TO ENTER THE 2024 HASTINGS HALF MARATHON AND MINIRUN - Please click on the link below
https://www.nice-work.org.uk/races/HastingsHalf/2024
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RESULTS FOR THE 2023 HASTINGS HALF MARATHON AND MINIRUN - Please click on the link below
https://www.nice-work.org.uk/races/HastingsHalf/2023
Happy Harold is a restored 1928 trolleybus that
is a regular feature in carnivals and other events around the town.
Returning to the town in July 1980 after restoration,
this open-decked trolleybus was the sole survivor of a group of eight such
vehicles.
On the first of April 1928
Hastings was in the forefront of transport technology, the ageing fleet of
tramcars on their worn out track was being replaced with trolleybuses.
At the time, the fleet of 50
single deck and 8 open-top trolleybuses was one of the largest in the country
but what made the fleet unique was the 8 open-toppers, no other town in the
whole world had purpose-built open top double deck trolleybuses.
After the war this unique vehicle
languished at the back of Bulverhythe Tram Depot (which is still there as
Coleman's soft-drinks depot on Bexhill Road, St.Leonards) and was faced with an
uncertain future until Hastings Tramways decided to revive the pre-war
tradition of decking out vehicles with lights to celebrate special events – in
this case the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II , and so, with seats restored
and the ‘bus painted in a ‘Royal Maroon' and cream livery and proudly proclaiming
that it was 25 years old this unique vehicle re-entered service carrying a
placard above the cab proclaiming the new Queen, this was later replaced with a
life-size cut-out of the Conqueror and in typical Hastings fashion the vehicle
was unofficially renamed "Happy Harold” rather than any allusion to William!
The open-topper proved to be an
enormous success and was in service right up to the end of the system in mid
1959
In 1980 Hastings Borough Council
acquired the vehicle for £1000 to ensure its survival and it appeared at
rallies promoting Hastings Tourism.
When you see "Happy Harold” try
to imagine it in its heyday, before the noisy diesel engine was fitted -
silent, energy efficient and non-polluting, using no energy at all whilst
standing still and even producing electricity through its regenerative braking
and then remember it was built 80 years ago and ask yourself, have we really
made any progress at all with public transport.