Silent SELNEC Seddon : Silent Rider EX61 : XVU 387M

            Another of Roger Hall's photographs that are shown here with his consent and this one is the experimental battery powered Seddon, EX61, that SELNEC PTE trial operated between 1974 and 1976 - SELNEC standing for South East Lancashire North East Cheshire and a name that vanished in 1974 with the creation of the Greater Manchester Metropolitan County and the adoption of that name for the Passenger Transport Executive. 

Selnec PTE, faced with a multiplicity of vehicle types from its predecessor undertakings, were keen to develop a series of standard vehicles for use across the fleet and so purchased a number of different vehicles to trial and test and these were prefixed with EX in front of their fleet numbers. EX61 was arguably slightly different in that it was very experimental. The vehicle was based on a locally built RU type chassis from Seddon in Oldham and was fitted with a bank of batteries from Chloride, another local concern. The joint partnership was intended to show that such vehicles were 'up to it' in terms of passenger service and I gather taht EX61, with 4 tons of batteries, did get out and about but overall nothing was to come of this venture at the time. it was also demonstrated to other operators and at events during that time and was even shipped to Chicago for demonstration in 1977. It was one of a small number of such 'electric buses' at the time, such as the borrowed EX100 from Leyland and the other smaller Seddon that was trialled at a time of the Oil Crisis and rising fuel prices. It is slightly odd to think that this heavy lead-acid battery caper was taking place as Britain last electrically powered trolleybus systems were being abandoned.

This photo is, I think, taken in London and likely shows EX61 at some event. The vehicle was put on one side for potential preservation but, I think succumbed to vandalism in storage and so was scrapped.

Taken on: January 7, 2025

Tags:

Mike Ashworth Collection

Roger Hall Photography

electric bus

battery bus

transport

public transport

SELNEC

South East Lancashire North East Cheshire

Selnec PTE

Selnec EX61

Seddon

Chloride batteries

Silent Rider

1970s

XVU 387M

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Sets appears in: • Roger Hall's photographs • Selnec, Greater Manchester transport & Metrolink more » • Manchester • Old bus, trolleybus and tram stuff « less

Groups appears in: • UK • UK Flickr users more » • Period Photographs of Transportation (pre-1980) • Public Transportation • British Buses • Transport In The Frame • That Old Timey Feeling • A Picture of Britain • Public Transport Around the World • Older pics of Manchester • The buses group • European Buses , Trolleybuses and Tramways • Transport Photography in the UK • All Safe Pics Welcome • "U.K. Photo Gallery" ( All Welcome ) • Classic Transport • PLANET EARTH TRANSPORTATION • PLANET EARTH BACK IN THE DAY • Vintage Electric UK • Vintage Logos • Buses with roller blind screens • BUSES BUSES BUSES ..... ANYTHING TO DO WITH BUSES « less

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