NEW LOW CARBON ELECTRIC TRÅDBUSS SYSTEM OPENS IN LANDSKRONA [SWEDEN]
Event recorded by Bruce Lake

	Picture 52a The speeches outside with the three trolleys and a goodly crowd of Landskronians [+ Germans, British, Norwegians etc]
	Picture 37a 7232 [Elvira] in the glorious sunshine passing one of the more decorative buildings
	Picture 63a 7232 [Elvira] at the Centrum end of the line
	Picture 89a 7231 [Ella] followed by 101 on the straight run back from the Station
	Picture 90a 7231, 7232 and 101 at the Centrum terminus
	Picture 49a Copenhagen 101
	Picture 09a Nearside view of 101 showing the two doors [rear is open platform]
	Picture 43a At the ceremonial lunch with [l-r] Sven, Stig, Brian McGuire and Bruce Lake

The Official opening of the Landskrona [Sweden] electric trådbuss system occurred on 27^th September 2003. The English translation of trådbuss is trolleybus. This small system is only 3km long and requires three trolleybuses to operate it. The system connects the town with its new railway station. The electric trolleybuses draw power at 750V DC from twin overhead wires. Access to the depot, 0.9km away, however is unwired and the depot is reached by using onboard batteries.

The opening of the system follows the publication of the report ‘New Concepts for Trolley Buses in Sweden’ [downloadable from http://www.tbus.org.uk/R-00-70.pdf]. This report describes a recent environmental study on the trolleybuses in Arnhem. It compared the emissions from 18m articulated trolleybuses with equivalent Euro 3 diesels, based on the Netherlands grid power generation mix, which is about 45% coal, 45% natural gas and with only about 10% from non fossil fuel sources [rather similar to Britain]. The study showed trolleybuses produce 27% less CO2 than equivalent diesels and only tiny fractions of other pollutants like NOx and particulates, compared with diesels. On the Swedish grid mix, which is about 90% renewably generated, trolleybuses will show a 91% reduction in CO2 and 99% to 100% reductions in other pollutants, compared with diesel, as the table below shows:-

The Landskrona system is the first system in Sweden since the 1960's and as such is expected to be a model for other towns to follow. The ceremony was attended by the Swedish Environment Minister and there was a substantial international presence at the opening.

Preserved Copenhagen trolleybus Number 101, a Leyland / GEC vehicle dating from 1938, was operated during the opening ceremonies.

Trolleybuses similar to those in Landskrona will be operating next year on the new ‘Filobus’ system currently under construction in Rome. The trolleybuses will operate on battery power in the city centre.

This small system is only 3km long and only requires 3 trolleybuses to operate it. It is, however, the first system in Sweden since the 1960's and as such will hopefully be the model for other towns to follow; the ceremony was attended by the Swedish Environment Minister. There was also much international interest at the opening. There is no specialwork on the system, the depot [0.9km away] is unwired and is reached by using onboard batteries. There isn't even a section insulator! This was entirely deliberate to keep this first system as simple as possible. The overhead is rather unique, however, being 99.9% on bracket arms, most of them double. The trolleys are a collaboration between Solaris [body] and Ganz [electrics] and look very smart, and the ride on the cobbled areas is very good. Copenhagen 101, a 1937/38 General Electric trolleybus, also operated. A magnificent vehicle, she performed very well, although the resistors got very hot with the 750v supply so she got plenty of rests.

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