British Trolleybuses Preserved in the UK
Part of the Trolleybuses Galore site

return to trolleybus museums

John Zebedee wrote:

A number of other transport museums around the country besides the ones mentioned on the previous page house trolleybuses as static exhibits. Many others are owned by individuals or small groups and are kept at locations which are generally not open to the public. Note that a vehicle's location does not necessarily indicate its ownership. There is some fluidity in the situation as vehicles are moved around from time to time; either for renovation at a specific location or for operation at an event at one of the working museums. The three museums mentioned previously all hold special events at various times and welcome participation of visiting vehicles.

In researching this subject, the first question that arose was not where they were but exactly how many were there? Sandtoft houses by far the most with 46. Whatever number I came up with, I am sure some people would disagree, question it, or tell me I got it all completely wrong! For a vehicle to be counted as a trolleybus it must comprise of both chassis and bodywork, even if bits have rusted away or dropped off. Electrical equipment is an optional extra! There are several chassis only in preservation and the odd body – these are not included. However, the total is now 115. Surprising isn’t it?

Several vehicles are preserved overseas, although most are in a later guise. It was not the intention to include these in the table. In addition, note that the table does not include overseas trolleybuses preserved in Britain.

Table of Preserved British Trolleybuses in the British Isles by Operator

Believed to be correct at 1st January 2011

Location

 Fleet No. & Reg.

Location

Ashton-under-Lyne

80, LTC 774
87, YTE 826

GMTS, Manchester
EATM, Carlton Colville, Suffolk
Belfast

98, FZ 7883
112, FZ 7897
68, GZ 8532
183, GZ 8547
246, 2201OI

Ulster Folk & Transport Museum, Cultra Manor, Nr. Belfast
Ulster Folk & Transport Museum, Cultra Manor, Nr. Belfast
NTA owned, on private site, near Horsham, West Sussex
TMSI, Howth Castle Transport Museum, Nr. Dublin
EATM, Carlton Colville, Suffolk
Bournemouth

99, ALJ 973
202, ALJ 986
212, KLJ 346
286, YLJ 286
297, 297 LJ
299, 299 LJ
301, 301 LJ

Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
EATM, Carlton Colville, Suffolk
BHT, Holton Heath, Poole, Dorset
EATM, Carlton Colville, Suffolk
Black Country Living Museum, Dudley, West Midlands
TMSI, Castleruddery, Republic of Ireland
British Commercial Vehicle Museum. Leyland, Lancashire
Bradford

515, AK 9627
562, KW 6052
703, DKY 703
704, DKY 704
706, DKY 706
711, DKY 711
712, DKY712
713, DKY 713
735, DKY 735
737, DKY 737
743, EKU 743
746, EKU 746
758, FKU 758
792, GHN 574
834, LHN 784
835, LHN 785
844, FWX 914
845, JWW 375
846, JWW 376
847, JWW 377

Bradford Industrial Mus., Moorside Road, Eccleshill, Bradford.
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster.
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster.
Cardiff & S. Wales trolleybus Project, Nr. Cardiff.
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster.
BHT, Holton Heath, Poole, Dorset
BHT, Holton Heath, Poole, Dorset
Private site, Huddersfield
Black Country Living Museum, Dudley, West Midlands
Bradford Industrial Mus., Moorside Road, Eccleshill, Bradford.
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster.
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster.
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster.
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster.
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster.
Private site, Nr. Huddersfield
Keighley Bus Museum, Keighley, W. Yorkshire.
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster.
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster.
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Brighton, Hove and District

6340, CPM 61

Science Museum store, Wroughton, Swindon, Wilts.
Cardiff

203, CKG 193
215, DBO 475
243, KBO 961
262, EBO 191

Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
NMGW, Nantgarw
Cardiff & S. Wales trolleybus Project, Nr. Cardiff.
Cardiff & S. Wales trolleybus Project, Nr. Cardiff.
Cleethorpes

54, FW 8990
59, GFU 692

Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Westgate Museum, Belton, North Lincs.
Derby

172, RC 8752
175, RC 8755
215, ARC 515
224, DRC 224
237, SCH 237

Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster.
Westgate Museum, Belton, North Lincs.
Private site, Featherstone, South Staffordshire.
Boughton, Nottinghamshire
EATM, Carlton Colville, Suffolk
Doncaster

375, CDT 636

Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster

Glasgow

TB78, FYS 839
TBS 13, FYS 988
TBS21, FYS996

Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Glasgow Museum of Transport
Beith, Ayrshire
Hastings

3, DY 4965*
34, BDY 809
45, DY 5458
57, DY 5584

Hastings
EATM, Carlton Colville, Suffolk
Raunds, Northamptonshire
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Huddersfield

541, CVH 741
619, KVH 219
631, PVH 931

Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Ipswich

2, DX 3998
9, DX 5625
26, DX 5629
44, DX 8871
46, PV 817
105, PV 8270
126, ADX 196

Ipswich Transport Museum, Cobham Road, Ipswich
Ipswich Transport Museum, Cobham Road, Ipswich
Ipswich Transport Museum, Cobham Road, Ipswich
Science Museum, Wroughton, Nr. Swindon, Wilts
Ipswich Transport Museum, Cobham Road, Ipswich
Ipswich Transport Museum, Cobham Road, Ipswich
Ipswich Transport Museum, Cobham Road, Ipswich
Keighley

5, WT7101
12, WT 7108

Keighley Bus Museum, West Yorkshire
North of England open-air museum, Beamish, Co. Durham
London

1, HX 2756
260, CUL 260
796, ELB 796
1201, EXV 201
1253, EXV 253
1348, EXV 348
1521, FXH521
1768, HYM 768
1812, HYM 812

LT Museum Store, Acton, London
EATM, Carlton Colville, Suffolk
EATM, Carlton Colville, Suffolk
EATM, Carlton Colville, Suffolk
LT Museum, Covent Garden, London
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
EATM, Carlton Colville, Suffolk
LT Museum Store, Acton, London
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Maidstone

52, LCD 52
56, GKP 511
72, HKR 11

EATM, Carlton Colville, Suffolk
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Manchester

1250, JVU 755
1344, ONE 744

GMTS, Manchester
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Mexborough

34, WW 4688

Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Newcastle

501, LTG 501
628, NBB 628

Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
EATM, Carlton Colville, Suffolk
Nottingham

367, TV 9333
466, GTV 666
493, KTV 493
502, KTV 502
506, KTV 506
578, KTV 578

Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Boughton, Nottinghamshire
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Boughton, Nottinghamshire
Notts & Derby

307, RB 6614
353, NNU 234
357, NNU 238

Boughton, Nottinghamshire
BHT, Holton Heath, Poole, Dorset
Boughton, Nottinghamshire
Portsmouth

201, RV4649
313, ERV 938

Hampshire County Council store, East Meon
EATM, Carlton Colville, Suffolk
Reading

113, ARD 676
144, DRD 130
174, ERD 145
181, ERD 152
193, VRD 193

Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Rotherham

37, FET 617
44, FET 618
73, CET 613

Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire
South Shields

204, CU 3593

 Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
St. Helens

387, BDJ 87

 Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster

Teesside

2, GAJ 12
5, GAJ 15
T291, VRD 186

Private site at Sandtoft village
Kirkleatham Old Hall Museum, Kirkleatham village, Redcar
Black Country Living Museum, Dudley, West Midlands
Walsall

342, NDH 959
862, TDH 912
864, TDH 914
872, XDH 72

Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Black Country Living Museum, Dudley, W. Midlands
Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft, Nr. Doncaster
Aston Manor Transport Museum, Birmingham
Wolverhampton

78, UK 9978
433, DUK 833
616, FJW616
654, FJW 654

Black Country Living Museum, Dudley, W. Midlands
Black Country Living Museum, Dudley, W. Midlands
B&MMOT, Wythall, N. Warwickshire
NTA Near Roade, Northamptonshire
Totals:          Operators 29

115

 Locations 32