TROLLEYBUSES OF AUSTRALASIA  
FLEET LIST OF CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand 
 
Make:   English Electric (Nos 207 to 212);  Ransome, Sims and Jefferies (213 to 217) all 3-axle
Bodywork:  Boon and Company (207 to 212); Ransome (213); Christchurch Tramway Board (214 to 217)
Motor:  English Electric 70 bhp DK 121 (207 to 212); Ransomes 65 bhp (213); Ransomes 70 bhp  (214 to 217)
Controllers:  5-notch EMB non-automatic (207 to 213); British Thomson-Houston (214 to 217)
Braking: Unknown for 207 to 213; Regenerative braking (214 to 217)
Seating Capacity: 38 plus driver; 214 to 217 increased to 40 plus driver 1945-1950.
Number Purchased: Eleven
1st Entered Service:  April 1931   Last Day in Service: May 1956

The English Electric trolleybuses were among the last English Electric manufactured. The last went to Bradford, England in 1930, the year the company was taken over by Associated Equipment Company. Christchurch 209 and 210 are the only known  English Electric trolleybuses to survive in the world, while 216 is the fifth oldest Ransome trolleybus to survive. The oldest are Ipswich No 8 and 16 dating from 1926. The remaining two are also from Ipswich and are No 41 (1929) and 44 (1930).

1951 Tenders: The Christchurch Tramway Board called tenders in March 1951 for 70 new trolleybuses. Tenders were received from British United Traction RETB1 (twin-axle); Daimler CT series (3-axle); Sunbeam F4 (twin-axle) and S7 (3-axle); and Crossley Dominion (3-axle). Crossley was taken over by BUT after the tender was lodged and BUT advised Dominion series was no longer available and was replaced with 9641T series. No tenders were accepted and the 1951 trolleybus proposal never went ahead.

Number Trolleybuses Presevered:   Three
Number In Service:   One    Trolleybus No:   210   Located at:   Ferrymead Historic Park, Christchurch
 

 FLEET No  BUILT  CHASSIS No  WITHDRAWN  REMARKS
 207  1931  136  1956
 208  1931  137  1956
 209  1931  141  1956  Ferrymead
 210  1931  139  1956  Ferrymead
 211  1931  140  1956
 212  1931  138  1956
 213  1931  2068  1956
 214  1934  2157  1956
 215  1934  2158  1956
 216  1934  2160  1956  Ferrymead
 217  1934  2159  1956
 
©   Library of Cinema Research Data   1999
CONTENTS
TROLLEYBUS ROUTES
HISTORY
MUSEUMS
 OVERSEAS 
LINKS
©     Bradley Knewstubb 1999     E-mail: Cireda@xtra.co.nz     Site constructed:  16 May 1999
This Page hosted by geocities Get You Own Free Home Page