The Launceston trolleybus system operated in

Launceston, Tasmania Launceston () is a city in the north of Tasmania, Australia, at the confluence of the North Esk River, North Esk and South Esk River, South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River, Tasmania, Tamar River (kanamaluka). As of 2021, the Launc ...

, Australia from 1951 until 1968.

History

After a protracted conversion with multiple delays in delivery of buses and other infrastructure, the Launceston trolleybus system opened on 24 December 1951 from the Launceston city centre to Quarantine Road via Wellington Street replacing a

tram A tram (also known as a streetcar or trolley in Canada and the United States) is an urban rail transit in which Rolling stock, vehicles, whether individual railcars or multiple-unit trains, run on tramway tracks on urban public streets; some ...

service. A second line opened to Mowbray Heights on 13 September 1952, being extended to Newnham Park on 21 November 1952. On 1 July 1955, operation of the network passed from the

Launceston City Council Launceston City Council (or City of Launceston) is a Local government in Australia, local government body in Tasmania, located in the city and surrounds of Launceston, Tasmania, Launceston in the north of the state. The Launceston local gove ...

to the

Metropolitan Transport Trust The Metropolitan (Perth) Passenger Transport Trust was a statutory authority of the Government of Western Australia from 1958 to 2003. From 1958 to the mid-1990s, it operated Buses in Perth, bus and ferry services within the Perth metropolitan ...

. Further lines opened to Basin Road and Quarantine Road via Talbot Road, both on 24 February 1957 to form a cross-city service, followed by Norwood on 27 November 1961. The network closed in stages in 1968.

Services

Launceston's trolleybus routes were as follows:

Fleet

The fleet comprised 30 BUT RETB/1s.40 per cent of BUT output for overseas
''

Commercial Motor ''Commercial Motor'' is a weekly magazine serving the road transport Road transport or road transportation is a type of transport using roads. Transport on roads can be roughly grouped into the transportation of goods and transportation of ...

'' 22 July 1949 These were bodied in

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

by JA Lawnton & Sons, each being trialled on the Adelaide network before being sent to Launceston. In 1964, five were sold for further use on the Hobart system.

Depot

The Howick Street tram depot was doubled in size to accommodate the trolleybus fleet.

References

{{Trolleybus systems in Oceania, state=collapsed Launceston Launceston, Tasmania Transport in Tasmania Launceston 1951 establishments in Australia 1968 disestablishments in Australia