Re: 50 years of Trolley Buses in Wellington NZ

[David McLoughlin <davemcl@REMOVEiprolink.co.nz>]

klabstep@my-dejanews.com wrote:

> 
> In article <36FC946F.522@REMOVEiprolink.co.nz>,
>   David McLoughlin <davemcl@REMOVEiprolink.co.nz> wrote:

> >
> > Operated by a fleet of 68 Volvo-BBC trolleys put into service from 1981
> > to 1986 and now well overdue for replacement.
> >


> Shouldn't the trolley buses last alot longer?  I thought one of the advantages
> of the trolley bus is that is last longer than a diesel.   I assume that the
> fleet of Volvo-BBC are new and not rebodied.


Oh yes, they were bought new and are not rebodied.

They are still operationally reliable and mechanically sound, but their
body design was very outdated by even the standards of 1981 and
alongside modern low-floor diesels in Wellington they now look
positively archaic.


The  fleet was given a major overhaul two years ago to allow another
five to eight years of service. By 2001, only 20 months away, the first
of them (201) will be 20 years old. 

David McLoughlin
Auckland New Zealand