30th October, 1956
MEMO TO THE WORKS & EQUIPMENT COMMITTEE.
ECONOMIC OPERATION FOR RAIL PASSENGER
SERVICES IN RURAL
AREAS.
With reference to joint memorandum dated 24th August 1956, approved by Works and Committee Minute 743 (Item 24), and to B.T.C. Minute 9/474 authorising the purchase, for trial purposes, of 20 lightweight diesel rail buses at an estimated cost of £240,000; five contractors have now submitted designs and tenders, the essential details of which are shown on the attached appendices.
At a meeting between the representatives of the Railways Central Staff and those of the General Managers on the 18th October, 1956, the designs and prices were fully discussed, and the following allocations of orders was recommended:-
| Region | Total | Tendered | |||||||||||||
| Firm | Vehicles | Price | Total | ||||||||||||
| E. | Sc. | L.M. | W. | £ | £ | ||||||||||
| Waggon und Maschinenbau Donauworth |
2 | 3 | - | - | 5 | 13,888 | ) ) |
78,380 | |||||||
| Import duty 10% | 1,388 | ) | |||||||||||||
| Carriage & Shipping | 400 | ) | |||||||||||||
| Wickhams Ltd. | 3 | - | 3 | - | 6 | 11,500 | 69,000 | ||||||||
| A.C. Cars Ltd. | - | 4 | - | 3 | 7 | 10,000 | 70,000 | ||||||||
| Bristol Commercial Vehicles Ltd. |
- | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 11,000 | ) | ||||||||
| Development charges for prototype |
10,000 | ) ) |
32,000 | ||||||||||||
| 5 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 20 | £ | 249,380 | |||||||||
The decision to recommend the purchase of five vehicles from the German firm of Waggon und Maschinenbau, Donauworth, in spite of the considerably higher price and the greater weight, was influenced by the following considerations:-
(a) It was considered essential, in view of the large numbers of similar types of vehicle operating with success over the German State Railways, that vehicles of an exactly similar design (Uerdingen), built within the British Railways' rolling gauge, should form part of the experiment.
(b) Although the submission made by the British firm of Park Royal Vehicles followed the Uerdingen design in all respects except the power equipment, it was considered preferable to have vehicles actually designed and manufactured in Germany, particularly since the delivery offered by the form of W.M.D. was five months in advance of that offered by Park Royal Vehicles.
(c) The availability of the Uerdingen type of vehicle would enable a more definite assessment of the comparative qualities of riding and performance to be made with the more experimental designs offered by the other firms.
Memo to the
Works & Equipment
Committee
30th November 1956