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 RailFirst Generation type Diesel multiple units.
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Withdrawn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 130hp
24
69
1955
Prototype Railcar
2-4
1934
2 AEC of 130hp
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9 withdrawn in 1946 after fire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 105hp
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Power twins with buffet and lavatory 35+36 and 37+38; 37 withdrawn in 1949 after fire and replaced by 33
Preservation
Three of the GWR Railcars have survived into preservation, as follows:
Railcar 4 is now preserved at the Steam museum in Swindon.
GRCW bodied railcars 13 and 14 were later converted to parcels use as well.
The pioneering railcar was also, according to this book, withdrawn from Reading by British Railways in May 1957, its last GWR shed being Llantrisant in 1947.
The name of the photographer of the rather grainy fl and white photograph below is not known nor is there any information to indicate the date when the photograph was taken.
What is clear is that the railcar is in Worcester Shrub Hill's station up platform presumably having arrived from either the Malvern or Kidderminster directions.
Railcar W23W was built in 1940 and was one of the last to withdrawn from service at the end of the Summer 1962 timetable.
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