Re: Brisbane trolleybuses [was BRISBANE LIGHT RAIL / TRAMS

[David McLoughlin <davemcl@-DROP-iprolink.co.nz>]

garry wrote:
 
> David McLoughlin wrote: 
> > karl wrote:
> >
> >
> > > Trolley bus expansion came to an end with Sir Reginald Groom who
> > > bought 6 more bases after the initial orders to bring the total to
> > 36.
> > > The last couple may have entered service under Jones. I'd have to
> > > check on that.

> > The last six trolleys, which were Sunbeams with trolley retrievers
> > (unlike the previous 30 which had no retrievers) and the rear door at the rear unlike the
> > middle
> > as in the previous 30, were delivered in 1960.

> > When was Clem first elected? 
> March 1961. That was why I said not sure if last one or two may have
> entered service under him. The chasis were delivered 1960 but not sure
> if all bodies fitted at once or staggered delivery used. If any
> entered service under Clem it would have only been 34 which from
> memory was last to emter service for some reason, and not 36.

Six was a very small order for trolleybuses, even though trolleybuses 
were (and are) typically ordered in much smaller numbers than diesel 
buses.

Just as a historical point, does anyone know why Brisbane's second 
trolleybus order (of six buses) was so small, and how it came about? I 
have never read the explanation for this in any of the extensive 
literature I have perused.

Even with a total fleet after 1960 of 36 trolleybuses, Brisbane never had 
enough trolleys to fill the peak-hour requirements on the five trolley 
routes and had to use diesels as supplements.

The only smaller order of trolleybuses I know of was the four Crossley 
ETBs bought by New Plymouth in New Zealand in 1950 (which became that 
tiny town's entire trolley fleet) -- but those vehicles were tacked onto 
an order for 10 similar buses bought by Wellington NZ.

Also, another query, why weren't retrievers fitted to the 30 earlier 
Brisbane trolleys, given the widespread international use of retrievers 
by the 1950s? 

David McLoughlin
Auckland New Zealand