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B R I T I S H   T R A N S P O R T   C O M M I S S I O N

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Telephone:
AMBASSador 7711
Extension    47

FOR PRESS INFORMATION

     Press Office,
     222, Marylebone Road,
     LONDON, N.W.1.

February 13th, 1958

BRITISH RAILWAYS NEW LIGHTWEIGHT RAILBUS

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:-

Bristol Commercial Vehicles Ltd.,
Bath Road,
Brislington,
Bristol 4.
2

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.

Press Release:
"New
Lightweight
Railbus"
13th February 1958

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