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Colin Rosenstiel · November 10th 05, 11:23 PM posted to uk.transport.london

In article ,
(Clive D. W. Feather) wrote:

In article , David
Bradley
In fact in Rome where
a new trolleybus systen has been introduced, part of the route has
no overhead wiring because of a desire to have a clutter free skyline
in an area of particular historical importance. The booms can be
disconnected and reconnected to the wires without the need for the
driver [or crew] to leave the vehicle. Clearly this ability can also
be used in the first point that you made. I don't see too much
difficulty in flicking a switch to lower or raise the booms as
required, thus enabling that fabled overtaking of service vehicles,

The only places where I've seen this de-wiring and re-wiring
arrangement, the re-wiring can only be done at specific locations -
there's a sort of plastic M attached to the wires that guides the
booms into place. This is fine for the sort of situation you describe
in Rome, but it does *not* work for unplanned overtaking.

I remember a careless trolleybus driver trying to overtake another
trolleybus on Putney Bridge. It didn't take that long to replace the
booms on the wires with just the bamboo trolley retrieval poles of those
days.

--
Colin Rosenstiel