The George Town trolleybus system was part of the

public transport Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typical ...

network in George Town, on the island of

Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...

(part of

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

since 1963), for more than 35 years in the mid-20th century. Opened in 1924, the system gradually replaced the George Town tramway network. It lasted until mid-1961, when it was closed and replaced by a network of motor bus routes. At its peak, the system had four routes.

History

In 1923 a 24-seat

Brush A brush is a common tool with bristles, wire or other filaments. It generally consists of a handle or block to which filaments are affixed in either a parallel or perpendicular orientation, depending on the way the brush is to be gripped durin ...

bodied

Clough, Smith Interserve Rail (formerly Clough Smith) is a British engineering and facilities management company. Founded in 1910, it is a subsidiary of Interserve. History Clough Smith was founded in 1910 by electrical engineers Norman Clough and Sidney Smi ...

trolleybus was ordered as an experiment, entering service in 1925 on the Magazine Road to Jetty via Chulia Street service. It was followed by a 22-seat Strachans & Brown bodied

Thornycroft Thornycroft was an English vehicle manufacturer which built coaches, buses, and trucks from 1896 until 1977. History In 1896, naval engineer John Isaac Thornycroft formed the Thornycroft Steam Carriage and Van Company which built its firs ...

. In 1926 three trolleybuses were purchased from Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies, who supplied another five in March 1929. Two existing Thornycroft motor buses were converted to trolleybuses in 1929 and 1931, respectively. In 1934, two nine-seater trolleybuses were purchased specifically for the one mile

Penang Hill Railway The Penang Hill Railway is a one-section funicular railway which climbs the Penang Hill from Air Itam, on the outskirts of the city of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. The railway first opened in 1923 as a two-section railway, and th ...

service from Lower station to the Air Itam main road. A further 18 Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies trolleybuses were delivered in 1935/36. Six more followed in 1938-1940. By the end of the Japanese occupation of Malaya, the entire fleet was out of service. All were gradually returned to service between 1946 and 1950 except two that were too badly damaged. In the 1950s the original fleet was replaced by 26 Sunbeams and five 1935 built AEC 664T double-deckers purchased second-hand from

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

.More Sunbeam Trolleybuses for Penang
''Commercial Motor'' 6 March 1953 page 43 The network closed on 31 July 1961.

Fleet

References

External links

David Bradley Online
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{{Bus transport in Malaysia George Town History of George Town, Penang Transport in Penang Trolleybus transport in Malaysia 1924 establishments in British Malaya 1961 disestablishments in Malaya

History

Fleet

See also

References

External links