A few times I rode a trolley bus purely for a ride as the Coventry Road, where they ran, was not my way to and from home. I rode on one the last day off their operation in 1951. The last ones to the Rover works were on Friday 29th, June and the Coventry Road services ended the next day. A sad day for many, The silent servants, as they were known, were only just over 80 vehicles in a bis fleet of over 1500, so they were going to become a liability in the near future.
The original BCT trolleybuses ran to Nechells on route 7 but were taken off service, as a wartime expediency in 1940 never to return into service. The Coventry Road trolleybuses replaced trams in 1934 the new fleet of 50 being supplemented in 1937 and 1940 by more. The highest fleet number carried by a trolley bus was 90. FOK 90. Trolley bus routes were 56 and 57 to Hay Mills and 92 - 99 (Yardley, City boundary and Lode Lane). Some services commenced in Station Street others in Albert Street.
After cessation of the trolley buses Midland Read took over the Lode Lane ones. It was in Midland Red territory but as Midland Red were unable to take on the very frequent service required during the war to the Rover works the corporation received special dispensation from the Government to construct the overhead needed and operate the services. Tram stop plates were rectangular, buses has circular plates and trolley buses had a six sided plate.
The trolley bus in the picture here is No, 78 COX 78 built in 1937. It still carries the pre-war style of fleet numbering. The photo shows the trolleybus at Hay Mills heading for the city. Placards for Eatonways, a coach operator can be seen on the opposite side of t he road.