South Yorkshire Times, January 18, 1958
Cable Fault
Partly Blacks Out Conisbro’ and Stops Trolley Buses
Mexborough to Conisbrough trolley bus service, and left many parts of Conisbrough and Denaby without electric light for several hours on Saturday evening
The fault occurred in an under-ground cable in Denaby. A Yorkshire Electricity Board spokesman, told a “South Yorkshire Times” reporter that it bad been difficult to trace. Repair work went on throughout Sunday when the fault was located and power was restored to the “dead” trolley bus overhead lines, between the Mexborough trolley bus depot and Conisbrough in time for the service to be resumed – on Monday.
The black-out occurred at about 5 p.m, on Saturday. Shops and houses were plunged in darkness and candles were used to enable residents to complete their week-end shopping. A few shops were able to fall back on gas jets. Denaby Main Post Office was one of these and a large gas street lamp outside’ helped to make this one of the brightest spots In a gloom reminiscent of the war-time black-out.
At Denaby Main Picture House the power failure was particularly Inopportune. People were already beginning to gather outside for the “first house.” They hung about for some time before the programme and candles were used to enable residents to complete their week-end was eventually cancelled. The “second house” programme was filmed when the domestic power was restored.
For domestic and street lighting the Y.E.B. were able to restore the electricity supply later on Saturday evening, but the trolley bus t service remained without power. Several trolley buses were stranded for long periods where they had ‘stopped when the fault occurred. At one time there were seven trolley buses halted at Mexborough Toll Bar depot, and one was marooned near the Northcliffe Club Denahy for an hour or more.
The Mexborough and Swinton Traction Co, did their best to reorganise the service, switching diesel hoses onto the route as soon as possible. But many shoppers returning from Mexborough to Conisbrough and Denaby had to walk home.
On Sunday the trolley bus service was running from Mexborough as far as the Toll Bar. There passengers for Conisbrough and Denaby had to change and continue the journey by diesel buses, which maintained the normal service over the route throughout the day.
BY CANDLE-LIGHT
Conisbrough firemen were not hampered by the cut as they held their New Year Party on Saturday evening by candle-light and enjoyed the effect so much so that one fireman said they were thinking of having the room lit by candle-light next year.
A Yorkshire Electricity Board engineer told a “South Yorkshire Times” reporter that the fault had developed in a high voltage cable causing a switch to be opened at the Power Station. He said they were able to switch on the domestic supply after about 90 minutes but the testing and work involved for the trolley bus supply made them unable to resume this supply until midnight on Sunday.