Black Country Museum

The Black Country Living Museum, to give it its full title, is much more than a trolleybus, or even transport, museum. Besides the trolleybuses, it encompasses trams, canals, old buildings, village life, and working exhibits such as stationary steam engines. Thus is is a full day out rather than a few trolleybus rides; hence expect to pay more than the average to get in. It is situated in the Black Country in Dudley, West Midlands; visit their website at www.bclm.co.uk or the Transport Group direct at www.bcmtg.co.uk .

Every two years, the BCM holds a 'Trolleybus Galore' event, where visiting trolleybuses are invited to run on its overhead, currently the longest trolleybus route in Great Britain. The shots below were taken at this event in the years 2000 and 2004.

In a later change of policy, the Museum only allowed vehicles with a Black Country connection to run on the system. In 2014/2015, they repainted Bradford 735 into Walsall livery. The result can be seen below.

	The top turning circle full of trolleys! This was the Trolley Event in 2000. From left to right: Wolverhampton 433, Walsall 862, Derby 237 and Bradford 792.
	This rather unique vehicle is Bournemouth 202, converted to an Open Topper for tours round the seaside town. Here she is seen at the town terminus of the BCM in 2000.
	A newcomer to the trolleybus operating scene in 2004 was Manchester 1344. A very nice addition to the fleet!
	1344 had been in store for some considerable time, but was in very good condition, and apparently needed little to get her roadworthy.
	Also new was Belfast 246. This vehicle had been lovingly restored at Carlton Colville, but the unusual hydraulic braking system had defeated even their experts. She was therefore brought to BCM for this work to be undertaken. Seen here before doing a demonstration run without passengers. In the background are Wolverhampton 433 and Britain's last trolleybus, Bradford 844.
	Recently outshopped in 2004 was the Museum's open-top double-deck Wolverhampton tram, number 49. Again only doing test runs at the time, it is seen here adjacent to the Museum's Wolverhampton trolleybus, 433.