THE FIRST OF 22 RAILBUSES FOR EXPERIMENTAL USE IN RURAL
AREAS
British Railways have taken delivery of the first of 22
lightweight diesel railbuses which are to be given extensive trials on selected rural
areas.
The vehicle was designed and built by Messrs. A.C. Cars Ltd.,
of Thames Ditton, Surrey (one of a number of manufacturers who are building these
railbuses), to the requirements of the British Transport Commission. It is a
four-wheeled vehicle of special lightweight construction which gives it a weight of
only 11 tons. It can seat 46 passengers in two comfortable saloons and is powered by
a single under-floor 150 h.p. bus-type engine capable of providing a maximum speed of
55 m.p.h.
The 21 railbuses still on order are being built by:-
Park Royal Vehicles Ltd.,
Abbey Road,
Park Royal,
London, N.W.10.
5
A.C. Cars Ltd.,
Thames Ditton,
Surrey
4
D. Wickham & Co. Ltd.,
Ware, Herts.
5
Waggon und Maschinenbau,
G.M.B.H.,
Donauworth, Germany.
5
The railbuses will normally be operated by a crew of two (driver
and guard), and will be introduced in the Eastern (5 vehicles), London Midland (4),
Scottish (9) and Western (4) Regions of British Railways. Their use may well enable
the continuation of passenger services in rural areas which cannot be run economically
with present types of diesel trains.
