Photo © Alan R Hall. Please do not re-post without permission.

Glasgow's batch of ten Leyland-built BUT RETB1s with Burlingham B50F bodies were groundbreakers. Special dispensation was granted by the MoT for these 34'6" long vehicles which were 4'6" longer than that permitted at the time. They spent their entire working life on service 108, the final trolleybus service to be introduced in the city on 15 November 1958. In this poor photograph TBS20, FYS995, stands at Mount Florida, a terminus with three official names, being also known as Ballogie Road and Hampden Park. Delivered on 14 November 1958, she entered service on 1 December and was withdrawn on 3 March 1967.
The 108 was a quiet suburban service which operated between Mount Florida and Paisley Road Toll, from where some peak-hour specials continued through the shipbuilding areas of Govan to Linthouse and Shieldhall. Originally an order for 20 had been proposed which, with the ten existing standee single-deckers, would have enabled the 108 to be 100% single-deck; in the end the order was changed to 10 of these plus 10 more double-deck trolleys in stead. The shipyard specials only lasted until 14 November 1964, being operated thereafter by motorbuses, because of the construction of approach roads for the newly-opened Clyde Tunnel. The main part of the service operated for the last time on 4 March 1967 and was replaced by motorbus service 68.

The wiring in the background trailing in from Carmunnock Road forms part of the terminal loop. All Glasgow termini had loops; there were no reversers on the system. On departure TBS20 will move forward and turn right into King's Park Road; the wiring leading to her left had been used until 1959 by service 103 (the earliest casualty) but was retained for journeys to Hampden Garage.

The sucess of these vehicles influenced the MoT's decision to allow 36' PSVs from 1961. Two of the batch were originally saved with TBS13 going on display at the Glasgow Museum of Transport. The old museum in Kelvin Hall closed in 2010 and was replaced by the new Riverside Museum of Transport but I am unsure about the current location or condition of either TBS13 or TBS21.

Photo taken by Alan Hall, c.1966, Ballogie Road, Mount Florida

©1966-2025 Alan R Hall All Rights Reserved.
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