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Old Nottingham City Transport Single Decker

Old Market Square , Nottingham c1960s

King Edward Street, Nottingham 1976 Former site of Central Market after it moved into the Victoria Centre & was being used as temporary parking for the Nottingham City Transport buses Ph

Ummm - err - no. You couldn't replace any colour of bus with one of them - to do that you'd need them wire thingys up above!

It was just the colours of the bus I wished to mention.

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Was never "into" buses or trams, other than catching the former apart from a brief interest in the "mechanics" of the tram/trolley system, them "wire thingy's up above", the generator stations etc and the routes, am same with the railways, know little of the various loco's. However I digress, I know of course of the tram route to Ripley, but did any trolley buses run on that route? As a kid in the 1950's I recall a new bus stop being set up outside where I lived on Nottingham Rd New Basford, then being disappointed to find I could not use it for local rides, (the only ones I ever took), recall mum saying at the time words to effect of "it's to replace the ripley trams"? which I had never heard of! her thinking back to when she lived on Alpine Street and the first "Ripley Rattler" of the day was better than any alarm clock for waking her up! Do recall all the various Midland General buses that used to stop there, at one time knew all their route numbers to these far off places like Hucknall etc but don't recall whether these were running up north before that new bus stop? Can't say have seen many photos of those buses or indeed Ripley Trams

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Do recall all the various Midland General buses that used to stop there, at one time knew all their route numbers to these far off places like Hucknall etc but don't recall whether these were running up north before that new bus stop? Can't say have seen many photos of those buses or indeed Ripley Trams

This nearly includes both. A bus which probably came from Nottingham, and the tram wires overhead.

http://www.sct61.org.uk/mg149

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Thats an interesting shot, Heanor market place, I don't think I have seen that one before.

I have a few photos of trams and trolley buses of the Notts and Derby Traction Co. I will have to sort some out.

I think 3 of the trolley buses have survived into preservation, mainly from being used in Bradford the last trolley bus operators in Britain I believe.

Here is a shot of one of them.

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4075/4742138170_fda33cc934_z.jpg

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You are right, last trams were around 1933 or so, last Trolley bus around 1953. So the trolleys only had 2 more years to run after that photo was taken.

The whole of the fleet was sold on to Bradford City, some would have even run to Nottingham in Bradford colours for a short period from what I have read. Conversely some would have run in Bradford with N&D colours for a while although there was actually not much difference between them.

The trams and trolley buses each had a life span of around 30 years, the trolley wire posts remained for a while, they were used to provide street lights by suspending a lamp in the centre of the road on a wire between two posts.

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According to a book I have "Through running by Notts & Derby [trolleybuses] commenced in October 1933 in time for the annual Goose Fair which started on 5th October. Thus Notts & Derby trolleybuses entered and left Nottingham, King Street/Queen Street, via Mansfield Road and Nottingham Road, instead of via Hyson Green - the route the trams had followed." A 1926 Nottingham tramway route map shows the Ripley tram terminus at Upper Parliament Street near the big Co-op.

The Notts & Derby and Midland General routes that ran via Nottingham Road were A1 (the Ripley trolleys - reduced to a very infrequent rush hour only service after conversion to motorbuses in 1953 - the main route to Ripley then became the B1 that went along Alfreton Road joining the old trolley route at Nuthall Road/Stockhill Lane junction); F2 went to Ilkeston via Kimberley, High Spania and Awsworth; F4 (introduced about 1952?) went to Hucknall, Beauvale Estate via Larkfield Estate and Watnall.

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Have you ever read D H Lawrence short story "Tickets Please" it starts off with a very interesting description of the Notts and Derby tram route to Nottingham. "The most dangerous tram-service in England"

After that its not exactly Lady Chatterleys Lover but it isn't about trams either.

anyway here is a link to it, an interesting read.

http://www.pseudopodium.org/repress/shorts/D_H_Lawrence-Tickets_Please.html

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so I reckon that new bus stop sign went up 1953 then for the new motor buses? would have been 7 then so maybe just didn't notice their trolleys before that? there is (or was till recent) 2 wire support posts I know of on that route one at bottom of Sherwood Rise nr The Polish Club and another on the old 610 Eastwood Rd near The Hay Loft, no doubt there are others? I recall the street light in the middle of the road, was interesting in high winds when they twisted and gave deep shadows,lol

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A Notts & Derby trolleybus on route A1 passing Victoria Station. A photo where nothing remains.

trolley-2.jpg

The Notts & Derby trolley bus went to Ripley the longest trolley bus route in the country.
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Am just trying to think where Awsworth is! should know, went through it everyday for about 3 years late 1990's That raises another chapter in the topic, the route of the Nottingham to Ripley Tram/Trolley Bus, far as I know. the tram ran down Radford Rd and the trolley Nottingham Rd, then Alpine Street etc, not sure if both used Dark Lane, know the tram did, then the old A610 route past the Three Ponds and on through Kimberley, but then where given the Awsworth and Eastwood remains sightings?

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The tram support post, I mentioned earlier in Awsworth is actually on park hill outside number 64, park hill is a continuation of station rd, I presume the tram went through Awsworth, into Ilkeston or Cotmanhay and then through Heanor to Ripley.

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The Ilkeston tram lines didn't connect with the Notts and Derbys Traction tram lines, they were actually different gauges. The trolley buses though did run to Cotmanhay. and Ilkeston. The Ilkeston system track was 3ft 6in as opposed to the normal 4ft 8 1/2 in. It ran from Cotmanhay through Ilkeston and on to Hallam Fields near the Stanton Ironworks. There was though a branch out to Ilkeston Junction station .

I haven't heard of trams or trolley buses running in Awsworth though.

There were plans to join all the local tram systems at one time, even the Derby system I have read somewhere.

A tram at the Ripley terminus

8165030207_248a37f7cf_c.jpg

Leaving Nottingham on it's way back to Ripley, what a ride it must have been too. Nottingham terminus?

8165066628_6a004e4493_c.jpg

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I think the "Ripley rattler" went from Ripley, through Heanor, Langley Mill, Eastwood and Kimberley on its way to town. No idea if the tram took the same route. My aunt will know - her husband worked for Midland General. I know she rode the rattler. I'll ask her when we are there!

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The ride quality of the trams must have been pretty dire - according to my mum, who could just remember them, they were reputed to have square wheels!

Neither trams nor trolleybuses went through Awsworth itself, but went along the main Eastwood Road, passing the top of Awsworth Lane, Kimberley. I seem to remember that only single deckers could negotiate the bridge under the railway near Awsworth station until the road was lowered in the early 1950s. After that the F2 was often a double decker, but the local C8 from Ilkeston to Watnall or Swingate remained single decker. The F2 from Ilkeston crossed Eastwood Road and climbed the fierce gradient of Maws Lane, then turned right down (I think) Hardy Street back into Kimberley.

The trolleybuses didn't go along Dark Lane. I definitely remember being on the swings at Stockhill Park and seeing them coming along Stockhill Lane and turning onto Nuthall Road opposite the Barleycorn. The other thing I recall is that the Notts & Derby trolleys made a distinct and rather intimidating hissing sound when on the move, unlike the NCT ones. I don't know whether they had a different type of collector shoe at the business end of the poles, or whether it was a feature of the particular traction motors fitted. Does anyone else remember this?

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Thought this subject might promote a lot of interest! always assumed tram went via old main road through Kimberley and Eastwood, talk of Awsworth threw me in thinking it detoured via Ilkeston, (made same mistake first time me and my mates still at school cycled to to camp site at Matlock, no maps or anything, no idea of route, but recalled when going rambling in Matlock area the bus to there went through Ilkeston, so come the old road turn at Awesworth Lane I took the lads same route, did not go down well!)

Back on topic I now believe trams and trolleys went via Eastwood to Langley Mill then up Heanor hill etc a thought reinforced via seeing an old photo once of a tram coming from Heanor on section of that road where later pub golden horn? is/was, ( at side of chapel/church that in 1960's onwards sold garden ponds etc

Talking to some one in pub tonight who reckoned tram went via Golden Valley, can't see it myself? reckon straight on, down the hill, sharp left hand bend then up under long gone railway line past pub on left, cricket ground on right then into Ripley Market Place?

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