The five British Railways Waggon und Maschinenbau railbuses were delivered to the UK in April 1958. They were based at Cambridge until 1964, and were withdrawn in 1966-67. Four have been preserved.

Background The WMD railbuses were five of the total of 22 delivered in 1958 from five manufacturers. They were planned to have extensive trials. The underframe, power equipment, transmission and brake gear were similar to the Uerdingen railbus, common on the German Federal Railway. They were shipped via the Harwich-Zeebrugge train ferry. It was hoped they might be the answer to stem increasing losses on rural branch-lines.

In the first year after their introduction, they saved £66,000 in operating costs; however, the branches were still losing £4,000 a year. At the time, such losses were unacceptable and the lines they worked were closed.

Construction The underframes were built of channel shaped cross-beams welded to flanged plate longitudinal girders. The corrugated steel floor was welded on top.

The body was formed of alloy panels, rivetted on a light steel frame; roof plates were crimped to increase rigidity. The body was suspended from four points on the frame, connected by hydraulic shock absorbers.

Unlike most British Railways diesel units, the accelerator was foot controlled, with power-operated central doors and air-powered disc brakes.

Operation Initially, the railbuses worked the Maldon, Braintree and Saffron Walden branch lines. They had too few seats for the Braintree branch and were used on the Mildenhall line from July 1958 until its closure in 1962. E79961/3/4 had their Buessing engines replaced by AEC A220X engines, also of 150 hp, in 1962-3 due to the cost of importing replacements from Germany. Their other branches closed in 1964, after which they spent most of their time in store at Cambridge.

In 1965, 79963 and 79964 were trialled on the Alston Line, but could not haul parcels vans and had heating problems in winter. 79961 and 79964 were transferred to serve in 1966, but that branch closed in 1967. M79961 was the last to be withdrawn in August 1967 and was scrapped at Rotherham in 1968.

Preservation

The other four railbuses have been preserved and have been transferred a number of times between heritage railways. In 1966, 79960/63 were sold to the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway Society (later North Norfolk Railway). In 1976, 79963's AEC engine failed and was replaced. 79962/64 were bought by the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway in 1967. To solve a problem with them slipping, the carriages were turned around so that the driving axle was at the rear on the uphill runs.

Vehicle no.LocationComments79960 Ribble Steam Railway Operational.79962 Keighley and Worth Valley Railway Under extensive overhaul.79963 East Anglia Railway Museum Operational.79964 Keighley and Worth Valley Railway Operational.

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References

Further reading

External links Llangollen Railway Video - gives a good idea how much they bounced! E79960 Now at Ribble Steam Railway E79962 being restored at the Museum of Rail Travel History and photos of E79963, now at East Anglian Railway Museum History and photo of M79964 , now at Keighley and Worth Valley Railway Railcar website with photo