1942 LEYLAND TTB DOUBLE DECK TROLLEY BUS
Vehicle Background:
During the mid 1930s, both the Metropolitan Tramways Trust (M.T.T.) in Adelaide and the Department of Road Transport and Tramways (D.R.T. & T.) in Sydney had worked to establish trolley bus systems. Double deck trolley buses were chosen by each of the operators as being the most appropriate. The D.R.T. & T.'s Rockdale to Sans Souci via Kogarah and Dolls Point system opened on 4 July 1937. It replaced the last government steam trams in N.S.W. The M.T.T.'s initial trolley bus service opened on 5 September 1937. It operated from Light Square, Adelaide to Tusmore, with a connection to Hackney depot,.
However in 1934 a trolley bus route was opened between the Sydney Town Hall and Potts Point, just to the East of the City. This service initially was experimental, but it eventually operated until 1949 before being closed. Two single deck A.E.C. trolley buses were obtained of the 663T three axle chassis type. These vehicles were numbered 1 and 2 in the roster. Next followed three "Q" type double deck trolley buses from A.E.C., based on the 761T chassis. These vehicles were numbered 3 to 5. Nos. 1 and 3 were built by Park Royal in the U.K. while Nos. 2, 4 and 5 were built by local builders. Next came the Sydney order for 21 double deck trolley buses for the Rockdale / Sans Souci services. The 11 Leyland TTB4 chassis were numbered 6 to 16 and the 10 A.E.C. 664T were numbered 17 to 26. Adelaide M.T.T. at the same time, bought 30 A.E.C. 661T, 2 axle double deck trolley buses. They were numbered 401 to 430 and were bodied by Lawton between 1937 and 1939. The final 5 Leyland Trolley buses were of the TTB three axle chassis type of 1937 and had been ordered by the D.R.T. & T. When they arrived in 1938, the Department decided not to use them and made them available to the M.T.T. in Adelaide at a special low price.
Wartime demands for passenger transport was unprecedented as petrol rationing reduced consumption of imported liquid fuels. The five Leyland trolley bus chassis purchased from the D.R.T. & T. in Sydney and stored since 1938, were resurrected. Bodies were built in the M.T.T. Adelaide, Hackney workshops, using components from the body building company Lawtons. The bodies were timber framed and had seating for 66 passengers. The vehicles were completed in 1942 and allocated fleet numbers 431 to 435. The vehicles were the last double deckers to enter service in Australia until after the war and were the largest operated by the M.T.T.
In service, they spent long periods in storage as problems were experienced with the rear bogie axles. They remained in the old red with cream relief livery, while most other vehicles were painted in the new silver colour scheme during 1952 to 1954. They were withdrawn on 30 June 1957. No. 433 was registered for the road as 194.174.
The bus was purchased from an Adelaide enthusiast in 1991. Prior to the tow to Sydney several days were needed to prepare the bus which included the freeing of the brakes. The Association's Leyland tow truck No 003 was used and it took three days to cover the trip of 1500 kilometres.
SPECIFICATIONS:
MOTOR: Metropolitan Vickers, model MV-201, 90 H.P. with the drive transmitted through a worm drive differential in both rear axles.
BRAKES: Air operated footbrake and a mechanical hand brake on both rear axles.
