This historic photograph shows the first trolleybus to operate in the UK, although I understand it carried out a demonstration in Birkenhead in Jul-1909.
The Railless Electric Traction Company was registered in Jul-1908 and secured the rights to the German Schiemann current collection system, one of several around in the early years but the one that became standard.
The chassis for this vehicle was built by James and Browne in London and it was then bodied by Milnes Voss in Birkenhead where it carried out its initial trial. On 25-Sep-1909 it carried out a demonstration at the Hendon depot of MET where it is seen here. Despite signage on the side referring to a route from The Burroughs via Hendon to Golders Green station, it only ran within the depot and trolleybuses would not operate in London until 1931.
