GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

GWR Route: North Warwickshire Line

Tyseley Shed: gwrt2991

Great Western Railway Diesel Railcar No 4 outside Tyseley repair shop with engine access covers removed on Sunday 2nd June 1935. Following the success of the prototype No 1, the Great Western Railway immediately ordered six more similar Diesel Railcars from the Associated Equipment Company Ltd (AEC) in February 1934. The first three of these Streamlined Diesel Railcars were for a new twice daily long distance express business service between Birmingham Snow Hill and Cardiff General, which was scheduled to commence on Monday 9th July 1934. Diesel Railcar No 2 was allocated to Tyseley Shed (TYS) arriving at Birmingham on Wednesday 4th July in time for a trial run with various dignitaries and the press on Friday 6th July. Diesel Railcar No 3 was allocated to Cardiff Shed (CDF), but did not arrive there until Tuesday 17th July requiring the morning trip from Cardiff and afternoon trip from Birmingham to be worked by a special train for the first week. Diesel Railcar No 4 was also allocated to Tyseley Shed arriving on Thursday 22nd September 1934. The three Diesel Railcars successfully operated the Birmingham to Cardiff express service (with one acting as a spare) until just after the outbreak of the Second World War when the service was ceased. Diesel Railcar No 4 had completed 231,584 miles by 30th March 1940 and was located at Stourbridge and Stratford sheds during the hostilities, before moving to South Wales in January 1947 and being allocated to Landore Shed (LDR) in May 1947. Diesel Railcar No 4 remained in South Wales under British Railways ownership with mileage recorded as 391,276 on 30th December 1950 and was eventually withdrawn from Ebbw Junction Shed in July 1958. The Diesel Railcar was preserved by the National Railway Museum and is currently loaned as a permanent static display at Steam – The Museum of the Great Western Railway at Swindon.

Robert Ferris

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