Proposed LNER Diesel Railcars.

[Saint Johnstoun]

I tried to get more information on the LNER proposals some time ago and all I could find out was that the general design sketched out was very similar to the Glossop and Shenfield EMUs of the same period.

I put the attached drawings together to give a feel of what the vehicles may have looked like.

Proposal for LNER Diesel Railcar.doc

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[Beechwood]

These look to be based on the AEC/GWR underframe design and mechanicals used on the GWR railcars and Irish railcars after WW2

[Saint Johnstoun]

The LNER borrowed GWR 6 and 19 for trials in 1944 so it is only right to assume that the design would be based on existing technology using vertical engines. The Shenfield stock design dated back to 1938 so it is only natural that something similar would manifest itself in proposals for a DMU.

The availability of horizontal engines from the late 1940s made the fitting of engines underfloor far easier, although this design of engine was not without its problems in its early forms.

[drmditch]

Thank you very much. I have been interested in these vehicles for some time, especially since they were proposed for the NE Area. RCTS 10B Page 6 implies Doncaster actually produced drawings based on the leter GWR cars. Were you able to find any evidence for these drawings ?

[Saint Johnstoun]

Can't be certain, but when I discussed this with the late David Jenkinson, he seemed to think that the machinery layout was as the latest GWR design but the body layout was based on the then thinking for the forthcoming Glossop and Shenfield sets. I had a rough sketch given me aons ago and it on that which I based my drawings. Cannot seem to find the sketch these days however as it seems to have been filed away somewhere.
Remember that speed was not an essential in the North East but passenger access was.

The original proposal may well have been based almost exactly on the GWR cars as this was no doubt done in conjunction with AEC who contributed more to the design than the GWR. Interestingly contemporary AEC literature shows different internal layouts for the cars. However, if the bodies were to be built, possibly at Darlington, then the final result may have deferred more to LNER profile.

[WBC]

The drawings which exist show a 3 car unit not unlike the AEC 2 car units for the GWR, with a middle car. Hope this is helpful.

[drmditch]

The drawings which exist show a 3 car unit not unlike the AEC 2 car units for the GWR, with a middle car. Hope this is helpful.

Thank you. Please can you say where and in what form the drawings exist?

[WBC]

nrm archive
you would need to ask them where.
Best wishes.