All photos Supplied by Peter Ellingworth
Peter Ellingworth… East Anglia Transport Museum, riding around on the recently renovated back into working order Hastings Trolleybus no. 34 – the last to work under the wires at Hastings, before going on to further service in Maidstone until mid 1967. All the logos and timetables etc. came titled to Hastings Tramways Company until Sept 1957, when the parent company Maidstone & District completely took over, following Hastings Council’s decision not to purchase the undertaking of which they had the option to do so in 1955 and changed all to their own corporate signage. All being well we are going to put some adverts such as they used to have on the upper deck sides soon.
Andre Martin… Some Great memories, I have been to that museum a few years ago, its just great for us more mature to look back and even travel in those old restored trolley buses. As you indicate what a great service, in fact the whole of the old public service transport was just that a service to everybody and really at realistic prices. Hastings Depot was great as we had a lot of the long distance routes – Eastbourne, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells, plus some locals. Unlike the Silverhill Depot – Estate to estate 151,133, and Bexhill?cooden157 very busy routes all the time. Still happy memories, I enjoyed my time, but would not want to do it today, with all the problems and constant changes to routes and shifts.
Chris Baker… I seem to remember that the seats were reversible so you could face whichever way the bus was going.
Martin Ellis… I think you’ll find that was the trams that had reversible seats
Peter Ellingworth… Chris, you are thinking of the trams which did have reversible seats, the trolleybuses which like normal buses didn’t.
Peter Ellingworth… One thing I meant to add. I remember talking to one of the museum volunteers shortly before no. 34 was put back into service, he mentioned that the overhead electric collection poles (‘booms’ in trolley bus speak) for the vehicles used on route 8 run out to Cooden were extended by two feet ( 61 cm in new money) to give more manoeuvrability in parts of Bexhill, as the traffic and parking even then was starting to be an issue, and because some of the overhead wiring was right in the centre of some of the wider roads, a legacy from the tram days.
Chris- you are thinking of the trams which did have reversible seats, the trolleybuses which like normal buses didn’t.
One thing I meant to add.
I remember talking to one of the museum volunteers shortly before no. 34 was put back into service, he mentioned that the overhead electric collection poles (‘booms’ in trolley bus speak) for the vehicles used on route 8 run out to Cooden were extended by two feet ( 61 cm in new money) to give more maneuverability in parts of Bexhill, as the traffic and parking even then was starting to be an issue, and because some of the overhead wiring was right in the centre of some of the wider roads, a legacy from the tram days.