Trolleybuses in La Spezia
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trolleybus A trolleybus (also known as trolley bus, trolley coach, trackless trolley, trackless tramin the 1910s and 1920sJoyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). ''British Trolleybus Systems'', pp. 9, 12. London: Ian Allan Publishing. .or troll ...
system ( it, Rete filoviaria della Spezia) forms 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 of the city and ''
comune The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...
'' of
La Spezia La Spezia (, or , ; in the local Spezzino dialect) is the capital city of the province of La Spezia and is located at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the southern part of the Liguria region of Italy. La Spezia is the second largest city ...
, in the
region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
of
Liguria Liguria (; lij, Ligûria ; french: Ligurie) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is ...
,
northwest Italy Northwest Italy ( it, Italia nord-occidentale or just ) is one of the five official statistical regions of Italy used by the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), a first level NUTS region and a European Parliament constituency. Northwes ...
. The current system is in operation since 1951; previously, at the start of the twentieth century, La Spezia was served by a pioneering experimental system.


History

The first, pioneering, trolleybus service in La Spezia was active between 1906 and 1909, and ran from the city centre to Fezzano, on the road to
Portovenere Porto Venere (; until 1991 ''Portovenere''; lij, Pòrtivene) is a town and '' comune'' (municipality) located on the Ligurian coast of Italy in the province of La Spezia. It comprises the three villages of Fezzano, Le Grazie and Porto Venere, ...
. It was an experimental line, one of the first to be built in Italy, and was served by ''Omnibus Turrinelli'' vehicles numbered from 31 to 34. After
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, trolleybuses returned to town in a more modern form, to replace the tram system that had become obsolete. La Spezia's first regular trolleybus line entered service in 1951. It was operated with Fiat 668 model trolleybuses bodied by
Viberti Viberti is an Italian manufacturer of trailers and former producer of utility vehicles, buses and mopeds. History The company was founded in 1922 to build civilian and military transport vehicles and was a supplier to the Italian armed forces dur ...
, and with electrical equipment by Ansaldo. Numbered 201 to 213, they were long, had a central driving position, and their maximum speed was . In 1953, another four trolleybuses of the same model were added to the fleet. They were numbered from 214 to 217. In the same year, nine
Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. () is an Italian luxury car manufacturer and a subsidiary of Stellantis. The company was founded on 24 June 1910, in Milan, Italy. "Alfa" is an acronym of its founding name, "Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili." ...
900 AF vehicles, bodied by
Piaggio Piaggio & C. SpA (Piaggio ) is an Italian motor vehicle manufacturer, which produces a range of two-wheeled motor vehicles and compact commercial vehicles under seven brands: Piaggio, Vespa, Gilera, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, Derbi, and Scarabeo. Its ...
and with Ansaldo electrical equipment, came into circulation in La Spezia. Their fleet numbers were 218 to 226. In 1954, the then operator of the system, FITRAM, ordered two more trolleybuses, nos 227 and 228, with electrical equipment by ''Maschine Works Oerlikon'' from the San Giorgio company in
Pistoia Pistoia (, is a city and ''comune'' in the Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of a province of the same name, located about west and north of Florence and is crossed by the Ombrone Pistoiese, a tributary of the River Arno. It is a typi ...
. With a length of 11 meters, and a greater availability of seats (over 28), they were the first trolleybuses in La Spezia to have battery powered autonomous auxiliary equipment located in the underbody, but they were never used on regular shifts. Due to their unsatisfactory cab layout and steering, and low-capacity braking, they were sold during 1959. Three years earlier, in 1956, Alfa Romeo 910 AF trolleybuses nos 229 and 230 had enriched the trolley fleet, and their use on line 2 until 1978 testifies to their hard work. They were bodied by Officine Meccaniche Pistoiesi, and, as usual, electrical equipment was by Ansaldo. In 1963, SEAC of
Carmagnola Carmagnola (; pms, Carmagnòla ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located south of Turin. The town is on the right side of the Po river. The nature of the soil determined over t ...
created nine Alfa Romeo 1000 AF trolleybuses for La Spezia. With Ansaldo electrical components and Tubocar bodies, they were numbered 231 to 240. The Alfa 1000 were still employed on fixed shifts of circular line 1/3 to the end of the 1970s. In 1975, trolleybus no 203, with Mauri light aluminum alloy bodywork, was added to the fleet. This experiment was extended to the 668 Vibertis that had never received attention, nor revisions: nos 209 and 214. In 1977, four more vehicles, nos 241 to 244, were purchased from
AMT Amt is a type of administrative division governing a group of municipalities, today only in Germany, but formerly also common in other countries of Northern Europe. Its size and functions differ by country and the term is roughly equivalent to ...
in
Genoa Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the List of cities in Italy, sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian ce ...
. Again, these were Fiat 668 Mauris. With the closure of line 2 in 1978, the Alfas nos 900 and 910, and the remaining 668 Vibertis, were scrapped. The trolleybuses still circulating were nos 203, 209, 214, and 231 to 244. After a final period of agony with the limitation of the service only to the morning hours, the trolleybus service was suspended in 1985, for asphalting work on Via Chiodo. It was restored three years later, on 26 November 1988, with the arrival of new
Breda Breda () is a city and municipality in the southern part of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Brabant. The name derived from ''brede Aa'' ('wide Aa' or 'broad Aa') and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. Breda has ...
vehicles, numbered from 801 to 814, following the presentation, on 19 December 1987, of the prototype, no 800. The new vehicles, with their wide technological gap due to air conditioning in summer, space for the inclusion of an independent brand of auxiliary motor, and a capacity of 112 (20 seats, 91 standing and 1 driver), had a greatly positive impact: they are all still in service to this day. In 1998, the network was reorganized, with the activation of the new trunk line Canaletto–Bragarina, and the separation of lines 1 and 3 after 30 years of operation as a circular line. In 2005, due to work on line 3 in Corso Nazionale and near Piazzale Ferro, trolleybus services were suspended between Chiappa and Canaletto and replaced by buses on a single line 3 Chiappa–Felettino. Between 2005 and 2007, the trolleybuses were circulating at a record low: only three daily on line 1 Pegazzano–Bragarina at a frequency of one every 20 minutes. On 30 March 2007, the inaugural run of line 1 took place to the new terminus at Palaspezia. From 12 May 2007 to 11 September 2008, trolleybuses operated alternatively either to the terminus at Bragarina, or to the new one at Palaspezia at a frequency of one every 10 minutes. From 12 September 2008 to 31 March 2011, line 1 effectively operated only between Pegazzano and Bragarina, at 12-minute intervals with six cars on the road. From 1 April 2011, with the introduction of the new timetable, trolleybuses are circulating once again three at a time, every 20 minutes, as in 2006. On 9 June 2012 the service was fully suspended for two years, with the consequent provision of Bredabus 4001.12, in service since 1988. Service was re-opened on 20 March 2014.


Services

In the years since its establishment, the current system has had three lines. Their present status is: * 1 - Pegazzano – via Chiodo –
Canaletto Giovanni Antonio Canal (18 October 1697 – 19 April 1768), commonly known as Canaletto (), was an Italian painter from the Republic of Venice, considered an important member of the 18th-century Venetian school. Painter of city views or ...
– Bragarina; * 2 - Closed in 1978, upon the integration of long distance buses to Lerici and Portovenere into the urban service; * 3 - Chiappa – via Chiodo – Felettino Hospital; * 37 - Pianazze - Fossamastra – via Fiume;


Trolleybus fleet

La Spezia's present trolleybus fleet is made up of only the following type: *
Breda Breda () is a city and municipality in the southern part of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Brabant. The name derived from ''brede Aa'' ('wide Aa' or 'broad Aa') and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. Breda has ...
4001.12, entered service in 1988 (14 trolleybus n° 801 to 814) *
Solaris Trollino Solaris Trollino is a series of low-floor trolleybuses designed for public transport, produced since 1999 by the Polish company Solaris Bus & Coach. The power regulation electronics and traction motors are delivered by other companies, such as Š ...
12 (8 trolleybus n°815 to 822). Entered service in 2014.


See also

*
La Spezia Centrale railway station La Spezia Centrale railway station is the main station of La Spezia, situated in the Piazza Medaglie d’Oro in the city centre. Overview It is the largest of four stations in the municipal area (there are also passenger stations at La Spezia Migl ...
*
List of trolleybus systems in Italy This is a list of trolleybus systems in Italy by ''Regione''. It includes all trolleybus systems, past and present. Italian peninsula Abruzzo Campania Emilia-Romagna Friuli-Venezia Giulia Lazio Liguria Lombardy Milit ...


References

* *


External links

* *
Images of the La Spezia trolleybus system, at ''railfaneurope.net''
''This article is based upon a translation of the Italian language version as at August 2011.'' {{Urban public transport in Italy
La Spezia La Spezia (, or , ; in the local Spezzino dialect) is the capital city of the province of La Spezia and is located at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the southern part of the Liguria region of Italy. La Spezia is the second largest city ...
La Spezia La Spezia (, or , ; in the local Spezzino dialect) is the capital city of the province of La Spezia and is located at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the southern part of the Liguria region of Italy. La Spezia is the second largest city ...
La Spezia Transport in Liguria