LMS railcars
Encyclopedia
The London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) introduced a number of railcars to service between 1933 and 1939. They were mainly single units but one was a three-car articulated set.
s from Leyland
in 1933. They were numbered 29950–29952 (in the multiple unit
section of their carriage number series). Each had a 95 hp diesel engine fitted. After trials between Preston and Carlisle
, they operated from Blackburn to Springvale and Clitheroe
and subsequently at Hamilton
in Scotland. They were inherited by British Rail
at Nationalisation, but were withdrawn in 1951, so never received TOPS
classification.
In passing, mention should be made of an Armstrong Whitworth
diesel-electric railcar which operated a luxury twelve-seat express service on the LMS for two weeks in 1933 between London and Castle Bromwich
near Birmingham in connection with a British Industries Fair
. This car, with body work by Cravens
which incorporated a kitchen, was powered by a standard Armstrong-Saurer 250 bhp engine.
railcar which was outshopped from Derby Carriage and Wagon Works
in 1939. The cars were numbered 80000, 80001 and 80002.
The streamlined three-car train was a single articulated unit; the two outer coaches were each 64ft long and rested on a centre coach that was 52ft long. The articulation was an idea that had been already taken up by Sir William Stanier for some locomotive hauled stock.
Mechanically the train was a development of the railcars that had entered service from 1933 on the LMS Northern Counties Committee
's (NCC) lines in Northern Ireland, using an identical arrangement of in-line powertrain
as NCC railcars Nos. 2–4. Under each coach were two vertically mounted Leyland 125 bhp diesel engines driving the inner axle of each bogie through a Lysholm-Smith torque converter
. There were six engines for the three-car set which gave a total power of 750 bhp. As the whole unit weighed 73 long tons, this yielded a power/weight ratio of slightly more than 10 bhp/ton which provided a main line standard of performance with a maximum speed of 75 mph (121 km/h).
It was first used on the Oxford
-Cambridge
line and then on St Pancras
-Nottingham
services. A second unit was planned but never built and No.80000/80001/80002 was withdrawn in 1939 on the outbreak of World War II
; it never re-entered passenger service.
In 1949 the train was converted to a two-car set for overhead line maintenance. The centre car was removed and the number of engines in the set reduced to two. The driving cabs were given flat ends, all the passenger seats were removed and the roof was flattened to allow engineers to work on the overhead cables. It worked on the Manchester-Altrincham
route. The set was moved to a depot at Longsight
in 1959 and taken out of service shortly afterwards although it was still in existence in a derelict state as late as 1967.
The design may be seen as a step in the development of post-war British Railways diesel multiple units (DMU) such as the Derby Lightweight units
, at least as far the powertrain
is concerned.
Single units
The LMS purchased three four-wheel diesel railcarRailcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
s from Leyland
Leyland Motors Ltd
Leyland Motors Limited was a British vehicle manufacturer of lorries, buses and trolleybuses. It gave its name to the British Leyland Motor Corporation formed when it merged with British Motor Holdings, later to become British Leyland after being nationalised...
in 1933. They were numbered 29950–29952 (in the multiple unit
Multiple unit
The term multiple unit or MU is used to describe a self-propelled carriages capable of coupling with other units of the same or similar type and still being controlled from one driving cab. The term is commonly used to denote passenger trainsets consisting of more than one carriage...
section of their carriage number series). Each had a 95 hp diesel engine fitted. After trials between Preston and Carlisle
Carlisle railway station
Carlisle railway station, also known as Carlisle Citadel station, is a railway station whichserves the Cumbrian City of Carlisle, England, and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line, lying south of Glasgow Central, and north of London Euston...
, they operated from Blackburn to Springvale and Clitheroe
Clitheroe
Clitheroe is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is 1½ miles from the Forest of Bowland and is often used as a base for tourists in the area. It has a population of 14,697...
and subsequently at Hamilton
Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
Hamilton is a town in South Lanarkshire, in the west-central Lowlands of Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It is the fifth-biggest town in Scotland after Paisley, East Kilbride, Livingston and Cumbernauld...
in Scotland. They were inherited by British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
at Nationalisation, but were withdrawn in 1951, so never received TOPS
TOPS
Total Operations Processing System, or TOPS, is a computer system for managing the locomotives and rolling stock owned by a rail system...
classification.
In passing, mention should be made of an Armstrong Whitworth
Armstrong Whitworth
Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd was a major British manufacturing company of the early years of the 20th century. Headquartered in Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Armstrong Whitworth engaged in the construction of armaments, ships, locomotives, automobiles, and aircraft.-History:In 1847,...
diesel-electric railcar which operated a luxury twelve-seat express service on the LMS for two weeks in 1933 between London and Castle Bromwich
Castle Bromwich
Castle Bromwich is a suburb situated within the northern part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the English county of West Midlands. It is bordered by the rest of the borough to the south east, North Warwickshire to the east and north east; also Shard End to the south west, Castle Vale,...
near Birmingham in connection with a British Industries Fair
British Industries Fair
The British Industries Fair was an important exhibition centre in Birmingham, England.The large complex of buildings were built in 1920 and were situated between Castle Bromwich Aerodrome and the railway line. For two weeks every year it was the most visited attraction in the country...
. This car, with body work by Cravens
Cravens
Cravens Railway Carriage and Wagon Company Limited was a railway rolling stock builder in the Darnall district of Sheffield, England. Cravens built many diagrams of coaching stock for the Pre-grouping Railway companies of Great Britain, the Grouped companies and for British Railways itself. They...
which incorporated a kitchen, was powered by a standard Armstrong-Saurer 250 bhp engine.
Articulated unit
In 1937 the LMS decided to produce a more modern diesel train for itself. This was a three-car articulatedArticulated vehicle
An articulated vehicle is a vehicle which has a permanent or semi-permanent pivoting joint in its construction, allowing the vehicle to turn more sharply. There are many kinds of articulated vehicles, from heavy equipment to buses, trams and trains...
railcar which was outshopped from Derby Carriage and Wagon Works
Derby Carriage and Wagon Works
Derby Carriage and Wagon Works was built by the Midland Railway in Derby, England. The plant has been through many changes of ownership and is currently owned by Bombardier Transportation, a subsidiary of Bombardier Inc. of Canada. As of 2011 it is the only remaining passenger rolling stock...
in 1939. The cars were numbered 80000, 80001 and 80002.
The streamlined three-car train was a single articulated unit; the two outer coaches were each 64ft long and rested on a centre coach that was 52ft long. The articulation was an idea that had been already taken up by Sir William Stanier for some locomotive hauled stock.
Mechanically the train was a development of the railcars that had entered service from 1933 on the LMS Northern Counties Committee
Northern Counties Committee
The Northern Counties Committee was a railway that served the north-east of Ireland. It was built to Irish gauge but later acquired a number of narrow gauge lines...
's (NCC) lines in Northern Ireland, using an identical arrangement of in-line powertrain
Powertrain
In a motor vehicle, the term powertrain or powerplant refers to the group of components that generate power and deliver it to the road surface, water, or air. This includes the engine, transmission, drive shafts, differentials, and the final drive...
as NCC railcars Nos. 2–4. Under each coach were two vertically mounted Leyland 125 bhp diesel engines driving the inner axle of each bogie through a Lysholm-Smith torque converter
Torque converter
In modern usage, a torque converter is generally a type of hydrodynamic fluid coupling that is used to transfer rotating power from a prime mover, such as an internal combustion engine or electric motor, to a rotating driven load...
. There were six engines for the three-car set which gave a total power of 750 bhp. As the whole unit weighed 73 long tons, this yielded a power/weight ratio of slightly more than 10 bhp/ton which provided a main line standard of performance with a maximum speed of 75 mph (121 km/h).
It was first used on the Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
-Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
line and then on St Pancras
St Pancras railway station
St Pancras railway station, also known as London St Pancras and since 2007 as St Pancras International, is a central London railway terminus celebrated for its Victorian architecture. The Grade I listed building stands on Euston Road in St Pancras, London Borough of Camden, between the...
-Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
services. A second unit was planned but never built and No.80000/80001/80002 was withdrawn in 1939 on the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
; it never re-entered passenger service.
In 1949 the train was converted to a two-car set for overhead line maintenance. The centre car was removed and the number of engines in the set reduced to two. The driving cabs were given flat ends, all the passenger seats were removed and the roof was flattened to allow engineers to work on the overhead cables. It worked on the Manchester-Altrincham
Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway
The Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway was a suburban railway which operated a 13.7 km route between Altrincham in Cheshire and London Road Station in Manchester....
route. The set was moved to a depot at Longsight
Longsight
Longsight is an area of Manchester, England, about south of the city centre. Its population is about 16,000.-History:Longsight has been known over the past for its gang related violence, similar to that of nearby Moss Side. Most of the violence came from tensions between 2 gangs; The Longsight...
in 1959 and taken out of service shortly afterwards although it was still in existence in a derelict state as late as 1967.
The design may be seen as a step in the development of post-war British Railways diesel multiple units (DMU) such as the Derby Lightweight units
British Rail Derby Lightweight
The British Rail Derby Lightweight diesel multiple units, were the first such trains to be built en-masse for British Railways. The units were built at BR's Derby Works from 1954 to 1955. The units were built in various formations, including 12 power-twin 2-car units, 84 power-trailer 2-car units,...
, at least as far the powertrain
Powertrain
In a motor vehicle, the term powertrain or powerplant refers to the group of components that generate power and deliver it to the road surface, water, or air. This includes the engine, transmission, drive shafts, differentials, and the final drive...
is concerned.
See also
- LMS (Northern Counties Committee) railcars
- RailmotorRailmotorRailmotor is a term which was used by several British railway companies for a steam railcar.-Overview:William Bridges Adams started building railmotors as early as 1848, but only in small numbers...