The Budapest trolleybus service had its ups and downs through the decades of the
20th century. After the campaign of construction of the '50s, the expansion of the
network stopped in the '60s. In the end of this decade, parallel to the worldwide
decay of the trolleybus operation, the council of Budapest decided to eliminate
the trolleybus lines. Fortunately, only the Baross utca line was closed (in 1973).
It is interesting, that the new ZIU-5
trolleybuses were supllied in this period, although at the time it was meant
to be the last newly bought series.
The 1973. oil-crisis (which unleashed in 1973.) terminated the era of
cheap fuel. In the beginning the socialist coutries did not feel the change
of the global economy, but soon the prices penetrated through the iron curtain.
In the September of 1974 the BKV (Budapest Transportation Company) and the
City Council aggreed to keep the trolleybus service. This brought a second
flourishing to the network in the late '70s: new lines were constructed and
the fleet was exchanged to "relatively" modern. This was the time of the
birth of the first IK-280 trolleybus series: the IK-280.91, which
were called commonly in the company as the "100-ers", after their fleet
numbers. The Ikarus factory also launched an experimental program to
produce a modern trolleybus. The
following page contains description of the various prototypes.
In the '80s, there was no more important new line extensions, but the
standard of the fleet was improved by the second IK-280 series of
trolleybuses. This was the IK-280.93 series, which everybody calls
at the Budapest Transportation Company "GVM", by the initials of the
producing company Ganz. Further
informations about the GVMs are in this page.
The IK-260.T1 trolleybus: the 600
The 1974 decision of the City Council gave the first impulse to design a new
trolleybus vehicle, which would make possible to scrap the overrun
IK-60s.
In this year, the BKV bought an empty body of a solo and an articulated
Ikarus bus, which were mounted with the equippment of ithe ZIU-5s. These
were the firs two prototype trolleybuses: the articulated obtained the number
100, and the solo 600.
So, the 600 was built in an IK-260 body, which was originally meant
to be a diesel-bus (that is why it was painted yellow, as most of the buses
in Hungary). Its main electric equippment was the same as the
ZIU-5s,
but the secondary circuit parts changed (e.g. with pneumatic doors or
steering servo supplied from 600 V). The latter 100 series was also equipped
similarly.
Some technical data:
| length: |
11000 mm |
number of seats: |
22 |
| width: |
2500 mm |
standing places (5 pers./m2): |
53 |
| height: |
3040 mm |
motortype: |
DK-207 G |
| axle distance: |
5400 mm |
output: |
110 kW |
The trolleybus was actually taken in the fleet on 5th February, 1976.
Originally there supposed to be a series of solo trolleybuses following
this prototype. The reason why it did not happen so, was because by this
time the Sowiet Union was able to mass-produce the type ZIU-9, which were
substantially cheaper than the home made Ikaruses (also the electrical
equippment would have to come from abroad). Although the 600 was
better in some attributes: it had more comfortable room, its
air-suspension was much softer, which meant better contact of the trolleys
to the poles. Furthermore since the axle distance was smaller, it was
easier to maneuvre through the narrow streets of the inner city. Also the
cabin of the driver was more quiet, since the kontactor-table was moved
under the floor (the ZIUs have extremely noisy cabin, because the
contactors there). Also there was no problem of the supply of the spare
parts (on the ZIUs, the original parts were changed step-by-step to Ikarus
parts in many places).
Because of these advantages, the drivers liked the 600, so it runned
regularly for 19 years. It was stalled on 11th August, 1995, together with
the last specimens of the 100s.
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The Budapest trolleybus 600 - still
without number - at Pongrác depot.
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The original dashboard of the 600 can be seen in this
bad quality picture.
It is peculiar the left side array of switches like on ZIU-5s.
The door operation is under the steering wheel horizontally, above the empty
board. Those with good eyes might spot a scheme of the gear lever, which is
a little bit strange on a trolleybus...
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The original liveries of the 600 is visible on
this photo taken at the corssing of Erzsébet királyné útja (street) and
Hungária körút (boulevard).
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The trolleybus 600 - though it ran everywhere,
where the ZIUs went - in the beginning of the '80s was assigned to line
79. But this photo was not taken there, but at the service line at
Százados utca (street), at the crossing of Sport utca (street).
Observe the red trilex type body of the wheels. At times
it was regular to paint it like this, it was long after visible worn down
on the trolleybuses.
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The 600-as in the summer of 1994, at the terminus of line 76
at Bethlen Gábor utca (street).
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The trolleybus 600 exists also today, though its state is
quite depressing.
From the aspect of museal value it has a strange status, because
it was a special unique trolleybus. On the other hand, it has an interest as the
first trolleybus in the broad scale of IK-200 series.
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The IK-280.T1 articulated trolleybus: the 100
Almost in the same time with the building of the solo car 600, the
articulated version was also ready, that obtained the fleet number 100.
Similarly thei motor and the electric equippment was supplied form a scrapped
ZIU-5. Its trial runs were during 1975, mainly on line 75. Officially it was
in the BKV's fleet on 2nd January, 1976. The trolleybus was in service until
20th June, 1991, then it was put to side in Pongrác depot, intending to
exhibit later. Since there was no money for restore, in the meantime - becauese
of the lack of spare parts - many of its components were dismounted for
everyday use on other trolleybuses. This was the reason, why this trolley's
condition became extremly grievous, then in 2000 it was cut to pieces, and
scrapped.
The articulated trolleybus series "100ers" (IK-280.91)
The prototype trolleybus 100 was soon followed by a series of 78 cars.
The reason was, that at this time neither the Sowiet Union, nor the COMECON
coutries were not able to produce articulated trolleybuses for a decade more.
The 100ers were nought in two bunches:
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year
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1976.
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1978.
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new trolleybuses (pieces)
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56
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23
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fleet numbers
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100-155
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156-178
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The producing of the series was in the usual way: the body was
supplied by the Ikarus factory, the electrical equippment was installed
by the BKV from scrapped ZIU-5 parts. A description over the
ZIU-5's
electric outfit can be found here, the main electric circuit of the
100ers functioned similarly.
Some thechnical data of the type 100ers:
| length: |
16500 mm |
weight: |
12200 kg |
| width: |
2500 mm |
passenger capacity (seat/stand): |
35/78 |
| height: |
3347 mm |
height of the floor: |
920 mm |
| axle distance: |
5400 mm
6200 mm |
motor: |
DK-207 G
(110 kW) |
| smallest radius of turn: |
10,7 m |
driven axle: |
middle (B) |
In around 1978, the Ikarus factory started to produce
experimental
articulated trolleybuses, for both the eastern and western market. Such
a production of special trolleybuses was without precedent earlier.
With launching this programme, some 100ers were used as a testcars
for new techonlogies:
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on the 101 a TELMA-brake (eddy current brake) was mounted;
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the 102 had a special electric 600 V control different
from the ZIUs (which was according to my data the development
of the BKV). Its motor remained though the original ZIU-5's;
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the 104 had a battery powered auxiliary aggregate. The low-voltage
part changed with this, a motordynamo of the
Ganz articulated
tram type was fitted too;
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the 120 had a petrol-motor aggregate in its rear section, a motor of
a russian motor-car type Zhiguli 1500. This provided a limited self-mobility
to the trolleybus;
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the 155 obtained a Volkswagen-aggregate. This trolleybus remained
the property of the Ikarus until 1989, officially it was not in the BKV's
fleet, because of financial problems.
These equippments were added posteriorly, only for trola runs without
passengers. The uniqe pieces were later dismounted, though those trolleybuses,
that had a petrol-motor aggregate, a throat behind the C-axle to
ventilate the motor was visible later. The refueling of these motors was not
possible inside the trolleybus garage, so these trolleybuses had to use
exterior petrol stations, making the attendant and the general public stunned...
The series of 100ers' trolleybuses appeared first on line 75. The second
bunch form 1978 was a preparation step for the line extensions in
Zugló, for the line 80, and soon for the 81. The remaining articulated
trolleybuses ran mixed with solo cars on line 79.
The scrapping of the series was started in the end of the '80s, with the
acquisition of the new GVMs (200ers). The last trolleybuses were in service
until 1995, before the articulated lines had mixed stock with 100ers and 200ers.
This was unpleasant for the drivers, mainly because the brake pedal was
still on the left (as on the ZIUs, but not as on the GVMs). Sometimes the driver
had to change during his charge the car, and if his leg did not "switch", he
could have nasty situation (though there is no reported accident from misbrake).
The cycle of their scrapping went the following way:
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year
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1986.
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1987.
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1988.
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1989.
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1991.
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1993.
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1995.
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number of scrapped vehicles
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1
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1
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21
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27
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11
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5
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13
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Detailed fleet data
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The trolleybus 118 at Hungária körút (boulevard)
in the '70s.
In the '70s the trolleybuses had only one mirror on the
right side. In the '80s, it was supplemented with a small round one aimed
on the space in front of the first door - which was invisible through the
large mirror.
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The 144 at the terminus of line 75 at Népliget.
The 100 trolleys had such an allocation of side windows,
which was impossible to see in the '90s anymore with the newer versions
of the IK-280 autobuses.
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The trolleybus 153 in the '80s on Fogarasi
út (street).
On part of the trolleybuses the place of the licence number
and the step on the bumper was covered. This was not done cosequently,
on 153 the step is there (though there was never a ladder in the
rear, as the ZIUs had).
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The room of the 170, in the summer of 1994.
The white gripping bars, the white boxes above the doors and
the swaying driver-cabin doors practically died out by the '90s.
Though in the middle of the '80s the black bars and boxes, and the telescopic
cabin door was the novelty, and this composition was common on the Ikarus
buses.
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Gábor Kelecsényi
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In the middle of the '90s the trolleybus 167-es,
serving the line 75/A, turning into the Szörény utca (street).
In the '90s comparing to the other kind of BKV vehicles,
there were extra amount of trolleybuses with side advertisments. This
brought an early aging of the paintwork. At these times the fleet number
was moved above the first door on the trolleybuses.
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The trolleybus 156 as a wreck in the trolleybus depot
in 2000.
The advertisment remained also on this vehicle. The condition
of this trolleybus is also declining continuously.
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There was still one more Ikarus - BKV (- VKI) type trolleybus: the 300.
More about this trolleybus here.
Later the BKV's Experimental Works (later became Obus Ltd.) constructed
further trolleybuses. About these IK-280 trolleybuses one can read
following this link.
Every comment, observation and revision is welcomed!
