GWR railcars
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In 1933, the Great Western Railway introduced the first of what was to become a very successful series of railcars, which survived in regular use into the 1960s, when they were replaced with the new British Rail First Generation type Diesel multiple units.
The original design featured 'air-smoothed' bodywork, which was very much the fashion at the time. The rounded lines of the first examples built led to their nickname: "flying banana". The preserved W4W is an example of the original, rounded body shape. Later examples, such as No. 22 (pictured), had much more angular (and practical) bodywork, yet the nickname persisted for these too.
Below is a full list of GWR railcars:
| Number Range | Introduced | Builder | Engine | Weight (tons) | Seats | Withdrawn | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1934 | Park Royal | 1 AEC of 130 hp | 24 | 69 | 1955 | Prototype Railcar |
| 2-4 | 1934 | 2 AEC of 130 hp | 26.2 | 44 | 1954-1958 | Buffet fitted | |
| 5-7 | 1935 | Gloucester RCW | 25.3 | 70 | 1957-59 | Standard single car | |
| 8-9, 13-16 | 1936 | 29.5 | 70 | 1957-60 | 9 withdrawn in 1946 after fire | ||
| 10-12 | 1936 | 29.9 | 63 | 1956-57 | Lavatory fitted | ||
| 17 | 1936 | 28.85 | None | 1959 | Parcels car, capacity 10tons | ||
| 18 | 1937 | 33.6 | 49 | 1957 | Prototype, with buffers & draw gear for hauling vans | ||
| 19-33 | 1940-41 | GWR, Swindon | 2 AEC of 105 hp | 35.65 | 48 | 1960-62 | 33 rebuilt in 1954 to replace 37 |
| 34 | 1941 | 34.9 | None | 1960 | Parcels car, capacity 10tons | ||
| 35-38 | 1941-42 | 36.7 + 37.6 | 60 + 44 | 1957 + 1962 | Power twins with buffet and lavatory 35+36 and 37+38 37 withdrawn in 1949 after fire and replaced by 33 |
Three of the GWR Railcars have survived into preservation, as follows:
| Vehicle No. | Builder | Year Built | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W4W | Park Royal | 1934 | Swindon Steam Railway Museum | - |
| W20W | GWR Swindon | 1940 | Kent & East Sussex Railway | - |
| W22W | GWR Swindon | 1940 | Didcot Railway Centre | - |