GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

GWR Route: North Warwickshire Line

Birmingham Snow Hill Station: gwrbsh1369

The Dudley Diesel Railcar No 33 is seen in 1947 waiting at Platform 6 on one of the two scheduled daily turns between Snow Hill Station and the Black Country town. This Railcar was one of fifteen built by the Great Western Railway at their Swindon Works to the AEC specification (Diagram A1). They were designed for branch line or local passenger services with seating for 48 people plus an extended luggage compartment and were to be capable of hauling an additional load of 60 tons (equivalent to two standard coaches). Railcar No 33 was officially brought into service on 3rd March 1941 and was initially allocated to Worcester Shed. In 1947, No 33 was allocated to Stourbridge Shed together with Diesel Railcar No 8. The two Diesel Railcars were regularly employed shuttling the short distance between Old Hill and Dudley, with each also making two daily forays to Birmingham Snow Hill. Diesel Railcar No 33 was condemned in August 1962 from Reading Shed (81D).

This photograph is displayed courtesy of the HMRS (Historical Model Railway Society) and copies can be ordered directly from them using the link HERE, quoting reference AEL326.

Robert Ferris

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