Peter Bannister at the wheel of Trolleybus No.2. Ipswich Transport Museum on Cobham Road chose it as its entry to the BBC's A History of the World project.
Trolleybus No.2 was one of three vehicles used in a trial in 1923. No.2 ran between the railway station and Cornhill via Princes Street as you can see from this photo. The trolleybuses were powered by overhead electric cables but didn't run on rails.
The pilot was successful and the trolleybus became the Ipswich Corporation's sole form of public transport until 1963. Here's one at the junction of Princes Street and Portman Road with one of the Churchman's buildings which is now occupied by CSV.
This view looks towards the railway station from the Portman Road/Princes Street junction. The houses on the right are now the Staples car park.
A trolleybus outside the Station Hotel. The vehicle would turn around a pole rather than use the railway station forecourt as vehicles do now.
Trolleybus No.2 was taken out of service and sold for use as a shed in 1934. It was converted into a home for two sisters who lived in it at Flatford in the heart of Constable Country.
The driver's cab was the sisters' kitchen. One of them slept in it while the other slept in the small traditional romany caravan next door. The trolleybus was acquired by Ipswich Transport Museum in 1977.
The Museum had a campaign to raise enough money to fund the restoration of the trolleybus.
Part of the fundraising campaign involved a sponsored 'pull' around Ipswich. Here it is on its original route on Princes Street near the bridge across the Orwell.
The trolleybus had its exterior restored in 1981 by Ben Cooper of Claydon. A replica base was made in 1994, but the interior is yet to be restored. Here it is on display in Christchurch Park.
Trolleybus No.2 lives at Ipswich Transport Museum where Brian Dyes shows us the original overhead cable power switches at what was one of the Ipswich Corporation transport depots. Read more in the feature in See Also.
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