NER/LNER Autocar (Railcar)
NER/LNER Autocar (Railcar)
In 1903 Vincent Raven, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the North Eastern Railway developed a railcar that would be powered by a petrol engine driving a dynamo which fed electric current to traction motors on a power bogie.
This was to be the first internal combustion engine to be provided in a passenger carrying vehicle and lead the way to many of the railcars in use today.
Two autocars were built numbered 3170 and 3171.
They were originally used between West Hartlepool & Hartlepool and between Filey & Scarborough. Later use saw them in use on the Cawood branch from Selby.
The autocars also had short periods working Billingham to Port Clarence and around the short working local lines from Harogate.
The original Napier engine was found to be troublesome and was replaced in 1904 by a Wolsley engine before entering service.
In 1923 the engine of 3170 was again replaced by a more powerful model reputedly from a WW1 Tank.
The aurtocars were withdrawn in 1930 and 1931 with 3170 being sold on for use as a summer house.
In 2003 3170 was sold into preservation and has since been restored with a modern diesel engine and is up and running on the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Railway.
These railcars never entered BR service.
NER Numbers 3170 and 3171 (3170 renumbered to 3170Y in 1923 by the LNER)
3170 has been rebuilt and preserved.
The NER Railcar sounds have been recorded from the prototype.
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