Trolleybuses in Huddersfield
Huddersfield
The Huddersfield trolleybus system once served the market town of Huddersfield, in West Yorkshire, England. Opened on, it gradually replaced the Huddersfield tramway network, which closed on Saturday, 29 June 1940.By the standards of the various now-defunct trolleybus systems in the United Kingdom, the Huddersfield system was a medium-sized one, with a total of 15 routes and a maximum fleet of 140 trolleybuses. It was closed on.
A notable feature of the system was the Longwood trolleybus turntable, which was one of only four such turntables ever to have been constructed in the UK. The turntable was manually operated, and was in use only in 1939–1940 until wartime conditions forced the introduction of other arrangements. However, it remained in situ until demolished in the 1980s.
Three of the former Huddersfield trolleybuses are now preserved, at the Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Lincolnshire.
History
The first conversion was the Almondbury tramway. It was converted in sections with a temporary motor bus link as the road was resealed and electrified.Six different 6-wheel buses were bought to trial on the route with Karrier, Ransomes and Sunbeam chassis and bodies by several builders. Most later buses were Karrier, though the local factory had closed.
The Almondbury route closed on 14 July 1965. The dates of the rest were:-
| Terminus | opened | closed | |
| Lindley and Outlane | 11/11/34 | 13/7/68 | |
| Newsome | 2/5/37 | 13/7/66 | |
| Crosland Hill | 3/10/37 | 5/4/64 | |
| Birkby/Fartown Bar | 7/11/37 | 5/4/64 | cut back to Wasp Nest Rd due to danger of using Woodbine Rd turning circle in wartime blackout. |
| Marsden | 10/4/38 | 30/1/63 | |
| Sheepridge | 19/6/38 | 13/7/66 | extended to new Brackenhall estate 5/3/49 and circular via Woodhouse closed. |
| Bradley | 19/6/38 | 12/7/67 | extended to Keldregate 2/4/56 using poles recovered from Brighouse section. |
| Woodhouse | 19/6/38 | 13/7/66 | extended to Riddings estate 5/3/49. |
| Longwood | 1/1/39 | 12/7/67 | due to a low bridge the tram route to Honley was taken over by buses. |
| Lockwood | 12/1/39 | 13/7/66 | |
| West Vale / Elland | 28/5/39 | 8/11/61 | |
| Fixby / Brighouse | 30/6/40 | 14/7/65 | cut back to Fixby 9/7/55 due to increasing traffic creating problems when reversing at Brighouse. |
In 1958 Edgar Dyson became general manager. The council then agreed to a closure programme, ending with 5 crowded Outlane buses on 13 July 1968. Rates paid to the county council were among reasons for early closure of the West Vale and Marsden routes.