At Loose Terminus

Click on picture [176] for an enlarged version

From: "Tony Hocking" <tonyhocking@ukonline.co.uk>

This picture was taken soon after No. 87 entered service in Maidstone [around 1959/60] because there are no advertisements on the bus, Maidstone trolleys were always well kited out with adverts. The interiors were untouched when they entered service and remained pure Maidstone and District, complete with swirling green moquette. This contrasted somewhat with the sombre brown leather seats the 'native' buses had.

Incidentally this shows Loose [pronounced Looz] terminus as it had been from 1930 with the outbound wiring having crossed over the inbound. This meant that the trolleybuses had to perform a dangerous right turn off a left curve in the main road, which at this point descends at about 1 in 12. As traffic increased the crossover was taken out around 1963 and the terminus working was reversed. This meant that a car or lorry leaving the borough could accelerate down the hill, round the corner and ... whoops, stationary trolleybus waiting for traffic coming up the hill!