GWR Rail Cars

In 1933, the Great Western Railway introduced the first of what was to become a very successful series of railcars, which survived in regular use into the 1960s, when they were replaced with the new British Rail "first generation" type diesel multiple units.
The original design featured streamlined bodywork, which was very much the fashion at the time. The rounded lines of the first examples built led to their nickname: "flying banana". The preserved W4W is an example of the original, rounded body shape.
An odd feature of these units was the fitting of steam heating to them, which had the power to heat the railcar and another two to three coaches.
An unusual feature was the external cardan shaft drive from the gearbox on the rear of a horizontally mounted engine to road-vehicle style reduction boxes outboard of the two axles on one bogie. Later units had two such engine and drive combinations placed on opposite sides. Railcars 19-20 were fitted with a separate high-low ratio gearbox on the final drive side of the gearbox. This allowed a top speed of about 60–70 mph (97–113 km/h) in high and about 40–45 mph (64–72 km/h) in low.
3 manufacturers of different designs from Park Royal, Gloucester RCW & GWR Works at Swindon




W3W


https://railway-photography.smugmug.com/GWRSteam-1/GWR-Steam-and-Diesel-Rail-motors/Rail-motors/i-nL8WDXW


Steam and Diesel Rail Cars - Railway-Photography
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W4W (No.4) restored to GWR Livery Swindon Works March 1960 Built Park Royal 1934




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Steam and Diesel Rail Cars - Railway-Photography
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W12W Reading May 1957 Built Gloucester RCW 1936




https://railway-photography.smugmug.com/GWRSteam-1/GWR-Steam-and-Diesel-Rail-motors/Rail-motors/i-rRDf7KC


Steam and Diesel Rail Cars - Railway-Photography
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W16W Faringdon Station April 1955 Built Gloucester RCW 1936



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Steam and Diesel Rail Cars - Railway-Photography
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W17W Parcels car Swindon March 1961 built Gloucester RCW 1936




https://railway-photography.smugmug.com/GWRSteam-1/GWR-Steam-and-Diesel-Rail-motors/Rail-motors/i-cHXGLDJ


Steam and Diesel Rail Cars - Railway-Photography
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W22W (in BR Whisker livery) GWR railcars (1)



https://railway-photography.smugmug.com/GWRSteam-1/GWR-Steam-and-Diesel-Rail-motors/Rail-motors/i-3CXMCjm


Steam and Diesel Rail Cars - Railway-Photography
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https://railway-photography.smugmug.com/GWRSteam-1/GWR-Steam-and-Diesel-Rail-motors/Rail-motors/i-tKQRsC4


Steam and Diesel Rail Cars - Railway-Photography
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W23W + W17W Tyseley March 1960 built by Gloucester RCW 1936



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Steam and Diesel Rail Cars - Railway-Photography
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W27W Southall March 1957 Built GWR, Swindon 1940-41




https://railway-photography.smugmug.com/GWRSteam-1/GWR-Steam-and-Diesel-Rail-motors/Rail-motors/i-x4rPSMk


Steam and Diesel Rail Cars - Railway-Photography
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W30W Staines September 1957 GWR railcars



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Steam and Diesel Rail Cars - Railway-Photography
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W30W West Drayton August 1955 Built GWR Swindon 1940-41



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Steam and Diesel Rail Cars - Railway-Photography
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W33W+1 coach+W36W Bristol with A.E.C. special from Weston Super Mare June 1953 Built Swindon 1941+42


https://railway-photography.smugmug.com/GWRSteam-1/GWR-Steam-and-Diesel-Rail-motors/Rail-motors/i-bspQ7D5


Steam and Diesel Rail Cars - Railway-Photography
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Diesel Railcar No. 13



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Steam and Diesel Rail Cars - Railway-Photography
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W16W



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Steam and Diesel Rail Cars - Railway-Photography
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M7974# Park Royal ACV's production railbuses



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Steam and Diesel Rail Cars - Railway-Photography
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Neil

 

Thanks a lot for these interesting photos Neil!

Fantastic railcars these ones, I really like the appearance of them! I didn`t know it was two versions of them (one with a more rounded front and tiny "buffers".
Do you know how many survive after whitdrawal?

regards,
Knut

 

I like them too. There is three that survive, one of the earlier type with the smaller buffers which I believe is currently in the National Railway Museum in York and then two of the later type with normal size buffers. One of them is at Didcot and is in working condition and you can ride in it and the other at the Kent and East Sussex Railway which is being slowly restored.

The working one at Didcot, the interior and seats were refurbished with new seat material etc a few years ago so it looks really nice inside. The Green seat material is the correct 1939 type.

Here is a video of it running

 

Thanks a lot for your information and the video A lovely interior!

cheers,
Knut

 

the steam heat comment only applies to the later cars as the originals were true single units.

 

The first 18 had the rounded front and were often referred to as a 'flying banana'. Later ones were often described as 'razor edged', with the last 4 (35-38) being powered twin car sets.

Both types had an unfortunate habit of catching fire with 5 out of the 38 lost that way. No 9 was burnt out at Heyford in 1945, No 10 at Bridgnorth in 1956, No 35 and 36 at Bristol in 1956 and No 37 in 1949.

 

This great clip features one of the cars. A real beauty this also

 

https://railway-photography.smugmug...-and-Diesel-Rail-motors/Rail-motors/i-PMGwSkh = Hampton Loade