No. 45 leaves town for the last time

A PIECE of Hastings’ history left town last month when the number 45 trolleybus was taken to be restored.
The former Hastings’ single deck Guy trolley bus, dating from 1929, was returned to its owners, the National Trolleybus Association (NTA), for continued restoration.
Work started on the rare vehicle by the Hastings Trolleybus Restoration Group, almost 15 years ago.
Group chairman Ion Castro said: “We are of course very sad to see it go, but are also very pleased that restoration will proceed more quickly than we were able to do because, for the last few years, all of our efforts have being taken up with keeping Happy Harold on the road.
“We know that the NTA have plans in hand to return the vehicle to electric power and run it, in its original Hastings livery, under the wires in a museum.
“We won't be losing our contact with the vehicle and plan to send financial contributions towards its restoration as and when we can.”
Hastings replaced its tram cars with 50 of the single decker trolleybuses and eight double deckers in 1928 and 1929, and at the time was one of the largest trolleybus operators in the country.
Happy Harold is the only surviving purpose-built open top double-deck trolleybus in the world and is currently undergoing mechanical overhaul in readiness for its 80th birthday this year.
He will be the star of the show at the Hastings Trolleybus Restoration Group's annual rally on the Oval on May 18
For more information about the restoration group visit www.1066.net/trolley.