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
38/58
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.