GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Warwick Station: gwrw2651

This six wheel Morris Commercial (ex War Department) lorry chassis was originally allocated No 1115 when purchased by the Great Western Railway from government surplus vehicle stock following the First World War. The vehicle was fitted out as an omnibus with twelve seats for passengers and from the Summer of 1925 was used on the Devils Bridge, Plynlimmon to Llanidloes tourist service. The tourist excursion started in Aberystwyth and reached Devils Bridge via the Vale of Rheidol narrow gauge railway where passengers transferred to the bus and travelled off-road to the summit. Although the vehicle had an eight speed gearbox the service was not reliable and was terminated after the summer of 1928. The prefix letters of the registration number plate YX3055 indicates a London allocation between July and October 1928, which probably reflects when the vehicle was converted for goods service. This photograph taken at the Warwick Royal Show in July 1931, has been posed as location and the modified horse drawn trailer No 3553 is the same as that in image 'gwrw2025'.

Robert Ferris

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