Saturday, August 08, 2020

A Trolleybus Through Time

I know a trolleybus is not a tram, but beggars can't be choosers in the world of old photographs. This week's Sepia Saturday challenge photo features an electric tramway in Wellington, New Zealand. The best I can come up with, in terms of a match, is this photograph of a trolleybus in Derby. 

The photograph is the work of the legendary Uncle Frank - collector of bus tickets, recorder of TV adverts, and avid caption writer on the back of photographs - and therefore we know that it was taken in Osmaston Road, Derby. It is dated 1941, which may provide some clues as to what Frank Fieldhouse was doing in Derby at the time. Osmaston Road is in the neighbourhood of the various Rolls Royce factories, which, during the war were heavily involved in aircraft production. Frank was a machine operator and was no doubt involved in one aspect or another of wartime production.

Electric tramways in Wellington, New Zealand seem an awful long way away, at the moment. It would take more than a tram or a trolley bus to get us there. But at least we can travel through time back to the streets of Derby 80 years ago - without any need of face coverings or social distancing.

3 comments:

  1. Very cool trolleybus photo. Appears to be a prototype for the double-deck buses in use today.

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  2. I'm enjoying seeing and learning about the trams, trolleys, etc of the past. Thanks!

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  3. I wish we had decent public transportation in the States. Nice trolleybus picture.

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