London trolley buses.

[adam2]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2h58qHPeCQ

History of trolley buses in London. Primarily of historical interest, but does touch upon the possibility of re-introduction.

An idea whose time has come, IMHO.
Almost no pollution at the point of use, and can use electricity from renewable sources thereby reducing carbon emissions.
Batteries are now much improved and would permit of significant ranges on battery power. Only need to electrify MOST of the route, not every inch of it.
Modern trolley buses could use regenerative braking, saves energy and reduces local air pollution from brake dust.
Electric trucks are a future possibility, running on the same infrastructure.

Machine vision and AI now permit of AUTOMATIC re-connection with the over-head in case of de-wirement. Fiddling with long strings and bamboo poles is now very last year.

[PS_RalphW]

I have thought for some years that trolly trucks was an obvious technology for long distance freight. If all the motorway network was electrified, with gaps under bridges to simplify the system, then most of the country would be in range of a trolly truck with only 100 mile electric range.

[adam2]

Yes, and electrifying trunk roads would allow for long distance trolley bus routes, and for delivering trolley buses under their own power.

We need a national standard for trolley bus overhead, so as to ensure interoperability throughout the UK, BEFORE each local authority introduces their own unique system.

750 volts DC. and at a standard height.

[BritDownUnder]

A very interesting video.

Wellington in New Zealand had them into the early 2000s at least as I remember seeing them when I lived there.
I remember seeing one lose its contacts to the wires for some reason and the driver got a pole that was conveniently stored on the side of the bus to put them back onto the wires. I don't think I ever went on one but could be wrong.

Gone now and replaced by diesel.

I look forward to these coming back as we are doing a lot of DC work right now with rectifiers.

[adam2]

Only JUST before my childhood, a common excuse for a child's late arrival at school was "please Miss, the trolley bus came of the wires"
Soon to return