RAIL CARS
Rail cars were introduced by the GWR in the 1930s - as pictured below:
Using the 8.85 litre diesel engine, drive was passed to a 5-speed pre-selective gearbox with a fluid flywheel to drive to a pair of axleboxes on one side of the railcar. The 69 seater body was built by Park Royal Coachworks of Willesden, another AEC subsidiary, and measured 62 feet in length and 9 feet in width. Maximum speed was 63 mph with control shared between the ends of the railcar.
Its first official run on Great Western rails was from Paddington to Reading with a large number of press representatives on the 1st of December 1933, and even AEC jumped on the publicity bandwagon by proclaiming the run as 'an unqualified triumph', and entered public service on the 4th of December working from Slough shed to Windsor and Didcot.
Here is a video from the past showing a GWR Diesel Rail Car in use:-
Another version of the desiel rail car - used for express parcels:
With mail order on the increase, this version could be answer for reducing traffic on the roads. Ideal for mainline use they could be run between key distribution centres throughout the UK.
Pictured below is a modern metro train as widely used in various parts of the world and the type that is ideal for the Neath Valley Metro Line. It is self contained and economical to run.
