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==Railcar 22 in service==
The first 18 diesel railcars built between 1934 and 1937 featured a streamlined shape which gave rise to the nickname "flying banana". Railcar 22 was one of the next batch of 18 built at the GWR’s GWR's Swindon works between 1940 and 1942; these featured a more angular design sometimes described as "razor edged". Railcars in this batch were equipped with 2 AEC diesel engines of 105 hp each and fitted with standard buffers and drawgear to which could be coupled a 60 ton tail load, allowing the railcar to tow a coach or act as the local pick-up goods train at off-peak times. The railcar could carry 48 passengers and included a large luggage department.<ref name = "SB5">SVR Stock Book 5th edition</ref><ref name = "Didcot">Didcot Railway Centre Railcar 22 Page</ref>
Railcar 22 entered service from Newport shed on 18 September 1940.<ref name = "Didcot" /> On 30 July 1941, 22 and sister number 23 were noted in the Kidderminster area, believed to be on test runs for the introduction of railcar services on the Severn Valley and Tenbury Branches which began that year.<ref name = "Turley">[[Bibliography#Books | Turley (2005) P. 41.]]</ref> Thereafter Railcar 22 was based in the Bristol area and between 1950 and 1954, in the Reading area where it had been paired with Car 38 after sister Car 35 was destroyed by fire. For the next few years 22 was based at Leamington, before a move to Worcester in 1958 from where it regularly worked services on the Severn Valley Branch as far as Shrewsbury and also on the [[Tenbury Branch]]. For much of its BR life 22 was painted in maroon and cream, but in August 1958 it was repainted in BR mid-green. Following the introduction of more modern BR single diesel units, 22 was reduced to standby status in 1961, and finally withdrawn in October 1962.<ref name = "SB5" />
Apart from Railcar 22, later examples known to have worked in the area in the 1940s include 14, 26, 27, 28, 29 30 and 32.<ref name = "Turley" />
Railcar W20W is seen in this picture at Tenbury Wells in 1959.
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File:W20WTenbury.jpg | Peter Shoesmith collection
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Another railcar, possibly W32W, is seen in this colourised photograph on the Tenbury Branch.<br>
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File:WyreForestRailcarColour.jpg | Peter Shoesmith collection
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==Railcar workings==
The page below is extracted from the GWR's internal document "GWR Birmingham and Worcester Divisions, Working of Coaches (rail motor, auto cars etc), 5 October 1942". It shows the working arrangements for the [[Railcar 22|GWR Railcars]] which were based at Worcester. Three cars ("A", "B", and "C") were used daily. "B" mainly served the Severn Valley Branch, including services to and from Highley mainly for the use of miners working at [[Collieries served by the Severn Valley Railway#Highley Colliery|Highley Colliery]]. "C" mainly served the Tenbury Branch. Both "B" and "C" are referred to as "New type".
[[File:GWR WC B-WR 1942-10-05 23.jpg]]
==See also==
