GWR Route: The North Warwickshire Line

GWR Route: Stratford Upon Avon to Hatton

Stratford on Avon Station: gwrsa502a

Close up of image 'gwrsa502' showing the auto-trailer standing at the down platform whilst staff and passengers wait to board the service to Honeybourne. The use of auto-trailers, which were powered by a steam locomotive permanently coupled at one end of the coach and had a driver's cabin at the other end, allowed the GWR to provide services for lightly loaded lines and routes. Being permanently fixed in this configuration meant that there was no need to move the locomotive from one end of the coach to another when the train had arrived at its terminus thereby saving time and labour. The fireman would remain in the locomotive irrespective of the direction of travel whilst the driver would operate the locomotive through linkages and vacuum powered controls from the driving cabin when travelling coach first.

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