railplane

[third-rail]

do not know whether this is in the right placean interesting piece of newsreel from the thirtys
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/history/s ... type=video

[richard]

Hmm, not really LNER. I'll move it to Railway Chat.

Despite it not being LNER, there was a series of articles/letters about this in one of the LNER publications in recent years. I'm trying to remember which one it was, now. I'll see if I can dig up the references.

Richard

[Malcolm]

Railplane article here:

http://mikes.railhistory.railfan.net/r069.html

Plus a couple of pictures.

Malcolm

[giner]

And we all thought overhead wires looked bad.

[Bullhead]

Despite it not being LNER, there was a series of articles/letters about this in one of the LNER publications in recent years.

It was constructed directly above the former NBR/LNER branch from Westerton to Milngavie (pronounced "Mull-guy"), presumably with the sanction of the railway operator.

I've often wondered what the point of the Bennie railplane was - it looks to me like a good example of a solution looking for a problem.

[52D]

What is the significance of the diagonal white line on the wagons hauled by the ex GNR N2 No 4740 below the Bennie railplane in the article above?

[Bullhead]

What is the significance of the diagonal white line on the wagons hauled by the ex NBR N2 No 4740 below the Bennie railplane in the article above?

The high end of the diagonal stripe indicates the end of the wagon fitted with a discharge door.

The N2s were ex-GNR, not NBR, weren't they?

[52D]

Thanks for info on stripe. Sorry about the confusion with loco i was thinking NBR at the time i wrote it. The loco is not far from the preserved example 4744.

[Malcolm]

One last post on the "railplane" topic:
After a few enquiries and asking around have obtained this picture of the interior of the railplane in use. Just for posterity you understand.

Malcolm

[Bullhead]

The interior reminds me of the old Glasgow Subway cars.

[L&Y Man]

Despite it not being LNER, there was a series of articles/letters about this in one of the LNER publications in recent years.

It was constructed directly above the former NBR/LNER branch from Westerton to Milngavie (pronounced "Mull-guy"), presumably with the sanction of the railway operator.

I've often wondered what the point of the Bennie railplane was - it looks to me like a good example of a solution looking for a problem.

The Bennie Railplane was mentioned in detail on "Trains with Pete Waterman" on More 4 on Saturday 16th January 2010. Newsreel film of the time was shown.

L&Y Man

Further to this, an article, "Why & Wherefore" in The Railway Magazine of November 1989 said that there had been an article about it in Tramway & Railway World of 16th September 1926. A proposal for a railplane route from Lytham St Annes to Southport in 1928 drew the attention of The Manchester Guardian and The Lytham St Annes Express. There was also a proposal in 1935 for a railplane route in north-east London from Waltham Abbey to Dagenham via Tottenham, Walthamstow, Leyton and West Ham. Milngavie was not alone, but nothing ever came of the railplane.

L&Y Man

[L&Y Man]

Despite it not being LNER, there was a series of articles/letters about this in one of the LNER publications in recent years.

It was constructed directly above the former NBR/LNER branch from Westerton to Milngavie (pronounced "Mull-guy"), presumably with the sanction of the railway operator.

I've often wondered what the point of the Bennie railplane was - it looks to me like a good example of a solution looking for a problem.

Further to earlier posts, an article, "Why & Wherefore" in "The Railway Magazine" of November 1989 says that this was mentioned in "Tramway & Railway Magazine" of 16th September 1926. In addition, there was a proposal for a railplane route from Lytham St Annes to Southport in 1928 which drew the attention of The Manchester Guardian and The Lytham St annes Express and a 1935 plan for a railplane route through London's north-east suburbs from Waltham abbey to Dagenham via Tottenham, Walthamstowe, Leyton and West Ham. Perhaps the interest had been sparked by Fritz Lang's futuristic film "Metropolis" which was made in 1926. In fact, nothing more seems to have been heard.

L&Y Man