Waggon- und Maschinenbau GmbH Donauwörth railbus

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Waggon und Maschinenbau, G.m.b.H., of Donauworth railbus
standard gauge

The five British Railways Waggon und Maschinenbau railbuses were delivered in April 1958. They were based at Cambridge until 1964. They were withdrawn in 1966 and 1967.[1] Four are preserved.

Background

The WMD railbuses were 5 of the total of 22 delivered in 1958 from five manufacturers (the rest British). They were planned to have "extensive trials". The underframe, power equipment, transmission and brake gear were similar to the Uerdingen railbus, common on the German Federal Railway. They were shipped via the Harwich-Zeebrugge train ferry.[2] It was hoped they might be the answer to increasing losses on rural branch-lines. In the first year of the railbuses they saved £66,000 in operating costs, but the branches were still losing £4,000 a year (£85,000 at 2014 prices[3]). However, at the time, such losses were unacceptable, and the lines they worked were closed.[1]

Construction

The underframes were built of channel shaped cross-beams welded to flanged plate longitudinal girders. The

corrugated steel floor was welded on top.[2]

The body was formed of alloy panels rivetted on a light steel frame. Roof plates were crimped to increase rigidity. The body was suspended from four points on the frame, connected by hydraulic shock absorbers.[2]

Unlike most BR diesel units, the accelerator was foot controlled. Also unusual at that time, were the power operated central doors and air powered disc brakes.[2]

Operation

Initially the buses worked the

Alston Line, but couldn't haul parcels vans and had heating problems in winter. 79961 and 79964 were transferred to serve Millers Dale in 1966, but that branch closed in 1967. M79961 was the last to be withdrawn in August 1967[2] and was scrapped at Rotherham in 1968.[4]

Preservation

E79963 at Windpump crossing, Kelling Heath, North Norfolk Railway, in 2001

The other 4 buses have been preserved. They have been transferred a number of times between preserved railways. In 1966 79960 and 63 were sold to the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway Society (later North Norfolk). In 1976 79963's AEC engine failed and was replaced. 79962 and 64 were bought by Keighley and Worth Valley Railway in 1967. To solve a problem with them slipping, they were turned round, so that the driving axle was at the rear on the uphill runs.[4]

Vehicle no. Location Comments
79960 Ribble Steam Railway Operational.[5]
79962
Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
 under extensive overhaul.[6]
79963
East Anglia Railway Museum
 Operational.[7]
79964
Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
 Operational.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c Railway Magazine January 1968 pp. 4-9 J M Tolson: Too little, too light and too late - A survey of British Railways diesel railbuses
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Railway Magazine July 1958 pp. 499-501 German Railbuses for British Railways
  3. ^ Bank of England inflation calculator
  4. ^ a b Basil Hancock, Murray Brown (August 1979). "Railbuses extant". Railway Magazine. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  5. ^ http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=2068 [dead link]
  6. ^ http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=2069 [dead link]
  7. ^ http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=2070 [dead link]
  8. ^ http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=2071 [dead link]

External links

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