David Slater (Spoddendale)'s photos with the keyword: Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern

Tuesday 5 May 1981 - Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) ticket machine and timetable board at Schweizerhofquai/Seebrücke in Luzern. The main display is in German but Italian, French, English and Spanish options can be read on the sides of the machine.

Monday 4 May 1981 – Luzern bus station from my room at the Hotel Monopol, the main railway station is to the right. The twin spires of the church of St. Leodegar can be seen across the water of Vierwaldstättersee (Lake Luzern) (behind the taller tree). This was a business trip to our regional office located close to the church and they did me proud by requesting a room offering this magnificent view (except that the opportunity to view it was limited). Some of the blue buses of Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) can be seen, an artic trolleybus heads towards the bottom of the photo. Above it is a diesel version awaiting to turn into the bus station and beyond that are two rigid trolleybuses. Beyond the concourse are a couple more diesel buses of VBL plus a cream bus perhaps working a contract for VBL.

Monday 4 May 1981 – Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) operated similar styled Hess bodied articulated buses in trolleybus and motor bus styles. One of the latter was standing in the main bus station. The stone building above the trailing section is the Hotel Monopol where I stayed during this trip. My room (possibly on the top floor) offered a great view of the bus station area!

Monday 4 May 1981 – Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) operated similar styled Hess bodied articulated buses in trolleybus and motor bus styles. One of the latter was waiting to turn into the main bus station. The stone building above the leading section is the Hotel Monopol where I stayed during this trip. My room (possibly on the top floor) offered a great view of the bus station area!

Friday 13 November 1987 – I have always considered this Van Hool bodied Volvo B9M to have been operated by Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) rather than a contractor. VBL did employ a small number of contractors to work some of its services. Numbered 42 (LU 15002) was seen at Brüelstrasse (Kreuzbuchstrasse) having arrived on service 24 from Adligenswil just before the destination blind was changed to read service 25 to Piuskirche. Service 24 at least had been introduced since my visit six years earlier.

Friday 13 November 1987 – Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) 46, a Hess bodied NAW, seen at Brüelstrasse (Kreuzbuchstrasse) having arrived from Adligenswil on service 24. It was now actually loading for service 25 to Piuskirche on service 25.

Monday 4 May 1981 – Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) 82 and 103 had just departed from the bus station outside the main railway station and were awaiting the green light from the traffic signals. 82, a Hess bodied FBW, was one of the older buses in fleet at the time whereas 103, a Hess bodied Volvo, was one of the newest. The railway station was remodelled in the late 1980s and the fine archway visible in the background was moved forward into the centre of the bus station area to become a stand alone monument.

Monday 4 May 1981 – Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) 93 standing in the bus station outside the main railway station. It was one of the older buses in the VBL fleet at the time, a Hess bodied FBW I think. The railway station was remodelled in the late 1980s and the fine archway visible in the background was moved forward into the centre of the bus station area to become a stand alone monument.

Monday 4 May 1981 – The drivers cab of a Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) motor bus that was working on an ‘Uberlandlinien’ service. Tickets for travel on the city services had to be purchased from streetside ticket dispensers but for ‘Uberlandlinien’ (country services) buses operated in the traditional ‘pay as you enter’ manner. Note the tachograph as well as the timepiece below it (Swiss manufactured no doubt).

Tuesday 5 May 1981 – The twin spires of the Church of St. Leodegar stand in the background behind Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) 110. A Hess bodied Volvo which was heading into the city centre during the morning peak. I love the continental practice of buses carrying flags on special days and 110 has two mounted on the front dome.

Thursday 12 November 1987 – Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) 114, a Ramsier und Jenzer bodied Volvo B10M, seen at the main bus/railway station in Luzern.

Thursday 12 November 1987 – Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) 115 (LU 15009), a Ramsier und Jenzer bodied Volvo B10M, seen leaving the main bus/railway station in Luzern.

Thursday 12 November 1987 – It was unusual to see a Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) trolleybus without a seated driver in the city centre. Operating cross town services the trolleybuses normally rolled up, set down and picked up and zoomed off again to prevent holding up those following. For some reason the driver was appearing to walk away from his vehicle but he was instantly back in his seat as there was already another trolleybus behind. 151, an Emmelmann bodied Büssing, carried a gold badge claiming it was a ‘Kilometer millionar’. Not sure how old it now was but the type was the oldest of Luzern’s trolleybuses at the time. Rather than having a level horizontal profile these articulated models had an unusual ‘broken back’ look with the towed section drooping below the line of the leading section. The four passenger doors each had a retractable step which folded up when the door closed.

Friday 13 November 1987 – Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) buses at Brüelstrasse (Kreuzbuchstrasse). Emmelmann bodied Büssing trolleybus 157 was working towards the city centre and onward to Emmenbrücke on service 2. Across the road is Van Hool bodied Volvo B9M number 42 working service 24 to a rural village, perhaps now suburb, of Adligenswil – a service which had been introduced since my visit six years earlier. VBL did employ a small number of contractors to work some of its periphery services although I have always considered to have been operated by VBL rather than a contractor.

Tuesday 5 May 1981 – Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) Emmelmann bodied Büssing trolleybus 161 seen on Schweizerhofquai in Luzern working towards the city centre and onward to Emmenbrücke. Not sure how old it now was but the type was the oldest of Luzern’s trolleybuses at the time. Rather than having a level horizontal profile these articulated models had an unusual ‘broken back’ look with the towed section drooping below the line of the leading section. I love the continental practice of buses carrying flags on special days and 161 has two mounted on the front dome.

Tuesday 5 May 1981 – Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) Emmelmann bodied Büssing trolleybus 161 seen crossing Seebrücke in Luzern city centre when working a journey during the morning peak on cross city service 2 from Emmenbrücke to Würzenbach. Not sure how old it now was but the type was the oldest of Luzern’s trolleybuses at the time. Rather than having a level horizontal profile these articulated models had an unusual ‘broken back’ look with the towed section drooping below the line of the leading section.

Thursday 12 November 1987 – Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) Emmelmann bodied Büssing trolleybus 162 picking up at the central bus/railway station. The four passenger doors, which remained closed until a passenger pressed a button to open them, each had a retractable step dropped as the doors opened and rose up when they closed. The lady boarding has her finger on the button as she almost vaults up the steps.

Tuesday 5 May 1981 – Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) rigid trolleybus 214 seen at Schweizerhofquai/Seebrücke in Luzern working cross city service 4 from Wesemlin to Hubelmatt. One of the Büssing articulated trolleybuses is directly behind. Both buses are carrying local flags, a tradition on special days.