AUTOCOACH 3453
Autocoach number 3453 has been in store for many years at Levisham on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and the North Eastern Railway Carriage Association kindly donated it to our project.
An ‘Edwardian’ multiple unit
The body is being thoroughly restored to original NER condition with a driving compartment at one end, this will be fitted with through control so that the autocar and autocoach can be coupled together to form an “Edwardian” multiple unit which can be driven from either end, so no “running round” will be needed when the train changes direction.
Although the autocar and autocoach were unlikely to have ever run together, the photograph below shows the autocar in 1923 pulling a similar coach and gives a good impression of what our completed project will look like.
Funds permitting, 3453 will be “dual fitted” with both air and vacuum brakes to allow it to be used independently with other vacuum braked rolling stock.
Steam ruled…or did it?
In the days when steam ruled the rail, seas and factories, one railway found an alternative.
In 1903 the North Eastern Railway built a railcar powered by electricity generated from a petrol engine – this, when the Wright brothers had yet to fly!