The Hobart trolleybus system operated in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia from 1935 until 1968.
History The Hobart trolleybus system opened on 29 October 1935 when a route from the Hobart City Centre to South Hobart commenced replacing a tram. Starting at Hobart Town Hall in Argyle Street it travelled along Macquarie Street, Davey Street and Huon Road terminating at the intersection with Congress Street.
On 14 October 1937, a second route began running to New Town station and in mid-1939 was extended to Cornelian Bay.Trolley Bus to New Town Hobart Mercury 8 October 1937 page 5 A further service to Cascades commenced on 24 August 1942, being extended along Strickland Avenue on 11 October 1948.Trolley Bus Installations for Two Tasmanian Cities Truck & Bus Transportation December 1948 page 36 Further lines opened to Dynnyrne on 4 June 1945 and Sandy Bay on 7 December 1952.Hobart Trolleybus Extension Truck & Bus Transportation Decdember 1952 page 7
On 1 March 1955, operation of the network passed from the Hobart City Council to the Metropolitan Transport Trust. A final line opened to West Hobart on 23 February 1958. At this stage the network, extended for 22 kilometres.Tramways of Australia Electric Traction June 1960 page 6 In February 1967, much of the Strickland Avenue route infrastructure and one bus was destroyed by fire.Bushfire Damage to MTT Property in Hobart Green over Red April 1967 pages 6/7Many trucks, buses gutted in Tasmanian bushfires Truck & Bus Transportation May 1967 page 92
The Cornelian Bay line closed in 1959 with the rest of the network closing in stages in 1968.
Services Hobart's trolleybus routes were as follows: Route Extension Opened ClosedHobart City Centre - South Hobart 29 October 1935 22 November 1968Hobart - New Town 14 October 1937 23 August 1968 New Town - Cornelian Bay 1939 30 March 1959Hobart - Cascades 24 August 1942 22 November 1968 Cascades - Strickland Avenue 11 October 1948 22 November 1968Hobart - Dynnyrne 4 June 1945 22 November 1968Hobart - Sandy Bay 7 December 1952 11 October 1968Hobart - West Hobart 23 February 1958 23 August 1968
Fleet Operations commenced with a single Leyland TTB bodied by Hobart Municipal Tramways. A further four were acquired in 1937.Leylands for Australasia Railway Gazette 14 February 1936 page 304Hobart's Trolley-Bus Trial Leads to First Fleet Order Truck & Bus Transportation December 1936 pages 10/11 Between 1939 and 1946, 22 Leyland TB5s were purchased. Between 1950 and 1952, 36 BUT ETB/1s bodied by City Body Works were delivered with the five Leyland TTBs withdrawn in 1953.40 per cent of BUT output for overseas Commercial Motor 22 July 1949 In 1964, five second-hand BUT RETB/1s were purchased from Launceston.Hobart & Launceston Electric Traction May 1964 page 3
BUT ETB/1 no. 235 has been preserved by the Tasmanian Transport Museum.Tasmanian Transport Museum Society Trolley Wire issue 205 April 1983 page 22Trolley Bus 235 Tasmanian Transport Museum
Image Fleet nos. Quantity Chassis Body Year Notes 25 1 Leyland TTB Hobart Municipal Tramways 1935 renumbered 65 in 1946 66-69 4 Leyland TTB Hobart Municipal Tramways 1937 70-91 22 Leyland TB5 Hobart Municipal Tramways 1939-1946 72 renumbered 92 in October 1958 201-236 36 BUT ETB/1 City Body Works 1950-1952 body frames manufactured by Commonwealth Engineering, Sydney 237-241 5 BUT RETB/1 JA Lawton & Sons 1950 ex Launceston 326-330
Depot Initially housed at the city tram depot on the corner of Macquarie and Campbell Streets, in 1944 a trolleybuses depot opened on Collins Street. On 29 October 1954, a new depot opened on Davey Street.
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