Re: Balloon loops on Australian tramways

["Ron BEST" <ronbest@bigpond.com>]

The depot was Rushcutters Bay tram depot. Was a bowling alley, now a block
of flats. Trolleybuses running to and from the depot put one pole on the
tramway wire and the other on a single, centrally-located negative wire,
between the depot at the bottom of Bayswater rd and Kings Cross. As the
'buses would normally only be running in one direction on this section, the
common negative wire was sufficient (well, this was during the depression!).

Adelaide's first (experimental) trolleybus, converted from a motor bus, used
a skate which ran in the groove of the tram rail when running to and from
the depot. Bet some good sparking went on!

A hoary old chestnut is the belief that a trolleybus will run backwards if
the poles are put on the wires the wrong way round! There are/were some long
interurban lines where only a single pair of wires was put up. When opposing
'buses met, one would pull its poles down to let the other pass. Japan's
only two trolleybus lines run mostly in tunnel and have passing loops at the
centre of the run. They also have the old problem of a two-rail model
railway with a ballon loop - there has to be a break somewhere, otherwise
you create a short-circuit.

Rgds
Ron BEST
Barry Campbell wrote in message <36F17AE8.C1F7067A@qimr.edu.au>...
>Ron BEST wrote:
>>
>> Christchurch (England) had a turntable to literally "turn" trolleybuses
at
>> the end of one route, at least!
>> Some systems now use batteries in the buses for turning, especially at
>
><snip>
>
>As did Sydney to manoeuvre trolley buses in the confines of the depot at
>?? that served the Wylde St trolleybus route. (It was originally the
>winding house for the cable trams and eventually became a bowling alley
>IIRC)
>
>Barry Campbell