Trustworthy, administrator
11,914
edits
Changes
featured article
[[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 from 1936, entering service on the rest of the Severn Valley and Tenbury Branches in 1941 and 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==
==Railcar 22 in preservation==
[[File:Railcar W22W 28.5.1967 David Adams.jpg|thumb|300px|right| Railcar 22 at Bridgnorth in BR green livery]]
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> Railcar 22 was used during the opening weekend of service in [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970-1979#1970 | May 1970]]. On the Saturday the Mayor's speech included an expression of interest in the proposed Saturday shoppers' service to Hampton Loade. No. 22 also used worked the Sunday 11.00am departure from Bridgnorth.<ref>SVR News 17</ref> The Saturday shopper's service quickly proved popular, being extended throughout the winter season with two round trips from Bridgnorth at 10.30am and 1.00pm. Work on the inaugural services [[Underbridge at Hampton Loade]] in January and February 1971 meant the service terminated north of the bridge with a walkway provided for the final 50 yards to the station.<ref>SVR News 18</ref> The Saturday specials continued through 1973. In June 1972 No. 22 was used in the filming of [[HighleyDoctor at Large]] and at [[BewdleyWaterworks Crossing]] in .<ref>SVR News 24</ref> [[Severn_Valley_Railway_Timeline_1970-1979#1974 | 1974]] before 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 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. In the later part of 1975, the railcar was used occasionally as a standby, all services being timetabled to be steam operated.<ref>SVR News 38</ref> It saw little further use, and in autumn 1977 the SVR announced it would be returning to Didcot at the request of the GWS after essential maintenance work was carried out.<ref>SVR News 46</ref> The work was carried out at in the first half of 1978by a combination of the C&W and [[Manpower Services Commission]] teams, after which No. 22 left the SVR.<ref>SVR News 48, 49</ref><ref name = "Didcot" /> It No 22 made a return appearance at the [[Diesel Locomotives visiting the SVR for galas#1990 | May 1990 Diesel Gala]].
==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 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>
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.
==See also==
*[[The Severn Valley Railway under GWR ownership | The Severn Valley Railway under GWR/BR ownership]]<br>*[[Locomotives used on the Severn Valley Branch in commercial service|Vehicles used on the Severn Valley Branch in commercial service]] ==Notes==<references group="note"/>
==References==
