The Belfast trolleybus system served the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was the only trolleybus system built in Ireland. Opened on , it gradually replaced the city’s tramway network.

The Belfast system was the second largest trolleybus system in the United Kingdom, after the London system. It had a total of 17 routes, and a maximum fleet of 245 trolleybuses. It closed on .

History In 1936, Belfast Corporation's tramway committee recommended that an experimental trolleybus service be inaugurated after inspecting the Birmingham, Bournemouth, London, Nottingham, Portsmouth and Wolverhampton systems.Trolleybuses for Belfast Commercial Motor 23 October 1936 page 60Operating Aspects of Passenger Transport Commercial Motor 18 December 1936 page 48 Seven pairs of chassis from AEC, Crossley, Daimler, Guy, Karrier, Leyland and Sunbeam were acquired. These were fitted with six types of electric motor with coachwork by five different builders, and were supplied on the proviso that should the trial be a success, Belfast Corporation would purchase them, and should it fail they would be returned.Meeting Belfast's Special Conditions in Trolleybus Manufacture Commercial Motor 24 December 1937 page 8

On 28 March 1938, operations commenced out of Falls Park depot along Falls Road. This was chosen as being a virtually stand-alone route.Joyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). British Trolleybus Systems, pp. 22–26, 159. London: Ian Allan Publishing.

Judged a success, Belfast Corporation decided to replace the entire tramway network. An order was placed with AEC for 114 trolleybuses; however, wartime constraints resulted in only 88 being delivered.Belfast to buy 114 trolleybuses Commercial Motor 2 June 1939 page 50

On 13 February 1941 operations began in East Belfast when the Cregagh route commenced from the new Haymarket depot. The network gradually expanded, with the last of the tram network closing in 1954. Further sections were added until 1959 to a total of 37.5 miles. In order to speed up the conversion, eleven second-hand trolleybuses were purchased from Wolverhampton in 1952. In 1958 a prototype Sunbeam was acquired with a view to replacing the earlier vehicles; however, shortly afterwards the first section of the network closed, with the final section closing on 12 May 1968.Half-way Stage i Belfast Scheme Commercial Motor 29 November 1963 page 38

Fleet Fleetnumbers Quantity Chassis Body In service Notes 1-2 2 AEC 664T Harkness 1938-1958 3 1 Crossley TDD6 Crossley 1938-1958 4 1 Crossley TDD6 Harkness 1938-1958 5-6 2 Daimler CTM6 Harkness 1938-1958 7 1 Guy BTX Park Royal 1938-1958 8 1 Guy BTX Harkness 1938-1958 9-10 2 Karrier E6A Harkness 1938-1958 11-12 2 Leyland TTB4 Leyland 1938-1958 13-14 2 Sunbeam MS2 Cowieson 1938-1958 15-102 88 AEC 664T Harkness 1940-1963 103-128 26 Guy BTX Harkness 1948-1963 129-130 2 Sunbeam W4 Park Royal 1941-1958 131-142 12 Sunbeam W4 Harkness 1946-1960 143-186 44 Guy BTX Harkness 1948-1965 187-234 48 BUT 9641T Harkness 1950-1968 235-240 6 Sunbeam MF2 Park Royal 1952-1956 ex Wolverhampton 241-245 5 Sunbeam MF2 Charles H Roe 1952-1956 ex Wolverhampton 246 1 Sunbeam F4A Harkness 1958-1968

Trolleybuses were initially painted in a blue and white livery. After World War II this was changed to red and white with silver wheels.

In preservation Five former Belfast trolleybuses have been preserved: AEC 664T 98 and Guy BTX 112 at the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum, Cultra Guy BTX 168 at the Keighley Bus MuseumBelfast 168 National Trolleybus Association Guy BTX 183 at the National Transport Museum of Ireland, Dublin Sunbeam F4A 246 at the East Anglia Transport Museum, Carlton ColvilleEast Anglia Transport Museum Fleetlist East Anglia Transport Museum

Depots Trolleybuses operated from three depots: Falls Park Haymarket Short Strand

See also

History of Belfast Transport in Belfast List of trolleybus systems in the United Kingdom

References Notes

Further reading

External links