Physical description

File containing correspondence between the MMTB Chief Engineer Mr. Strickland and various companies, including Railless Ltd, Australian General Electric, English Electric / Dick Kerr and its UK consultants Heap and Digby between the period August 1922 and January 1923.

Includes drawings, technical specifications and a book titled "AEC Railless Trolley Bus Specification", date stamped 15/8/1922. For a scan of this document see htd535-trolleybus.pdf (imaging not working correctly for this database as at 9-8-14)

For a listing of the contents of this file and of Reg Item 535, see Related Documents - htd535-536list.pdf

Item 535 - Trolley Buses

Listed from top of file, in order found. Letters generally to/from MMTB Chief Engineer.
Date Type, contents and notes

18/11/1922 Letter to Metro Vickers from Chief Engineer re Railless trams
12/1/1923 Letter to Aust GE re railless trams Not likely to proceed at this time.
11/1/1923 Letter from Aust GE Co. providing photographs, drawings, BTH, pamphlets, and general information. Includes photo of Tee-side trolley bus No. 17. No other papers with this item.
6/9/1922 Letter to Aust. GE asked for particulars and drawings of motor omnibuses These three items pinned together.
5/9/1922 Letter to Chief Engineer from Aust. GE provided up to date figures on BTH Railless vehicles. These three items pinned together.
31/8/1922 Letter to Aust GE returning folded of data in relation to petrol and petrol electric cars. These three items pinned together.
24/10/1922 Letter to Heap & Digby, thanks for information, but unlikely to use trolley buses due to poor road conditions where they could be used in terms of revenue.
14/9/1922 Letter from Heap & Digby, inclosing photos of Railless Ltd vehicles supplied to Bloemfontein South Africa and testing. These two items clipped together with drawing No. SK 14-8, showing Mexborough gradients.
28/8/1922 Letter from AEC to Heap & Digby re trolley buses, construction costs and practicality of shipping these to Aust. Includes the Mexborough test results. These two items clipped together with drawing No. SK 14-8, showing Mexborough gradients.
3/8/1922 to 31/10/22 Correspondence between MMTB and H&D regarding the Bloemfontein vehicles. Pinned together.
17/11/1922 Letter from Metro Vickers to MMTB providing details (no photos or drawings) of trolley buses – four pages.
18/1/1923 Letter to H&D thanking him for information and a paper ready by a Mr. Munro.
31/8/1922 Letter to Metro Vic – Melbourne asking whether Westinghouse had developed standard lines of motors for railless cars.
4/10/1922 Letter to Aust GE thanking for info.
2/10/1922 Letter from Aust GE providing two cuttings about railless vehicles in Birmingham and the cost of tram track construction.

Papers Contained within a green strip of cloth.

26/9/1922 Letter from H&D providing info from EE – Dick Kerr Preston works equipment used by Railless Ltd.
EE Specification for DK 26B Trackless trolley motors
18/9/1922 Letter from EE to H&D providing info on 20HP motors, 40HP, and other information.
Blueprint – drawing 2810 – DK 26 Motor
Performance curves for above motor
Blueprint – No. 1312D – controller diagram
Pamphlet – EE – tramcar Type D automatic circuit Breakers. Publication No. 230, dated 9/1920.
Ditto, Form A, drawings No 3565, 1/1/19.
Performance curves – blueprint – Type DK85A
Blueprint – 4449 – outline of controller DK, Type D, form B.
Blueprint – P2002M034 – DK85 Motor.
EE specification for Traction Motor DK85 Modified from a tram motor.
EE blueprint P2102F021, traction control wiring for form D controller.
EE blueprint P2103F033 – outline of controller type SE1, form C and D.
EE blueprint P2102Z011 – wiring diagram for type SE1 form controller.
Performance curves for DK85A motor.
EE blueprint – P2102F025 – diagram of connections (wiring) for Type SE1, form D controller.
Blueprint – EE drawing – P2002M036 – DK85 motor with ball bearings.

Single documents.

Date Type Notes
27/9/1922 Letter to H&D acknowledging AEC Trackless trolley bus specification.
15/8/1922 Letter from H&D forwarding above specification
String bound book – AEC Railless Trolley Bus Specification – stamped 15/8/22 Scanned as a separate document.
4/9/1922 Letter from Metro Vic. Melbourne advising that they have no information on Westinghouse Motors for use in railless cars, but seeking same.