0-148-gcr-petrol-railcar-1

Sam Fay, General Manager of the Great Central Railway (GCR), had been impressed by the performance of petrol-electric railcars in Hungary and the rest of Europe. This led to the purchase of a petrol-electric bogie railcar from Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co. in Manchester in 1912. The car's body was constructed by United Electric Car Co. of Preston.
A central entrance vestibule divided the car into two passenger compartments. Both were third class with rattan-covered reversible seats. The GCR finished the railcar in teak with gold lining but without a running number. The LNER retained the teak livery and gave it the number of No. 51709 in 1923.

The exact delivery date is unknown but is thought to have been in early 1912. Initial trials were based in the Manchester area, and press inaugural trips operated between Marylebone and South Harrow on 28th March. Little is known about the railcar's early duties, but it appears likely that it was used for rush hour suburban services out of Marylebone. By 1914, the railcar was based at Dinting and operated the Glossop branch.

In an attempt to compete against increasing road traffic after World War 1, the railcar was used on a new shuttle service from August 1921 between Macclesfield Central and Bollington. This resulted in the railcar earning the local name of the "Bollington Bug".

The railcar continued to operate this shuttle service for fourteen years, and was finally withdrawn on 6th July 1935.

Requires chassis, bogies etc.



N scale(1/148)