Historic trolleybuses to make triumphant return to Black Country Living Museum after £272k funding restored

The Black Country Living Museum has secured funding to restore its trolleybuses and extend the line - meaning visitors will be able to enjoy a unique nostalgic trip along a 1950s street in an authentic period trolleybus.

The beloved museum in Dudley secured £272,000 from the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund for the project.

It will see three locally built trolleybuses return to operation, running through the Museum’s 1940s–60s High Street, creating a unique visitor experience and celebrating the region’s role in early electric transport.

The trolleybus network has been out of operation for over three years due to infrastructure issues.

According to the Black Country Living Museum, the funding will ensure its long-term future and protects an important part of its transport collection.

The museum said: “The announcement comes at a pivotal moment for the region.

“Later this year, Dudley will be reconnected to the national rail and tram network through the arrival of the West Midlands Metro, linking the town directly to Birmingham and Wolverhampton and transforming how people travel across the Black Country.

“Once complete, the Museum will become the only place in the UK where visitors can experience historic trolleybuses running through an authentic mid-century streetscape - a living, moving piece of history in the very communities that helped shape it.”

The public can support the project by making a donation. You can make a donation by clicking here.