Park Royal Railbus
Operations - London Midland Region
Three cars (79971-3) were delivered to the LMR at Bedford MPD (14E) in July 1958 for use on services from Bedford to Northampton and Hitchin. The depot sent two drivers and two fitters to the Region's Diesel Training School at Derby and the works of Park Royal Vehicles Ltd. These men then taught the other Bedford staff, although all staff who would drive or maintain them were expected to eventually attend courses at Derby.
Operations began on Monday the 11th August 1958 to existing steam timings. To mark the occasion one vehicle conveyed the Mayor of Bedford, Alderman A. A. Jones, and R. L. E. Lawrence, Divisional Traffic Manager, London Area LMR on a demonstration run between Bedford and Shefford. Other civic dignitaries, local industrialists and traders, and other railway officials were also carried.
At the introduction of the winter timetable the following month on September 15th the services were increased and accelerated. Eight new services were introduced between Bedford and Northampton, bringing the daily total up to eighteen, nine in each direction. Improved timings cut the overall journey time by 2-9 mins. On the Bedford - Hitchin branch services were increased from four to seven each way, with timings saving 4-12 mins. The service re-organisation also affected the Saturday 'leave train' from Henlow, which had to run empty to Shefford and wait for the railbus to pass before proceeding back to Henlow, which now only had one platform with track in situ. In October 1958 7,000 passengers were carried on these services, more than twice the amount carried in October 1957.
The image shows a Park Royal Railbus at Shefford on a demonstration run in August 1958 before the introduction of services in the Bedford area.
Despite a great increase in traffic, especially on Saturdays (a January 1959 trip saw the 1.20pm from Hitchen full from Southhill and with standing passengers from Cardington, and on Saturdays the 12.40pm from Bedford was so well patronised that it reverted to regular seam haulage), their introduction was far from trouble free, and mechanical failures dogged the vehicles. They were also prone to slipping on frosty rails and in January 1959 snow fall saw a complete reversion to steam.
They were replaced for long periods by steam push-and-pull trains (with a notable period in November 1958).
The railbuses were out of service in early July 1959 with steam push and pull again in use[1]. On 28/8/59 two pairs of Met-Camm arrived at Bedford, nominally to act as standby sets for the Northampton and Hitchin branches, but they saw steady use, although one disappeared about a month later[2]. In early November 1959 the three railbuses departed to Wolverton via Northampton, the local services to Hitchin and Northampton were then worked by the steam push-pull and new Derby sets[3] (Class 108s). Two of the railbuses possibly returned temporarily from Wolverton circa February 1960, but wherever possible the diesel twins or steam was used[4]. All three were transferred to the Scottish Region that month where they seemed to be more successful.
Although they had gone from the Bedford - Northampton line, proposals in mid-1960 to withdraw the diesel service from the line, there was feelings that a lot of potential traffic had been lost due the teething troubles of the Park Royal Railbuses on the line. Passenger services ended on the Hitchin line in Decmber 1961 and to Northampton in March 1962.
Buxton - Millers Dale
Two vehicles (79972-3) returned to the London Midland Region in December 1965 from Aviemore when the Speyside line closed, allocated to Buxton depot. They started working on the Buxton to Millers Dale branch on the 3rd January 1966. Once again numerous difficulties were encountered and they spent much time out of use. They were replaced by German railbuses 79961/4 which were transferred to Buxton in July 1966, and the two Park Royals were withdrawn by the end of the year.
The image shows M79973 in Buxton Midland station with a Millers Dale service in 1966. John Law Collection.
References
- ⋏ p237 August 1959 Railway Observer
- ⋏ p368 October 1959 Railway Observer
- ⋏ p377 December 1959 Railway Observer
- ⋏ p77 March 1960 Railway Observer
The Railway Observer is the journal of the Railway Correspondence and Travel Society