AC Cars Railbus

These five vehicles were designed and built by AC Cars Ltd., of Thames Ditton, Surrey. They were the first of the five railbus designs to be delivered.

All vehicles left the works by road and in two parts as the non-rail connected works did not have doors large enough for a completed vehicle. The underframes were likely to be united with the bodies at Swindon.

A fire in the Thames Ditton works in March '58 delayed the delivery of the four vehicles destined for the WR, meaning the highest numbered of the five was delivered first.

Sc79979 was actually the first of any of the 22 railbuses to be delivered (it was also incidentally the highest numbered vehicle of the 22). The German WM type was the first to enter service though.

On Thursday 13th February 1958 the first car, 79979, newly delivered, was exhibited at Marylebone station, and then on the 19th it was displayed at Paddington.

They operated on the ScR and WR, and were withdrawn by 1968.

For modellers, an excellent side on view is in the March 1958 Railway Observer, opposite page 83.