In Memory of Kiev Trams + Photo Gallery of Trams and Trolleybuses:: Photo Galleries:: Trolleybuses:: T1 — from missiles to trolleybuses

T1 — FROM MISSILES TO TROLLEYBUSES

Part 1 (4402–4410)

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When importing trolleybuses became a near impossibility, own production in Kiev was organized. "Restored" is a better word, in fact: In the past, large quantities of quite decent trams and trolleybuses were manufactured in Kiev. Alas, the times and the people were gone. KZET (Kiev Electric Transportation Factory) came up with an articulated trolleybus, the Kiev-11, and its short version, Kiev-11U; however, it didn't really work: Both models were of quite bad quality. They ran in Kiev for a short time only.

The second attempt was made in Dnepropetrovsk and was, generally, a success. YuMZ (Yuzhny Mashinostroitelny Zavod, i.e., South Machine-Building Plant), famous in the Soviet times for the missiles it produced, started making trolleybuses based on the Kiev-11 (it's all but impossible to distinguish them with an inexperienced eye), but of much better quality. The new model came to be known as YuMZ-T1.

The first T1s came to Kiev in January 1993 and were dispatched to Depot No. 4. A new series was not opened for them; instead, the enumeration of the DAC's was continued. The last DAC was 4401, hence the first T1 got the number 4402. However, a month later there was a transit strike, as a result of which Depot No. 4 was temporarily disbanded; 4402 and 4403, which had arrived by then, got transferred to Depot No. 2. All the subsequent T1's came directly to said depot. "By inertia", they continued to be numbered 44**; eventually, however, the 24** series was began. According to some sources, 4411–4415 existed at first and got renumbered later, the first digit being replaced with 2. That's how a somewhat awkward enumeration came into existence: 4402–4410, 2411–2457.

Some of the more old T1's have already been retired. The rest can be seen on most of the routes that Depot No. 2 serves.

4402In Trolleybus Depot No. 2, out of service. It wasn't retired, though, and ran up to 2003.
[Aare Olander, 16.06.1998]
4403
4404At the Chernobylskaya loop of route 7??
[Norman Griffiths, 27.06.1994]
4405On route 5, making a left turn from Severno-Syretskaya onto Marshala Grechko. The wires for a right turn, which are visible in the picture, were used from 1991 through 1993 by route 32, which back then connected the Kristall plant with the residential area of Vinogradar.
[Anton, 28.03.2005]
4406In Depot No. 2, seemingly after retirement.
[Aare Olander, 16.06.1998]
4407Same place, apparently same state.
[Aare Olander, 16.06.1998]
4408On route 5, crossing Internatsionalnaya Ploschad. Wires of route 23, along Ul. Stetsenko, are visible.
[Norman Griffiths, 28.06.1994]
4409On Vladimirskaya, on the around-the-block loop of route 5. In the background is the old building of the Vernadsky Library, which currently houses the periodicals division.
[Aare Olander, 02.08.1997]
4410***
[Norman Griffiths, 23.07.1994]

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© Stefan Mashkevich, Aare Olander, Alexander Chernov, and authors of photos, 2006–2009
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Last updated 28 August 2006