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Surviving British trolleybus exports (by Dick Gilbert)

Last updated 24 August 2024

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Western Australia Government Tramways Leyland TB5 trolleybus no. 38 at the Bus Preservation Society of Western Australia museum. Thanks to Dave Urquhart for the photo.

This list is intended to record surviving exported trolleybuses based on a British-built chassis. The vehicles will have been exported either second-hand, or new with either with British bodies, or had bodies built locally in their destination countries.

The listing is arranged in order of (1) Chassis manufacturer, (2) Country, (3) Original operator in alphabetical order, (4) Fleet number, (5) Chassis details, (6) Body details, (7) Build date, (8) Registration number, (9) Subsequent owners and present location if known.

Abbreviations are listed at the end. The bodywork abbreviations are in the standard format, i.e. H, L or B (for highbridge bus, lowbridge bus or single-deck Bus), followed by the seating capacity, then by the door position F, C, R or D (for front, centre, rear or dual).

For the latest additions (i.e. a bus that was always around, but I've only just found out about it !) look for the *NEW* symbol. For any significant information updates see the *UPDATE* symbol.

Entries with links will usually connect to a photograph of the vehicle elsewhere on this site, or to information on another site.

Original Operator / Fleet Nbr. / Chassis / Body / Age / Registration / Last Known Owner

AEC (5 vehicles)

• Australia, MTT Adelaide 413, AEC 661T (2-axle) {661T178} / Lawton H33/26D, 1937, 157.146, on a farm at Penfield Gardens, north Adelaide 2020. (Photo by Scott Mitchell, Penfield Gardens 2020)
• Australia, MTT Adelaide 417, AEC 661T (2-axle) {661T182} / Lawton H33/26D, 1937, 157.150 (Photo by Scott Mitchell, St.Kilda Museum 2000), Adelaide Tram Museum, St.Kilda 2021.
• Australia, DGT Sydney 1, AEC 663T (3-axle) {663T071} / Park Royal {3376} B34D, built 1933, in service 1934, The Powerhouse Museum Collection, Sydney 2017.
• Australia, DGT Sydney 19, AEC 664T (3-axle) {664T374} / Ritchie H60D, 1937, restored 1988, Sydney Tramway Museum 2017.
• New Zealand, Wellington City Corporation 1, AEC 602 (trackless tram) / DSC Cousins and Cousins B??F, 1924, New Zealand's first trolleybus. Body only survives, NZ Omnibus Society. Stored at Wellington Tramway Museum.

Original Operator / Fleet Nbr. / Chassis / Body / Age / Registration / Last Known Owner

BUT (42 vehicles)

• Australia, Hobart MTT 235, BUT / City Bodyworks, Hobart B??D, 1952, Tasmanian Transport Museum, Hobart 2022.
• Netherlands, Arnhem 101, BUT (AEC) 9721T / Verheul B37D, 1949, BE-00-64, Stichting Veteraan Autobussen 2012.
• Netherlands, Arnhem 139, BUT (AEC) 9721T / Verheul B37D, 1956, XB-08-22, Stichting Veteraan Autobussen 2010.
• New Zealand, Auckland Transport Board 50, BUT (AEC) 9711T {9711T036} / MCCW B43D, 1953, EZ 2350, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland 2022.
• New Zealand, Auckland Transport Board 85, BUT (Leyland) RETB1/2 {532162} / Saunders Roe B45D, 1956, EZ 2385, Museum of Transport & Technology, Auckland 2022.
• New Zealand, Auckland Transport Board 105, BUT (Leyland) RETB1/2 {562099} / Park Royal {B38753} B38D, 2/57, P 2720 > EZ 2405, Tramway Historical Society, Christchurch 2008.
• New Zealand, Auckland Transport Board 108, BUT (Leyland) RETB1/2 {562431} / Park Royal {B38758} B38D, 4/57, P 2726 > EZ 2411, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland 2022.
• New Zealand, Auckland Transport Board 109, BUT (Leyland) RETB1/2 {561820} / Park Royal {B38756} B38D, 4/57, P 2727 > EZ 2409, NZ Omnibus Society. To MOTAT, Auckland 7/09 as parts donor for others in the collection.
• New Zealand, Auckland Transport Board 115, BUT (Leyland) RETB1/2 {562881} / Park Royal {B38763} B44D, 4/57, P 2751 > EZ 2405, New Zealand Bus Museum, on loan from MOTAT.
• New Zealand, Auckland Transport Board 120, BUT (Leyland) RETB1/2 {563043} / Park Royal {B38772} B44D, 4/57, P 2776 > EZ 2420, The Trolley Bus Museum, Foxton.
• New Zealand, Auckland Transport Board 127, BUT (Leyland) RETB1/2 {562673} / Park Royal {B38772} B44D, 1957, P 2??? > EZ 2427, in poor condition, near Foxton 2010.
• New Zealand, Dunedin City Transport 1, BUT (Leyland) RETB/1 {491127} / NZ Motor Bodies B40D, 1950, DN 2419, Wellington Tramway Museum 2009, on loan from Trolley Bus Museum, Foxton.
• New Zealand, Dunedin City Transport 5, BUT (Leyland) RETB/1 / ????? ????, 1951, ?????, Ferrymead Heritage Park, Christchurch 2010.
• New Zealand, Dunedin City Transport 10, BUT (Leyland) RETB/1 {501270} / NZ Motor Bodies B40D, 1951, DK 3158, Otago Settlers Museum 2021.
• New Zealand, Dunedin City Transport 25, BUT (Leyland) RETB/1 {501269} / NZ Motor Bodies B40D, 1951, DK 3170, Otago Settlers Museum.
• New Zealand, Dunedin City Transport 43, BUT (Leyland) RETB/1 {521187} / NZ Motor Bodies B40D, 1954, DK 3184, Trolley Bus Museum, Foxton 2007.
• New Zealand, Dunedin City Transport 75, BUT (Leyland) RETB/1 / Dunedin C.T. B40D, 1962, DK 3213, (Photo by Mark Erskine) Mark Erskine, Auckland 2021. Motorhome, fitted with Rootes 2-stroke diesel engine.
• New Zealand, Dunedin City Transport 76, BUT (Leyland) RETB/1 {540579} / Dunedin C.T. B40D, 1962, DK 3214, Trolley Bus Museum, Foxton 2009.
• New Zealand, Dunedin City Transport 77, BUT (Leyland) RETB/1 {522294} / Dunedin C.T. B40D, 1962, DK 3215, Trolley Bus Museum, Foxton.
• New Zealand, Dunedin City Transport 79, BUT (Leyland) RETB/1 / Dunedin C.T. B40D, 1962, DK 3217, Ferrymead Heritage Park, Christchurch 2010.
• New Zealand, Wellington City Transport 39, BUT (Leyland) ETB/1 {510481} / Comm.Eng B42D, 1955, EV 6714, NZ Omnibus Society.
• New Zealand, Wellington City Transport 48, BUT (Leyland) RETB/1 {502743} / Comm.Eng B42D, 1956, MH 8850, Trolley Bus Museum, Foxton 2016.
• New Zealand, Wellington City Transport 55, BUT (Leyland) RETB/1 {570143} / MCCW B42D, 1958, EV 6730, NZ Omnibus Society, stored.
• New Zealand, Wellington City Transport 66, BUT (Leyland) RETB/1 {509907} / NZ Motor Bodies B42D, 1958, EV 6741 > NW8317, Wayne Little, Masterton 2004.
• New Zealand, Wellington City Transport 80, BUT (Leyland) RETB/1 {572532} / MCCW B42D, 1958, KF 8828, Trolley Bus Museum, Foxton.
• New Zealand, Wellington City Transport 82, BUT (Scammell) RETB/1 {SO9926} / MCCW B42D, 3/64, EV 6757, NZ Omnibus Society. Returned to UK 2013 and restored at Sandtoft. In service there by 2016..
• New Zealand, Wellington City Transport 83, BUT (Scammell) RETB/1 {SO9927} / MCCW B42D, 1964, MT 4934, Trolley Bus Museum, Foxton.
• New Zealand, Wellington City Transport 88, BUT (Scammell) RETB/1 {SO9332} / MCCW B42D, 1964, EV 6763, NZ Omnibus Society, operational.
• New Zealand, Wellington City Transport 90, BUT (Scammell) RETB/1 {SO9334} / MCCW B42D, 1964, EV 6765, NZ Omnibus Society. Operational at Foxton Trolley Bus Museum 2016.
• New Zealand, Wellington City Transport 91, BUT (Scammell) RETB/1 {SO9335} / MCCW B42D, 1964, EV 6766, NZ Omnibus Society. Stored at Wellington Tramway Museum.
• New Zealand, Wellington City Transport 101, BUT (Scammell) RETB/1 {SO9910} / NZ Motor Bodies B42D, 1964, NT 4854, Trolley Bus Museum, Foxton.
• New Zealand, Wellington City Transport 103, BUT (Scammell) RETB/1 / NZ Motor Bodies B42D, 1964, NT 4854, Ferrymead Heritage Park, Christchurch 2010.
• New Zealand, Wellington City Transport 107, BUT (Scammell) RETB/1 {SO9918} / NZ Motor Bodies B42D, 1964, EV 6782, Trolley Bus Museum, Foxton.
• New Zealand, Wellington City Transport 115, BUT (Scammell) RETB/1 {SO9919} / NZ Motor Bodies B42D, 1964, EV 6790, Trolley Bus Museum, Foxton 1998.
• New Zealand, Wellington City Transport 117, BUT (Scammell) RETB/1 / NZ Motor Bodies B42D, 1964, EV 6792, Wayne Little, Masterton 2004.
• New Zealand, Wellington City Transport 119, BUT (Scammell) RETB/1 {SO9913} / NZ Motor Bodies B42D, 1964, EV 6794, NZ Omnibus Society. Stored at Otaki.
• South Africa, Johannesburg 589, BUT (AEC) {9641T026} 3-axle / MCCW H71D, 1948, repatriated to Trolleybus Museum, Sandtoft UK 2009.
• South Africa, Johannesburg 6??, BUT (AEC) 9641T 3-axle / Bus Bodies H73D, 1958, James Hall Museum of Transport, Johannesburg 1999.
• Spain, Tranvias de Zaragoza 72 (ex London Transport Q1 1836, HYM 836), BUT (AEC) 9641T {9641T185} 3-axle / Metro-Cammell H36/18D, 1/49, privately-owned, Ejea de los Cabballeros, near Zaragoza, Spain.
• Spain, Tranvias de Zaragoza 73 (ex London Transport Q1 1837, HYM 837), BUT (AEC) 9641T {9641T186} 3-axle / Metro-Cammell H36/18D, 12/48, Basque Railway Museum, Azpeitia.
• Spain, Tranvias de Zaragoza 74 (ex London Transport Q1 1838, HYM 838), BUT (AEC) 9641T {9641T187} 3-axle / Metro-Cammell H36/18D, 1949, stored in the open alongside Route N11a from Zaragoza to Barcelona.
• Spain, Tranvias de Zaragoza 75 (ex London Transport Q1 1839, HYM 839), BUT (AEC) 9641T {9641T190} 3-axle / Metro-Cammell H36/18D, 1/49, TUZSA bus depot, Zaragoza, Spain.

Original Operator / Fleet Nbr. / Chassis / Body / Age / Registration / Last Known Owner

Crossley (2 vehicles)

• New Zealand, New Plymouth City Transport 1, Crossley TSD42/1 Empire {93411} / Wellington City Council (assembled at New Plymouth) B42D, 1950, CS 4001, Wellington Tramway Museum.
• New Zealand, New Plymouth City Transport 3, Crossley TSD42/1 Empire {93413} / Wellington City Council (assembled at New Plymouth B42D, 1950, CS 4003, Tramway Historical Society, Ferrymead 2022.

Original Operator / Fleet Nbr. / Chassis / Body / Age / Registration / Last Known Owner

Daimler (2 vehicles)

• South Africa, Pretoria City Transport, 177, Daimler CTM4 2-axle / British Mining Supplies (BMS) H56R, 1949, James Hall Museum of Transport, Johannesburg 2004.
• Spain, Tolosa (ex Rotherham 84, FET 344), Daimler CTC6 3-axle {15852} / East Lancs B38C (converted in Spain to B22D), 1/50, under restoration by a private collector at a tramway museum, Ejea de los Caballeros, near Zaragoza, Spain.

Original Operator / Fleet Nbr. / Chassis / Body / Age / Registration / Last Known Owner

ENGLISH ELECTRIC (2 vehicles)

• New Zealand, Christchurch Tramway Board 209, English Electric (3-axle) / Boon B??D, 1930, ?????, Tramway Historical Society, Christchurch, 2008, to be restored.
• New Zealand, Christchurch Tramway Board 210, English Electric (3-axle) / Boon B??D, 1930, ?????, Tramway Historical Society, Christchurch 2008.ENGLISH ELECTRIC

Original Operator / Fleet Nbr. / Chassis / Body / Age / Registration / Last Known Owner

Leyland (10 vehicles)

• Australia, Adelaide 488, Leyland TB5 Canton / ??? B??D, 1945, (Photo by Scott Mitchell, St.Kilda Museum 2000), Adelaide Tram Museum, St.Kilda 2009.
• Australia, Hobart MTT 74, Leyland TB5 Canton / Hobart Tramway B??D, 194?, Tasmanian Transport Museum, Hobart 2009.
• Australia, Sydney DRT and T > Adelaide MTT 433, Leyland TTB / Adelaide MTT (using Lawton components), 1938. At Sydney Bus Museum 2009. Later to Adelaide for preservation by Christopher Steele but he passed away before the project was finished. Currently in storage. (Photo by Scott Mitchell, Sydney Bus Museum, Tempe, August 2007)
• Australia, WAGT 22, Leyland TTB / WAGR B38D, 3/39, Perth Electric Tramway Society, Whiteman Park, complete but unrestored 2016.
• Australia, WAGR 38, Leyland TB5 Canton / WAGR B38D, 1943, Bus Preservation Society of Western Australia 2016.
• New Zealand, Farmers Free Bus Service 1 > Auckland Transport Board 1, Leyland TB4 {17881} / DSC and Cousins and Cousins B37D, 1938, EZ 2301, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland 2022.
• New Zealand, Farmers Free Bus Service 2 > Auckland Transport Board 2, Leyland TB4 {17882} / DSC and Cousins and Cousins B37D, 1938, EZ 2302 > EV 6677, NZ Omnibus Society, stored at Wellington Tramway Museum 2022.
• New Zealand, Farmers Free Bus Service 3 > Auckland Transport Board 3, Leyland TB4 {17883} / DSC and Cousins and Cousins B37D, 1938, EZ 2303, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland 2022.
• New Zealand, Farmers Free Bus Service 4 > Auckland Transport Board 4, Leyland TB4 {17884} / DSC and Cousins and Cousins B37D, 1938, EZ 2304, Tramway Historical Society, Ferrymead, stored 2022.
• South Africa, Durban 59, Leyland TTB5 3-axle {303656} / MCCW {Contract 232} H70D, 1941 (Photo by Vic Brumby, James Hall Museum 2004) James Hall Museum of Transport, Johannesburg 2004.

Original Operator / Fleet Nbr. / Chassis / Body / Age / Registration / Last Known Owner

Ransomes, Sims and Jeffries (3 vehicles)

• New Zealand, Christchurch Tramway Board 216, Ransomes D6 (3-axle) {2160} / Christchurch T.B. B38D, 1934, ????, ex holiday home, body only survives, Tramway Historical Society, Christchurch 2008.
• South Africa, Cape Town City Tramways 19, Ransomes 2-axle {2403} / Weymann {M390} H64R, 1934, James Hall Museum of Transport, Johannesburg 2004.
• South Africa, Cape Town City Tramways ??, Ransomes 2-axle {24??} / Weymann {M???} H64R, 1934, in a field near the Salmonsdam Nature Reserve, Cape Province 2010.

Original Operator / Fleet Nbr. / Chassis / Body / Age / Registration / Last Known Owner

Sunbeam (8 vehicles)

• Australia, Adelaide 526, Sunbeam MF2B {80030} / Lawton B40D, 1952, (Photo by Pete Renaut, St.Kilda Museum 2007), Adelaide Tram Museum, St.Kilda 2021.
• Australia, Brisbane C.C. 1, Sunbeam MF2B {80035} / Charles Hope B43D, 1951 (Photo by Cameron Struble, Brisbane 2013) Brisbane Tramway Museum 2013.
• Australia, Brisbane C.C. 8, Sunbeam MF2B {80043} / Charles Hope B43D, 1951, Heritage Bus Association, Brisbane.
• Australia, Brisbane C.C. 34, Sunbeam MF2B {80118} / Athol Hedges B45D, 1960, Brisbane Tramway Museum 2013.
• Australia, WAGT Perth 46 > MTT 46 > 846, Sunbeam F4 / Comm.Eng FB37C, 9/51, Don Tyler, Forrestfield 2007.
• Australia, WAGT Perth 63, Sunbeam F4 {possibly 50596} / Bolton FB37C, 4/51, survived on a farm, mid-west, 2005.
• Australia, WAGT Perth 84 > MTT 84 > 884, Sunbeam F4 / Bolton FB37C, 3/53, Perth Electric Tramway Society, Whiteman Park.
• Australia, WAGT Perth 89 > MTT 89 > 889, Sunbeam F4 / Bolton FB37C, 6/53, Perth Electric Tramway Society, Whiteman Park.

GRAND TOTAL OF 74 VEHICLES

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ABBREVIATIONS

• CCT - City Council Transport
• Comm.Eng - Commonwealth Engineering Works
• DCT - Department of Capital Territories (Canberra)
• DOI - Department of the Interior (Canberra)
• DT&T - Department of Road Transport and Tramways (Sydney)
• EGTB - Eastern Goldfields Transport Board (Kalgoorlie)
• FMTB - Fremantle Municipal Tramways Board
• M&MTB - Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board
• MOTAT - Museum of Transport and Technology (Auckland)
• MTT Adelaide - Municiptal Tramways Trust
• MTT Perth - Metropolitan Passenger Transport Trust
• WAGR - Western Australia Government Railways
• WAGT - Western Australia Government Tramways

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