GWR Autocoach
Encyclopedia
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
for push-pull train
Push-pull train
Push–pull is a mode of operation for locomotive-hauled trains allowing them to be driven from either end.A push–pull train has a locomotive at one end of the train, connected via some form of remote control, such as multiple-unit train control, to a vehicle equipped with a control cab at the other...
s powered by a steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
. The distinguishing design feature of an autocoach is the driving cab at one end, allowing the driver to control the train without needing to be located in the cab of the steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
. This eliminates the need to run the engine round to the other end of the coach at the end of each journey.
When one or more autocoaches are connected to a suitably equipped steam locomotive, the combination is known as an auto-train, or, historically, a railmotor train. A steam locomotive provided with the equipment to be used as an autotrain
Autotrain
Autotrain may refer to:* Autotrain, a type of push-pull train incorporating a steam locomotive and specially fitted passenger coaches* Auto Train, a specific Amtrak passenger service* Auto-Train Corporation...
is said to be auto-fitted.
The autocoach is the forerunner of the driving trailer used with diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s.
Design features
When running 'autocoach first', the regulator
Steam locomotive components
A listing of the components found on typical steam locomotives.center|720px|Schematic steam locomotiveGuide to steam locomotive components .A listing of the components found on typical steam...
is operated by a linkage to a rotating shaft running the length of the locomotive, passing below the cab floor. This engages (via a telescopic coupling) with another shaft running the full length below the floor of the autocoach. This shaft is turned by a second regulator lever in the cab of the autocoach. (See photograph sequence below.) The driver can operate the regulator, brakes and whistle
Train whistle
A train whistle or air whistle, , is an audible signaling device on a steam locomotive used to warn that the train is approaching, and to communicate with rail workers....
from the far (cab) end of the autocoach; the fireman remains on the locomotive and (in addition to firing) also controls the valve gear
Valve gear
The valve gear of a steam engine is the mechanism that operates the inlet and exhaust valves to admit steam into the cylinder and allow exhaust steam to escape, respectively, at the correct points in the cycle...
settings. The driver can also warn of the train's approach using a large mechanical gong, prominently mounted high on the cab end of the autocoach, which is operated by stamping on a pedal on the floor of the cab. The driver, guard and fireman communicate with each other by an electric bell system.
Internally, the passenger section of the coach is divided into two open saloons – originally for 'smoking' and 'non-smoking' – with a lobby in the middle separating the two. There is usually a small guard's and luggage compartment at the 'loco' (non-driving) end of the coach. The seating layout is similar to the lower deck of a modern-day bus, with a mixture of normal seating and inwards-facing bench seats. Passengers access the coach via the lobby. The coach is equipped with retractable steps, which are extended if the train stops at rural 'halts' with either low or non-existent platforms
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
, and which fold-in tight against the coach underframe to keep them clear of lineside obstructions when the train is moving. These steps are controlled by the guard using levers in the lobby.
Some earlier autocoaches were converted from steam rail motors
GWR steam rail motors
The steam rail motors were self-propelled carriages operated by the Great Western Railway in England and Wales from 1903 to 1935. They incorporated a steam locomotive within the body of the carriage.-History:...
, by the removal of the integral steam engine. The most familiar type of autocoach was introduced in 1928. The design proved very long-lived, with 163 examples being built to a similar design. The last coaches were built some years after nationalisation by British Railways in 1954.
In operation
If more than one autocoach was used, the locomotive would usually be marshalled between the coaches, as 'play' in the control linkages could otherwise make operation difficult. This arrangement was not always possible where turntables were not convenient for turning coaches and hence up to two autocoaches could follow or lead a locomotive with cab ends away from the locomotive.When used on rural branch lines these coaches were normally paired with a 517
GWR 517 Class
The 517 Class were small 0-4-2T tank engines designed by George Armstrong for local passenger work on the Great Western Railway. They were built at Wolverhampton Works and were outshopped between 1868 and 1885. They were built in thirteen lots commencing with 517–528 and ending with 1477–1488 in...
or, after 1932, 4800/1400 Class
GWR 1400 Class
The GWR 1400 Class is a class of steam locomotive designed by the Great Western Railway for branch line passenger work. It was originally classified as the 4800 Class when introduced in 1932, and renumbered in 1946....
0-4-2 tank locomotive
Tank locomotive
A tank locomotive or tank engine is a steam locomotive that carries its water in one or more on-board water tanks, instead of pulling it behind it in a tender. It will most likely also have some kind of bunker to hold the fuel. There are several different types of tank locomotive dependent upon...
; some 0-6-0 pannier tanks were also fitted for autotrain working. Autocoaches were also used on some main-line duties; a famous one being that between and on the Golden Valley Line
Golden Valley Line
The Golden Valley Line is a railway line from Swindon to Cheltenham in the UK.The line was originally built as the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway in the 1840s...
route between Gloucester and . They could also be found on some London inner-suburban services out of Paddington, where they were usually powered by the faster and more powerful 5400 Class
GWR 5400 Class
The Great Western Railway 5400 Class is a class of 0-6-0 pannier tank steam locomotive. They were similar in appearance to many other GWR tank engines but smaller than the ubiquitous GWR 5700 Class....
0-6-0 pannier tanks. Auto-trains on the steeply graded routes in the South Wales valleys often used the smaller-wheeled 6400 Class
GWR 6400 Class
The Great Western Railway 6400 Class is a class of 0-6-0 pannier tank steam locomotive introduced by Charles Collett in 1932. All 40 examples were 'auto-fitted' – equipped with the remote-control equipment needed for working autotrains....
engines.
Preserved examples
- No.38. Currently undergoing repairs at the Telford Steam RailwayTelford Steam RailwayThe Telford Steam Railway is a heritage railway located at Horsehay, Telford in Shropshire, England, formed in 1976.The railway is operated by volunteers on Sundays and Bank Holidays from Easter to the end of September, and at Christmas...
. In Maroon livery. - No.163. Built 1928. Restored to full working order with the assistance of a Heritage Lottery FundHeritage Lottery FundThe Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
grant. It is currently (2007) at the Llangollen RailwayLlangollen RailwayThe Llangollen Railway is a volunteer-run preserved railway in Denbighshire, Wales, which operates between Llangollen and Carrog; at long, it is the longest preserved standard gauge line in Wales and operates daily in Summer as well as weekends throughout the Winter months using a wide variety of...
, in North Wales, where it is in use as a static or mobile classroom, in addition to conventional passenger-carrying duties. In Chocolate & Cream livery. - No.167. Built 1929. Restored to full working order, and in use at the Llangollen Railway alongside No.163. In Carmine & Cream livery.
- No.169. Built 1929. Currently under restoration at the West Somerset RailwayWest Somerset RailwayThe West Somerset Railway is a railway line that originally linked and in Somerset, England.It opened in 1862 and was extended from Watchet to by the Minehead Railway in 1874. Although just a single track, improvements were needed in the first half of the twentieth century to accommodate the...
- No.174. Built 1930. Currently under restoration at the Llangollen Railway.
- No.178. Built 1930. Restored to service in 2003, and now usually based at the Dean Forest RailwayDean Forest RailwayThe Dean Forest Railway is a long heritage railway that runs between Lydney and Parkend in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. The route was part of the Severn and Wye Railway which ran from Lydney to Cinderford. The society that operates the line started steam locomotive operations in 1971, and...
, but often goes 'on tour' to other preserved railways along with GWR 1400 ClassGWR 1400 ClassThe GWR 1400 Class is a class of steam locomotive designed by the Great Western Railway for branch line passenger work. It was originally classified as the 4800 Class when introduced in 1932, and renumbered in 1946....
locomotive 1450. In Chocolate & Cream livery. - No.190. Built 1933. Preserved in working order at the Didcot Railway CentreDidcot Railway CentreDidcot Railway Centre, located in the town of Didcot in the English county of Oxfordshire, is based around the site of a comprehensive "engine shed" which became redundant after the nationalisation of the UK railways, due to the gradual changeover from steam to diesel motive power.-Description:The...
, although their locomotive with the necessary control equipment, number 1466, is currently (2011) out-of-service awaiting overhaul. In Chocolate & Cream livery. - Nos W225, W228 and W240 are all based at the South Devon RailwaySouth Devon Railway TrustThe South Devon Railway Trust is a charitable organisation that operates a heritage railway from Totnes to Buckfastleigh in Devon, alongside the River Dart...
. Built by British Railways 1951–54, 225 & 228 have both been given the correct British Railways' crimson-and-cream livery, and are in working order. 240, in inauthentic and very faded Chocolate & Cream, is currently awaiting restoration having been used for some years as a PW Department mess van in Dart Valley Railway days. - W231 is in working order at Didcot Railway Centre, it has recently had a repaint in Crimson & Cream; it used to run in Western Region chocolate and cream, which was the wrong livery as it was built in 1951 by British Railways.
- W232, previously based at the Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway where it was used as a First Class Saloon (for which its auto-control gear and cab fittings were removed), is now in working order at the Bodmin & Wenford Railway after recently undergoing a full refurbishment which included refitting all the removed components. In Maroon livery.
- W233 is on display at the Midland Railway - ButterleyMidland Railway - ButterleyThe Midland Railway – Butterley is a heritage railway, formerly known until 2004 as the Midland Railway Centre, at Butterley, near Ripley in Derbyshire.-Overview:...
. Once used by BT Research Department as Test Car 1. Now in Maroon livery. - W238 has recently been restored at the Severn Valley RailwaySevern Valley RailwayThe Severn Valley Railway is a heritage railway in Shropshire and Worcestershire, England. The line runs along the Severn Valley from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster, following the course of the River Severn for much of its route...
, and is currently at the Dean Forest RailwayDean Forest RailwayThe Dean Forest Railway is a long heritage railway that runs between Lydney and Parkend in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. The route was part of the Severn and Wye Railway which ran from Lydney to Cinderford. The society that operates the line started steam locomotive operations in 1971, and...
. Now in Maroon livery and named 'Chaffinch'.
Further examples may be found on other heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
s in the United Kingdom, but in many cases the auto-control gear or the cab fittings are no longer present. Two early autocoaches (Nos. 212 and 92) are the subject of an ambitious project to 'back-engineer' them into a GWR steam railmotor
GWR steam rail motors
The steam rail motors were self-propelled carriages operated by the Great Western Railway in England and Wales from 1903 to 1935. They incorporated a steam locomotive within the body of the carriage.-History:...
and trailer combination at Didcot Railway Centre.
Auto-fitted locomotives
Several locomotive classes included examples equipped to work in autotrains at different times.These included:
| Type | Locos fitted | Introduced | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 455 Class GWR 455 Class The GWR 455 Class, also called the "Metropolitan" or "Metro" Tanks, was a series of 140 2-4-0T tank locomotives built for the Great Western Railway, originally for their London suburban services, including running on the underground section of the Metropolitan Railway, the source of their nickname.... 2-4-0T |
about 40 | Originally introduced 1869, some fitted with auto gear after 1905. | |
| 517 Class GWR 517 Class The 517 Class were small 0-4-2T tank engines designed by George Armstrong for local passenger work on the Great Western Railway. They were built at Wolverhampton Works and were outshopped between 1868 and 1885. They were built in thirteen lots commencing with 517–528 and ending with 1477–1488 in... 0-4-2T |
86 | Originally introduced 1868, some fitted with auto gear after 1905. | |
| 1076 Class GWR 1076 Class The 1076 Class were 266 double-framed 0-6-0 tank locomotives built by the Great Western Railway between 1870 and 1881; the last one was withdrawn in 1946... 0-6-0ST/PT |
21 | Originally introduced 1870, some fitted with auto gear after 1905. | |
| 2021 Class GWR 2021 Class The GWR 2021 Class was a class of 140 0-6-0 saddle tank steam locomotives. They were built at the Wolverhampton railway works of the Great Western Railway between 1897 and 1905... 0-6-0ST/PT |
27 | Originally introduced 1897, some fitted with auto gear after 1905. | |
| 4575 Class GWR 4575 Class The Great Western Railway 4575 Class is a class of steam locomotive. They are 2-6-2T Small Prairie type based on the 4500 Class but with larger side tanks... 2-6-2T |
15 | 1953 | Originally introduced 1927, a few fitted with auto gear in 1953. Preserved auto-fitted examples are 5526, 5541 (to be fitted in 2009), 5542, 5572 (cab end only fitted). |
| 4800 Class GWR 1400 Class The GWR 1400 Class is a class of steam locomotive designed by the Great Western Railway for branch line passenger work. It was originally classified as the 4800 Class when introduced in 1932, and renumbered in 1946.... 0-4-2T |
75 | 1932 | Renumbered as 1400 Class, auto-fitted version of 5800 Class GWR 5800 Class The Great Western Railway 5800 Class was a twenty-strong class of 0-4-2T side tank steam locomotive. These were introduced in 1933 for light branch work. They were similar to the GWR 1400 Class but were not equipped for working autotrains. The entire class was scrapped.-Model form:A 5-inch gauge... . 1420, 1442, 1450, 1466 are preserved. |
| 5400 Class GWR 5400 Class The Great Western Railway 5400 Class is a class of 0-6-0 pannier tank steam locomotive. They were similar in appearance to many other GWR tank engines but smaller than the ubiquitous GWR 5700 Class.... 0-6-0PT |
25 | 1930 | All locomotives auto-fitted. None preserved. |
| 6400 Class GWR 6400 Class The Great Western Railway 6400 Class is a class of 0-6-0 pannier tank steam locomotive introduced by Charles Collett in 1932. All 40 examples were 'auto-fitted' – equipped with the remote-control equipment needed for working autotrains.... 0-6-0PT |
40 | 1932 | Smaller wheel version of 5400 Class. All locomotives auto-fitted. 6412, 6430, 6435 are preserved. |
In fiction
In The Railway SeriesThe Railway Series
The Railway Series is a set of story books about a railway system located on the fictional Island of Sodor. There are 42 books in the series, the first being published in 1945. Twenty-six were written by the Rev. W. Awdry, up to 1972. A further 16 were written by his son, Christopher Awdry; 14...
No.23, Enterprising Engines, four former GWR autocoaches, named Isabel, Dulcie, Alice and Mirabel, are saved from scrap and brought to the fictional North Western Railway
North Western Railway (fictional)
The North Western Railway is the main railway company featured in The Railway Series of children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry. Although the company's name has never been specifically stated in the books, it was mentioned as such in tie-in books such as The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and...
to work a branch line there with ex-GWR tank engines. However they do not appear in the television series based on the books.
External links
- History of GWR railmotors and autocoaches
- Working the Auto Trains (Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway)
- GW Autocoach 163 - history and specifications
- West Somerset Railway – Photo gallery: Restoration of Autocoach no 169 – includes many pictures of 'innards' of an autocoach.