | Leyland TTB | Hobart Municipal Tramways | 1937 |
| 70-91 | 22 | Leyland TB5 | Hobart Municipal Tramways | 1939-1946 | 72 renumbered 92 in October 1958
| 201-236 | 36 | BUT ETB/1 | City Body Works | 1950-1952 | body frames manufactured by Commonwealth Engineering, Sydney
| 237-241 | 5 | BUT RETB/1 | JA Lawton & Sons | 1950 | ex Launceston 326-330

## Depot[edit]

Initially housed at the city tram depot on the corner of Macquarie and Campbell Streets, in 1944 a trolleybuses depot opened on Collins Street. On 29 October 1954, a new depot opened on Davey Street.[1]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e Cooper, Ian (1979). Trolley Buses of Tasmania. Sydney: Australian Electric Traction Association. pp. 2–44. ISBN 0-909459-05-3.
2. ^ a b c Lynas, Ian (1983). Buses & Trams of Australia's Government & Municipal Operators. p. 58\. ISBN 0-9592580-0-0.
3. ^ a b c Jones, David (2000). Australian Trolley Buses. City Tramway Publications. p. 10-14. ISBN 0 473 07118 5.
4. ^ a b Cooper, Ian (2010). Tasmania's Trolley Buses. Rozelle: Transit Australia Publishing. pp. 17–115, 184–195. ISBN 978-0-909459-22-2.
5. ^ Trolley Bus to New Town Hobart Mercury 8 October 1937 page 5
6. ^ Trolley Bus Installations for Two Tasmanian Cities Truck & Bus Transportation December 1948 page 36
7. ^ Hobart Trolleybus Extension Truck & Bus Transportation Decdember 1952 page 7
8. ^ Tramways of Australia Electric Traction June 1960 page 6
9. ^ Bushfire Damage to MTT Property in Hobart Green over Red April 1967 pages 6/7
10. ^ Many trucks, buses gutted in Tasmanian bushfires Truck & Bus Transportation May 1967 page 92
11. ^ Leylands for Australasia Railway Gazette 14 February 1936 page 304
12. ^ Hobart's Trolley-Bus Trial Leads to First Fleet Order Truck & Bus Transportation December 1936 pages 10/11
13. ^ 40 per cent of BUT output for overseas Commercial Motor 22 July 1949
14. ^ Hobart & Launceston Electric Traction May 1964 page 3
15. ^ Tasmanian Transport Museum Society Trolley Wire issue 205 April 1983 page 22
16. ^ Trolley Bus 235 Tasmanian Transport Museum

## External links[edit]

Media related to Trolleybuses in Hobart at Wikimedia Commons

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