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Budapest - Szeged - Debrecen Magyarul

ZIU-9 trolleybuses in Budapest


The first two ZIU-9 trolleybuses, that arrived in 1975: the 800 in front of the garage...	...and the 801 in a demonstrantion run.

After the city council has decided to keep the trolleybuses running in 1974, soon new Ikarus prototype trolleybuses were constructed: the articulated 100 and the solo 600. These cars ran without great problems, however the city council also was looking for new trolleybuses in the COMECON countries. By these years, the factory Uritsky in the Sowiet Union has started the mass production of the ZIU-9 type, which was the successor of the ZIU-5 type. The factory was not just able to produce some hundreds of trolleybuses yearly, the price of their product was considerably cheaper than self-assembling Ikarus solo trolleybuses with sowiet electric equippment.

The first two ZIU-9 trolleybus for Budapest were made in 1975, and was taken in the fleet on 31st October, 1975 with numbers 800-801. The Budapest Transportation Company (BKV) bought alltogether 172 ZIU-9 trolleybuses between 1975 and 1982. The very last trolleybus from the Sowiet Union (972) was a unique type.

Purchasing of ZIU-9 trolleybuses at the BKV:

year 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1982 1984

number of new trolleybuses 2 54 36 14 16 25 25 1

fleet numbers 800-801 802-855 856-891 892-905 906-921 922-946 947-971 972

The batches comming in different years were slightly different, as the factory used newer technologies in the production. Such difference were introduced from 1977 and 1982. The BKV, during the first reconstructions in the '80s has unified and modified the trolleybuses, using partially Hungarian parts instead of the original. About the technical details and the modifications one can read later here.

The new cars ran in the '80s on line 70, 72, 73, 74, 76, 77, 78, 82, 83, and also the line 79 the ZIU-9 ran mixed up with articulated cars. With the decreasing of the fleet and the arrival of the new GVM and Kiepe trolleybuses, in the '90s this solo type ran only in the city-centre (70, 73, 74, 74A, 76, 78). Today (2003) they run on lines 73, 74, 74A, 76 and in weekdays on 78 according the schedule.

The scrapping of the ZIU-9 started in 1984, and lasts until nowadays. These trolleybuses run now well over their orginally intended lifetime, in 2003 the oldest trolleybus in the fleet (882) has reached the age of 26.

Scrapping of the ZIU-9 type:

year 1984 1987 1988 1989 1990 1993 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2001 2002 2003

number of scrapped vehicles 8* 6 6** 5 24 17 1 12 9 6 8 6 10 3

In 2003 there are 50 ZIU-9 trolleybuses in everyday traffic, and 2 learner cars.
* - 3 pcs. sold to Szeged
** - 3 pcs. sold to Debrecenbe

Detailed fleet data


The 808 in its new state, in the Városliget (City-park). The 1976 series was equipped with sidelamps in the front and in the back.	The rear of 853 bought in 1976. At this time the rear shield was used as it was originally intended over the rear windshield. However, the trolley pulling ropes were dismounted in Budapest almost immediately after the ZIU-9 cars were put in service.
Sándor Ambrus	Sándor Ambrus
The 875 on the line 72, possibly right after its delivery, in the freshly opened Hermina út line. On its side the propaganda text is praising the 32nd anniversary of the liberation of 1945. It seems that the car came so quickly to the line, that it could not obtain proper information shields. The first batch of 1977 had the previous rectengular frontal lights, but the rest of the series had such round lamps, as on the picture.	The trolleybus 880 from 1977 on line 76, on Ferdinánd híd (bridge). Also the sidelamps have disappeared. At the time not just the side, but the wheel trims were painted red.

The 908 and 910 were bought in 1979, and for a short time they ran on line 81, which was also opened in the same year.	The interior of the 820, as it was in the '80s.

The rear of 877, in the middle of the '80s. After the start of the reparation works, they inserted Ikarus lamps in its original place.	The trolleybus 860 in the garage. In the second part of the '80s, this was one of the first vehicles of the BKV, that obtained side advertisments. This was the time of the reparation works, when the frontal look was also modified with round Ikarus lamps. With this also several equippments were changed to Ikarus parts.
Gábor Kelecsényi	Zoltán Izsó
The trolleybus 970, on István út in the '90s. At the time the advertisments were almost covering every part of the trolleybuses.	The 933 in 1999, at the terminus Bethlen Gábor utca.
Gábor Szelényi	Zoltán Ádám Németh
The oldest trolleybus in 2003 still in service: the 882, that was bought in 1977, at the terminus of line 74A at Mexikói út. A great part of the trolleybuses, that are today still in service were refurbished in the end of the '90s, with the help of the Enviromental Fund (these trolleybuses obtained their third great reparation). Thanks to this, the trolleybus service still remained in the inner city routes.	The car 953 in the garage, in 2003. The reparation works of the ZIUs supposed to be finished in 2001, but because of the late arrival of new vehicles, the BKV still keeps some trolleybuses in service, which got their last reparation in the beginning of the '90s. The state of these cars could sometimes be quite worn down, although very often these trolleybuses are easier to drive.

The last (ZIU-9V type) trolleybus: the 972

After the arrival of the last batch in 1982, one last ZIU tolleybus was bought by the BKV, which obtained the number 972 in 1984. However, this trolleybus was different, its electric equippment was modified comparing to the original ZIU-9B type. It had stronger, 150 kW motor. It was bought for experimental reasons, because at the time the BKV seriously considered the electrification of the Buda-hill autobus lines. The disadvantage of the construction of the ZIU-9, that there are three separate auxiliary motors for the compressor, the generator and the servo. In the construction of the ZIU-9V, these were operated from the motor through V-belts. Also the rheostatic brake was modified: the original two stage brake (which is regulated only by the contactors) was replaced by a more powerful braking, where also the starter was in the regulating circuit. Later similar equippment was introduced on the articulated IK-280 trolleybus 199, and also on the ZIU-9 trolleybus 9-139 in Szeged. Everywhere the tests gave bad results: because of the malfunctions of the rheostatic circuit, the trolleybuses made uncontrollable decelerations with blocking brakes.

As the testruns lasted longer than expected, the trolleybus was not taken in service for more than a year after its delivery. At last in 1984 it was put in service, according to some sources after the exchange of its equippment and motor with usual ZIU-9 type. Today one can see no sign of the strange life of this trolleybus.

	Dániel Szigeti
The 972 in service, around 1985, on line 83 in the Közraktár utca.	The 972, after its refurbishment in 1999, freshly painted.

ZIU-9 trolleybuses without handbrakes

Two trolleybuses (886, 930) seriously burned out in the '80s, which were rebuilt later. With the reparation works, the pneumatic system of these trolleybuses were modified such, that instead of the usual mechanical hand-brakes they obtained pneumatic spring-force storing park-brakes (as it was common on Ikarus buses and trolleybuses). These ZIUs had three-panel dashboards in the driving cabins of the Ikarus-200 types, so the driver could get in trouble finding the different switches and buttons. The pedals remained on the two side of the steering wheel (as on the russian trolleybus types), but also Ikarus type brake pedal were installed. According to the description of the drivers, the 886 had the most comfortable pedals in the whole fleet: as on an ordinary ZIU often it is almost impossible to decelerate smoothly because of the rigidness of the pedal, on 886 the air-pressure on the brake was possible to regulate extremly softly.

The two cars were scrapped in 2003.

Gábor Kelecsényi	Gábor Kelecsényi
The 886, after its refurbishment in 1995, at the termius of line 73 at Arany János utca.	The 930 in Garay utca, at the termius of line 78. This car was refurbished in 1994, the photo was made soon after that.

A ZIU from Szeged in the Budapest fleet

It is not without precedence, that a company sends its car to another city for reparation works. Part of the Szeged fleet was repaired in Budapest, furthermore originally in the '70s a company in Pécs (in south Hungary, where there is no trolleybus service) was set to be the base of the reparation works of the trolleybuses. In 1998, the 887 from Budapest (bought in 1977) was sent Szeged for refurbishment. Naturally the chassis of this trolleybus was very worn and corrodated. However in Szeged, they were about to scrap the 9-138 (bought in 1983). So they decided to swap the two cars: the original 887 was sent to dismantle, and the ex-Szeged car was refurbished as 887^II. The equippment of this car was changed according to the usual in Budapest (e.g. with 600 V pump motor for the steering-servo). The trolleybus was put back in service in 1999, but it is still considerably different form the usual ZIU-9s of Budapest.

	Gábor Szelényi
The original 887 at the terminus of Bethlen Gábor utca, in the '80s. At the time for the occasions of state holidays, small flags were attached to the trolley-rods (one can see the red Sowiet and the red-white-green Hungarian flag).	The ex-Szeged 9-138 as the refurbished 887^II in 2000. The trolleybus is standing at Csáktornya park terminus of line 74. On the summer of 2003 this trolleybus was involved in a serious accident, when it was hit by a lorry.

Microprocessor driven ZIUs

The last time ZIUs were reconstructed in 2000, with the help of the Enviromental Fund, the electric equippment of the cars were modified. The majority of the relays were replaced by a microprocessor driven electronical unit, which not just adjust the contactors and the servo-controller, but also regulates the index lamps and the light. It also watches the opened state of the doors. The prototype of this modification was the learner car 833, which was followed by a batch of ten trolleybuses (908, 923, 925, 931, 941, 955, 960, 966, 967, 969).

This unit regulates the turn of the starter (servocontroller) comparing to the cars actual speed, giving constant acceleration independent of the weight of the load. It is also possible to stop the starter on the certain resistor cascade of the coupling process. This way the coupling became faster, e.g. on a section insulation the car does not start the acceleration process form zero. The trolleybus does not accelerate above 50 km/h, and it does not allow starting with open doors. The doors can be closed only after the pushing of the starting signal. Its main disadvantage, that the electronics does not operate any park-brake, so after a possible prohibition of start, the car can roll away. These trolleybuses can go only with truned on frontal lights, and the index heat-relay also disapperad (which very often in malfunction). Practically only these ZIU-9 trolleybuses have working speedmeter.

Originally there were some problems with the fine tuning of the electronics (the cars often prohibited the start without reason), by this time these trolleybuses run problemless.

Zoltán Ádám Németh	Zoltán László
The trolleybus 960 in the garage. This is one of the 10+1 ZIU-9 trolleybuses with electronical regulation, reconstructed in 2000.	With the reconstruction, the trolleybuses obtained higher windows with larger opening space, and texture covered seats.

Learner cars

In 1977, two cars were taken from the passenger service, and converted to learner trolleybuses. These cars were the 831 and 832.

Possibly from 1984 after the scrappings and reconstructions even further cars were used as learner cars: such as the 833, 839 and 840; furthermore sometimes the 837 was also used for learning purposes (this latter trolleybus was used in 1979 to experiment with the BBC petrol-aggregate for off-wire operations).

Today (2003) there are two learner cars are in the fleet: the 833 and the 840. The 833 was used in 2000 for the test of the electronical regulation device. The 840 was reconstructed in 2002, and this car is set as the museum-trolleybus of the future.

	Gábor Kelecsényi
One of the learner cars from 1977: the 832 in the garage. This car was scrapped in 1993, together with the 831.	The learner trolleybus 839 at Hungária körút, in around 1995. This trolleybus was scrapped in 1996.
Ferenc Tóth	Zoltán Ádám Németh
The 833 in the Király utca, in 1999. It is interesting, that still this trolleybus have its original trolley-pulling device in the rear (though out of order for a long time). In 2000 this trolleybus was used to test the electronical device which substituted the 24 V relays.	Inside the 833 one can see Ikarus-seats, and an electric-radiator. This is how the interior of 840 looked like until 2002, which obtained the original ZIU-seats back.
Zoltán Ádám Németh	Zoltán Ádám Németh
The trolleybus 840 after its refurbishment in 2002. This trolleybus is set to be for the Museum of Urban Transports. Before its reparation, this trolleybus had its original MAZ steering-wheel last in the fleet.	The driver's and the tutor's seat in the 840. The rod in the middle can operate the brake pedal mechanically. Similarly to many ZIUs, this trolleybus also does not have a speedmeter at all.

The equippment and the technical details of the ZIU-9 trolleybuses

ZIU 9/B

full length 11 880 mm

width 2500 mm

height (without current collector) 3160 mm

axle distance 6025 mm

weight (without load) 10050 kg

seats/standing places (5 persons/m²) 32/65

doors 1-2-2

motor type DK 210 A-3

output 110 kW

The main parameters of the ZIU-682 type (that are in service in Szeged and Debrecen) are basically same as on ZIU-9B type. (There are differences in the number of seats, and the motor type.)

The ZIU-9 trolleybuses are two axle cars with relatively long axle distances. Thus the turning properties of these cars are not as good as the IK-260 solo buses (wich are in the same cathegory): the smallest radius is 12 m for these trolleybuses. In the inner city there are several corners on the trolleybus lines, where the driver must use the maximal possible turn of the steering wheel. This endpoint is at different angle for each cars, so it is not impossible, where a previous trolleybus goes without problems, the next one needs more space (the most problematic line is the 73 in this sense).

The trolleybus has three folding doors on the side, where the first one has only one lane. The rear platform is sunken (probably this is the reminiscent of the seated conductor system), so there is only a single step to go inside. Originally there were lights installed in the steps. The doors are operated by electric motors, each were regulated by a three step switch by the driver (in the middle state of the switch the motors were shut down). The first half door construction allowes a problemless sight to the right for the driver, even better than on Ikaruses (and certainly better than the predecessor ZIU-5 construction). There are "one and half" seats in the room on each side. For inner lights there are 24V bulbs built in. The driver's cabin is quite large, but since the contactors are situated there, it is very noisy.

The double exited DC motor is situated in the middle of the cassis, which drives the rear axle. The ZIU-9s have combined suspension of pneumatic "cushions" and mechanic steel-springs. This does not give perfect run for the trolleybus, when it is empty it starts bouncing on road irregularities, which increases the chance of the derailment of the trolleys.

The main electric outfit is exactly the same as the 600 V equippment of the ZIU-5 trolleybuses: a servo controller (starter) regulates the coupling of the resistors. The contactors are situated in the driver's cabin. The generator for charging the battery and the compressor and the heating are the 600 V auxiliaries of this trolleybus type. After the modifications of the '80s, on the Budapest ZIUs also the motor of the servo steering was exchanged to a 600 V motor from the original 24 V.

The secondary circuit of the vehicle is operating from 24 V battery. This operates the contactors, the relays, the motor of the starter, the lights, the windscreen wiper, the bells. In the original outfit also the motor of the steering-servo, the motors of the doors and the ventillator in the driver's cabin and the trolley pulling motors were driven by 24 V.

The pneumatic network of the trolleybus is operational between 8-10 Bar pressure, which is recharged by the compressor. The operation of the compressor is regulated be a pressure-switch, situated on the wall of the driver's cabin. The main brake of the trolleybuses is the pneumatic brake. There is a hand-brake for keeping the vehicle standig. A safety leak of the system is, that if the trolleybus runs out of pressure air because of some malfunction, the car could become impossible to stop. On exchange, this type is safe from the winter malfunctions of the brake system, as there is no freezing effect of the park-brake (like often on the aging Ikaruses). However, two ZIU-9 trolleybuses were fitted with pneumatic spring-force storing brakes.

Some photos of the original driver's cabin of the ZIU-9, which were substantially modified with the reconstructions:

The original driver's place of the ZIU-9.
One can see the MAZ-type steering wheel, and the original look of the control panels. The four meters are measuring the pressure of the two pneumatic circuit, the speed, and there is also a regular clock built in. Below these there are the Ampermeter and the Voltmeter of the 24 V secondary circuit, and the doors' signals. The original look of the switches for operating the doors, lights, bells and the heating.
Originally there was no bell for signalling the closure of the doors, which is obligatory in Hungary. Thus a red button for this ring was inserted below.

The seat, and below a box that contained the actual coupling cylinders of the accelerator and the (rheostatic) brake. The cylinger of the direction changer is also there, that was operated by a removeable key one can see on the side. The black box covers the pressure switch to regulate the compressor. On the left side of the driver there were the 600 V switches for the heating, the generator and the compressor. Behind is the 24 V switch of the servo. Even behind is the aplifier of the microphone.
On the box one can see cushion: this means, that often with the steering, the driver can hit his elbow in it...

By the reparation and reconstructional works in the '80s, large part of different equippment was modified on the ZIU-9 type:

the original outside lamps were changed to Ikarus-200 type (round in the front, rectangular in the rear), as well as the hight signallisation;
the lights were operated by a Bosch-key instead of switches;
the inner lights were also changed to Ikarus type;
the welding of the outer body was also modified, which gave a different outside look to the trolleybuses;
the regulation of the doors became pneumatic, instead of the 24 V motors. The uncomfortable switches were changed to buttons. The signalling lights were built in these buttons;
the lights in the stairs were dismantled;
with these changes the control panel was simplified, and the number of the switches reduced (there are differences between the fleet of the Hungarian cities). On many cars the speedmeter¹ was removed;
the rear trolley pulling motors were also dismantled;
in the '90s the trolleybuses obtained plastic covered aluminum "sport-collectors"² instead of the heavy iron trolleys. With this the rear ladder has also disappeared;
the original steering mechanism was replaced with Ikarus steering weels. Originally the hidraulic cylinder of the servo was below the floor, but with this replacement it moved right under the steering wheel (basically between the legs of the driver);
originally hydraulic pump of the servo was driven by a 24 V motor, which was changed to 600 V motor in Budapest. Thus the "easy" steering³ is ceased, if there is no voltage (or the trolleys are derailed). In Szeged and Debrecen, the servo motor was not modified;
in Budapest the driver's seat is exchanged to IFA-type seat with suspension;
the heating and the ventillator in the driver's cabin is also supressed. In Budapest, the steering servo was connected to the 600 V switch of the heating. In Debrecen and Szeged there are only three 600 V switches remained;
in the end of the '90s the ZIUs were reconstructed already with Ikarus side windows in Budapest.

1 - the ZIUs had originally speedmeter, however almost right after their delivery it had to be disconnected, since its generator was placed mechanically in a dangerous place;
2 - the "sport-collectors" are produced by the same company, who produces the rods for athletics. However with these lighter trolleys one can also drive more "sporty"...
3 - everything is relative... Though one can turn the steering weel when the trolleybus is standing on the ZIU-9, still the steering takes a job of the two hands, as the steering wheel is much "heavier" than e.g. on the new Ikarus-400 types. However if there is a malfunction of the steering servo, it takes all the forces of the driver to turn at even a moderate curve.

Zoltán Ádám Németh

This is a photo of the recent look of the driver's cabin of the ZIU-9 trolleybuses in Budapest.

Nowadays on the dashboard there are only the different meters and the switches of the windscreen wiper. On the control panel there are 12 switches, the buttons of the doors and the starting signal and the hole of the Bosch-key. There are separate buttons to operate all doors above the panel, and a light which signals when somebody operates the emergency bell (to avoid the confusion with the bell, that signals the lack of line voltage and the derailment of the trolleys).

ZIU-9 trolleybuses in Szeged

In the southern Hungarian city of Szeged the first trolleybus line was opened on 29th April 1979, which was the line 5 between Bartók tér and Újszeged. The network, that more or less operates today was finished by 1985. The city was purchasing mainly ZIU-9 trolleybuses between 1979 and 1986. Alltogether there were 47 such trolleybuses in the fleet of the Szeged Transportation Company (SzKV, later SzKT), with the numbers 9-111 - 9-157. In 1982, three trolleybuses were borrowed from Budapest (810, 844, 852), and in 1984 three other trolleybuses were even bought from Budapest (826, 830, 854 -> 9-140 - 9-142), which were probably refurbished at the same year.

The ZIU-9 trolleybuses bought by the SzKV:

year 1979 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986

number of new trolleybuses 9 7 10 2 1 12* 6

fleet numbers 9-111-9-119 9-120-9-126 9-127-9-136 9-137-9-138 9-139 9-140-9-151 9-152-9-157

* - 3 trolleybuses bought from the BKV (ex 826, 830, 854)

From 1985, the more modern ZIU-682 type trolleybuses arrived to the city (from 9-143). The most remarkable difference of these cars is the elevated rear section, which can be reached by two steps (the original ZIU-9 types have lowered rear platform behind the rear section). Similarly to the story of the Budapest ZIU-9 trolleybuses, here also many parts were changed to Ikarus types during the reconstructional works of the aging fleet. However the small differences of many parts of the trolleybuses made the fleet still colorful: e.g. for a long time here some trolleybuses were operating with the original iron-trolley bars, or the hight signalizing lamps were differently installed on many cars.

In 1994, the 9-147 was converted to a learner trolleybus.

Today (2003) in Szeged there are only ten ZIU-9 trolleybuses still in passanger service, all of them became a refurbishment in the end of the '90s, getting green-white liveries. These are the trolleybuses 9-133, 9-137, 9-144, 9-146, 9-148 - 9-153. Some of them were reconstructed in Budapest. The very last four red ZIU-9 trolleybuses in passenger service were sold to the city of Kirow, in Russia.

Scrapping at the SzKV/SzKT:

year 1988 1992 1993 1996 1998 2001 2002 2003

number of scrapped trolleybuses 3 4 8 3 1 12 2 3

In the year of 2003, there are 10 ZIU-9 + 1 learner car remained in the fleet.

Detailed fleet data


The trolleybus 9-112 in its original state. The first batch of trolleybuses in Szeged had already round lamps, but the indexlamps were still below the lamps in the front, and behind the first door on the side.	The 9-115 from behind, again in its original state. One can see the original three-lamp outfit, and the non-used trolley pulling device, which was soon dismantled. However the ladder in the rear remained on many trolleybuses even until the end of the '90s.

The 9-143 is allready from the second series (ZIU-682 type), being the first of the 1985 batch. Near the round lamps, the indexlamps were on the side in the front, and in front of the first door on the side. This trolleybus has already has a higher rear platform.	The 9-115, after the first capital reconstruction. The reconstruction has started already in the '80s, installing many Ikarus parts. One can see e.g. the new arrangements of the frontal lights, and the wider dashboards, which was not common in Budapest.
Dávid Bóhus	Gábor Lehóczky
The 9-139 in 2002, with a little strange looking arrangements of current collectors, after not properly setting the switch in good direction. (Well, sometimes the not equally long collectors make not just disadvantage...) The second batch of ZIUs were also repaired with Ikarus parts.	One of the ten trolleybuses refurbished in the end of the '90s, which already obtained the new green-white liveries (naturally these ten trolleybuses are still slightly different with respect the stripes and shades). On the picture is the 9-151 in 2003.
Zoltán Izsó	Dávid Bóhus
The 9-146 on line 8, which turns back inside the garage. One can see the raised rear platform, that can be reached through two steps. There is a little difference also in the recengular rear lamps: in Budapest these are sitting, while in the other Hungarian cities' fleet these are standing (the lights are not perfectly square, but rectengular shaped).	The trolleybus 9-147 was converted to learner car, thus it obtained zebra-striped liveries on the side. On the Szeged ZIUs, the hight signalling lights are sometimes standing, sometimes laying, though on many cars they remained on their original position.

The ZIU-9 trolleybuses of Debrecen

The third trolleybus system of Hungary's post-war history was opened in the eastern city of Debrecen. The opening ceremony was on 25th April 1985, when the line 2 was put in service between Segner tér and the Köztemető (cemetary). For the opening ten ZIU trolleybuses were purchased by the Debrecen Transportation Company (DKV), from the ZIU-682UV type, which was a succesor of the ZIU-9 type at the time. Until 1989 the fleet has increased to 37 trolleybuses, amongst them were three which came used from Budapest. The arriving trolleybuses obtained fleet numbers 9-301 - 9-337.

The ZIU fleet of the DKV:

year 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989

number of new trolleybuses 10 2 10 2 3*

fleet numbers 9-301 - 9-320 9-321 - 9-322 9-323 - 9-332 9-333 - 9-334 9-335 - 9-337

* came from Budapest (ex BKV 818, 823, 824)

In Debrecen - as in the other Hungarian cities - many parts were changed to Hungarian made Ikarus types. All trolleybuses came already with elevated rear platform, supressing the dangerous gradient of the floor in the end. The three ex-BKV cars were also converted like that (?). From the fleet, the 9-310 was scrapped because of an accident in 1990, its electrical equippment was mounted to an ex-Ikarus prototype, which became the trolleybus DKV 400.

In the second part of the '90s the city council was seriously thinking to close the trolleybus network, and purchase new gas-buses. The closure of line 4A in 2000 was the direct consequence of this politics, though the catenary is still in place. The DKV has stopped the reparation works of the ZIU trolleybuses, and started to scrap the vehicles. Despite this, still general state of the trolleybuses in Debrecen are the best maintained amongst the Hungarian cities. In 2002 it seems that the policy is changing, and some low-floor test trolleybuses were invited for demonstration. However, there are still no sign of intending to buy new cars, so the fate of the trolleybus is still uncertain in this city.

Scrapping of ZIU trolleybuses at the DKV:

year 1990 1999 2000 2001 2002

number of scrapped vehicles 1 2 1 2 5

In 2003 there are 26 ZIUs in the fleet.

Detailed fleet data

	Dániel Szigeti
The 9-315 in its original state in front of the railway station. One can see the modernized look of the ZIUs: the index is on the side of the frontal lights. The height lamps are built in above the windsreen, which were later moved to the roof.	The 9-327 in the garage, in 2000. The indexlamps remained in front of the frontal doors on the side, even after reconstructions.
Gábor Szelényi	Bálint Hajtó
The 9-327 in the '90s, on the line 4A, which is closed at the time. Not just in Debrecen, but also in Budapest there were experiment with mechanical trolley pulling device (similar to the GVMs). However this was not working on ZIUs, since the irregularities of the road causes more bounces on ZIUs than on full pneumatic-suspension trolleybuses. Thus often the device operated without cause. On this photo there are no ropes, just the device is visible.	The 9-313 at the terminus Segner tér, in 2002. These cars had eleveted rear platform, so in the rear door there are two steps too. Though there is less chance of accidents this way, the head of standing passangers are often very close to the roof. The horizontal bars and handles are also placed higher.
Balázs Dénes	Zoltán Gábor Németh
The 9-328 was repainted to green in 2000.	In the interior of 9-328 there were more comfortable seats installed.

Every comment is welcomed!

Written by: Zoltán Ádám Németh

year	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1982	1984
number of new trolleybuses	2	54	36	14	16	25	25	1
fleet numbers	800-801	802-855	856-891	892-905	906-921	922-946	947-971	972

year	1984	1987	1988	1989	1990	1993	1994	1995	1996	1998	1999	2001	2002	2003
number of scrapped vehicles	8*	6	6**	5	24	17	1	12	9	6	8	6	10	3

	ZIU 9/B
full length	11 880 mm
width	2500 mm
height (without current collector)	3160 mm
axle distance	6025 mm
weight (without load)	10050 kg
seats/standing places (5 persons/m²)	32/65
doors	1-2-2
motor type	DK 210 A-3
output	110 kW


The original driver's place of the ZIU-9. One can see the MAZ-type steering wheel, and the original look of the control panels. The four meters are measuring the pressure of the two pneumatic circuit, the speed, and there is also a regular clock built in. Below these there are the Ampermeter and the Voltmeter of the 24 V secondary circuit, and the doors' signals.	The original look of the switches for operating the doors, lights, bells and the heating. Originally there was no bell for signalling the closure of the doors, which is obligatory in Hungary. Thus a red button for this ring was inserted below.

The seat, and below a box that contained the actual coupling cylinders of the accelerator and the (rheostatic) brake. The cylinger of the direction changer is also there, that was operated by a removeable key one can see on the side. The black box covers the pressure switch to regulate the compressor.	On the left side of the driver there were the 600 V switches for the heating, the generator and the compressor. Behind is the 24 V switch of the servo. Even behind is the aplifier of the microphone. On the box one can see cushion: this means, that often with the steering, the driver can hit his elbow in it...

year	1979	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986
number of new trolleybuses	9	7	10	2	1	12*	6
fleet numbers	9-111-9-119	9-120-9-126	9-127-9-136	9-137-9-138	9-139	9-140-9-151	9-152-9-157

year	1988	1992	1993	1996	1998	2001	2002	2003
number of scrapped trolleybuses	3	4	8	3	1	12	2	3

ZIU-9 trolleybuses in Budapest

The last (ZIU-9V type) trolleybus: the 972

ZIU-9 trolleybuses without handbrakes

A ZIU from Szeged in the Budapest fleet

Microprocessor driven ZIUs

Learner cars

The equippment and the technical details of the ZIU-9 trolleybuses

ZIU-9 trolleybuses in Szeged

The ZIU-9 trolleybuses of Debrecen