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''Historical note: The services shewn to at the foot of this page refer to trains for workers at the Royal Ordnance Factory in premises commandeered from Cadbury's, which produced ammunition during both World Wars. Blackpole was an unadvertised halt to the north of Worcester built to serve the factory and operated only during and immediately after the Wars.''
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[[File: Railcar22_20110423.jpg|thumb|300px|right| Railcar 22.]]
The Great Western Railway introduced '''Diesel Railcar''' units in the 1930s as a more economic replacement to steam traction on smaller branch lines. They were first used around the Kidderminster / [[Bewdley ]] / [[Hartlebury Triangle ]] triangle from 1936, entering service on the rest of the Severn Valley and [[Tenbury Branches Branch|Tenbury branches]] in 1941 where they continued in use until the 1960s. Railcar 22 is owned by the Great Western Society at Didcot but was resident on loan at the SVR in the 1960s and 1970s.
==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 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]]. A railcar servicing depot had been established at Worcester in the Carriage & Wagon works area. This was north of Shrub Hill on the opposite side of the main line to the steam shed. Vehicle fuelling points were provided both inside and outside the shed and there were underfloor maintenance pits.<ref name = "Bartlett">[https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/blog/author-guest-post-steve-bartlett/ Bartlett, Steve, ‘Worcester’s Great Western Diesel Railcars Working on the Severn Valley’, Pen & Sword blog, 30 September 2020] (Retrieved 8 November 2021)</ref>
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" />
==Railcar 22 in preservation==
[[File:Railcar W22W 28.5.1967 David Adams.jpg|thumb|300px|right| Railcar 22 at Bridgnorth in BR green liveryin 1967]]After withdrawal, W22W was stored at Swindon until being bought by the Midland Group of the Great Western Society in 1967. The Railcar left Swindon on 3 May 1967 as part of the Down Swindon to Gloucester parcels train, and arrived at Kidderminster as part of another freight train on Friday 5 May. On Friday 12 May it travelled to [[Alveley Sidings]] as part of the Alveley empties coal train, from where it was propelled onto the SVR's section of the railway by BR's Type 2 diesel after platelayers had temporarily replaced the section of rail normally removed to ensure no unauthorised movements took place across the boundary. On Saturday 13 May 1967 it was collected by [[3205]] and [[GWR 6562 Brake Composite | GWR Brake Composite 6562]] and delivered to [[Bridgnorth]].<ref> A G Cleaver, "The Early Days Of The 'Severn Valley'", ''SVR News'' 190 (2015) p24.</ref><ref name=SVR6>SVR News 6</ref>
Immediately after arrival, the fuel oil was drained and replaced and the cooling water filled. Initial examination revealed water leaks from the cooling system and water reaching the oil in the sumps of both engines through fractures in the oil coolers. After much work by Don Wilcox and Henry Muller, assisted by other [[Severn Valley Railway Society|SVRS]] members, the No 1 engine worked for the first time on Sunday 11 June and on 23 June W22W moved under its own power for the first time.<ref name=SVR6/>
On 22 October 1967 the SVRS staged a "Railcar Weekend" with W22W making hourly trips to [[Hampton Loade ]] and back. The day also saw the arrival of [[2047 Warwickshire]].<ref>SVR News 7</ref>
Restoration at Bewdley, which included repainting in original GWR livery as No. 22, was completed in September 1968 by a team led by RW (Bob) Timmins. The final lining, lettering and varnishing were completed 'round the clock' by Bob at Tyseley diesel depot in time for No. 22 to part in the first Tyseley Open Day. The SVRS Committee passed a vote of thanks for their work, noting that it was the first restored item of rolling stock at the railway.<ref>SVR News 10, 11, 14</ref>
[[Severn_Valley_Railway_Timeline_1970-1979#1974 | 1974]] saw the opening of the line as far as [[Bewdley]]. The timetable was planned to include short workings between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade (often referred to as the "shuttle") with a 45 minute interval.<ref>SVR News 30, 31</ref> Good Friday saw the first passenger services to [[Highley]], with No. 22 working the inaugural service from Bridgnorth to Highley and thereby making the first crossing of passenger services at Hampton Loade with [[600|600 Gordon]] which had worked ECS to Highley earlier that morning. On Saturday 18 May 1974 the first through passenger service from Bridgnorth to Bewdley was also worked by No. 22, with Jinty [[47383]] operating the Hampton Loade "shuttle". Normal practice became for the shuttle to use the railcar on Saturdays, and a small tank locomotive with 2-3 coaches on Sundays.<ref>SVR News 32</ref>
By the end of 1974 most passenger departures from Bridgnorth were to Bewdley with the shuttle being lightly loaded. In October 1974 the Railcar's owners G.W. Preservations gave notice of the intention to terminate the current loan agreement with a view to the parties reviewing its future.<ref group="note">Correspondence in SVR News suggests GWP's concern was principally that they were responsible for maintaining the vehicle but received no reciprocal benefit from the SVR's use of it</ref> Reporting of this at the 1974 AGM led to some adverse comment from SVR members and in turn ill feeling from GWS members. The approved 1985 1975 timetable saw the end of the early Saturday shopper service and the shuttle. It also excluded the railcar due to its 'uncertain future'.<ref>SVR News 34</ref>
In Spring 1975 SVR News noted that "…''it is the intention of both G.W.P. and SVR that Railcar 22 should remain on the SVR, subject to a special agreement concerning the two bodies, to be discussed further in the future''". The eventual agreement that summer concluded that "''The G.W.P.'s Railcar No. 22 would remain on the SVR. for a minimum period of five years, after which removal from the line would be paid for by the SVR. The vehicle is to be kept in a condition satisfactory to the owners and G.W.P. publicity will be displayed in the vehicle. G.W.S. and its Group to be able to operate the vehicle on up to six occasions each year without charge.
==Other GWR Railcars on the Severn Valley Railway==
The first generation diesel railcars were used around the Kidderminster / Bewdley / Hartlebury triangle from 1936.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Beddoes & Smith (1995)]] p. 116.</ref> However they were not then used on the Tenbury Branch as they were not capable of hauling an extra coach on the steeper gradients involved. The advent of the second generation railcars saw them introduced there from 18 August 1941.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Beddoes & Smith (1995)]] p. 133.</ref>
Other GWR railcars were also used in service on the Severn Valley and Tenbury branches. In the early 1940s these included streamlined railcars numbers 5, 6 and 7.<ref name = "Turley" /> A photograph by Mike Cuthbert shows W7W at Bewdley on 14 September 1957. SVR News 43 includes a picture of a burned out railcar in the up sidings at [[Bridgnorth]] following a serious fire. The caption identifies this as W7W in August 1956, although it is probably W10W which was destroyed in a fire at Bridgnorth on 9 March 1956.<ref>[http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/aec4.htm Great Western Archive]</ref>
==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. <ref group="note">The services shewn to at the foot of this page refer to trains for workers at the Royal Ordnance Factory in premises commandeered from Cadbury's, which produced ammunition during both World Wars. Blackpole was an unadvertised halt to the north of Worcester built to serve the factory and operated only during and immediately after the Wars.</ref> 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]]
===1950s===
Steve Bartlett has [https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/blog/author-guest-post-steve-bartlett/ blogged about 1950s diagrams]:
:''It emerged there was also a dedicated Worcester railcar drivers’ link; the drivers stayed with their railcars as they roamed over the Severn Valley system [..] Worcester’s Severn Valley turns started with early morning positioning empty stock movements. In 1950 no less than three of Worcester’s four diesel railcar diagrams started the day on the Severn Valley system. First out was a 4.55am Worcester to [[Highley]] empty stock to form a 6.07am Highley to [[Bewdley]]. Next out was a 5.10am to Kidderminster empty stock to form a 5.53am Kidderminster to [[Alveley Halt]] [..] This railcar then made a three minute empty stock movement to [[Hampton Loade]] where it reversed and worked a 6.33am unadvertised service back to Alveley Halt. Both trips were for the conveyance of colliers to work. The third Worcester diagram, the daddy of them all, was a 5.35am forty-eight miles empty stock movement to Ludlow via Shelwick Junction, on the approaches to Hereford. There it reversed and went up the North & West route to Ludlow where it formed a 7.25am Ludlow to Woofferton, continuing from there as an 8.09am to Kidderminster, via Bewdley. Having spent the day working this section its return home was equally worthy of record. This was a 7.26pm Woofferton to Worcester Shrub Hill advertised service via Leominster and Bromyard''<ref name = "Bartlett" />.
==See also==
