Leyland K2 class trolleybus, 1939

© Transport for London
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London once had the world's largest trolleybus fleet. Electric trolleybuses were first introduced in 1931 at a time when trams had fallen out of favour. Trams were seen as inflexible and were becoming expensive to modernise. A full tram to trolleybus conversion programme began in 1935. Trolleybus No. 1253 is typical of the standard 70-seat trolleybuses built for London Transport in the 1930s. It ran from 1939 to 1961 on routes in north London from Hackney depot.