Steam Railcars
Welcome to scot-rail.co.uk, Scotland's online railway community. The group is for any rail enthusiast interested in the railways and trains of Scotland. It not only consists of the wiki that you're reading now, but a busy online forum and mailing list, which was accessible to registered users. From April 2024 the forum has closed, with a replacement started on Groups.io.
Breadcrumb navigation
Steam powered railcars were use on some lightly used branch lines in Scotland until the 1940s.
Table from LMS Journal No.35. Article by Stuart W. Rankin.
(Car 31073 was 311 until 10/1931).
(Car 31070 was 2276 until 08/1931 and was allocated to Carlisle Canal until 1933, then reverted to the original number).
- LMS ran a small number of Steam railcars in Scotland, include ones built for the L&Y and LNWR.
- LNWR built 29988 was used on the Beattock - Moffat branch until 1948.
- LMS Sentinel Railcars 29910 and 29913 operated on the Evlanfoot to Wanlockhead branch in the mid-1930s.
Allocation of LMS Steam Railcars on Northern Division Lines 1/10/1932 | |||||
Built | 1927 No. | 1933 No. | Allocations | Withdrawn | |
1926* | 2233 | 29900 | Airdrie | 4we 13/07/1935 | |
1927 | 4143 | 29901 | Methven (Dingwall at 5/28) | 4we 05/10/1935 | |
1927 | 4144 | 29902 | Muirkirk | 4we 15/06/1935 | |
1927 | 4145 | 29903 | Motherwell | 4we 15/06/1935 | |
1927 | 4146 | 29904 | Ayr | 4we 10/08/1935 | |
1927 | 4147 | 29905 | Ayr | 4we 18/05/1935 | |
1927 | 4148 | 29906 | Hamilton | 4we 15/06/1935 | |
1927 | 4149 | 29907 | Muirkirk | 4we 15/06/1935 | |
1927 | 4150 | 29908 | Hamilton | 4we 13/07/1935 | |
1927 | 4151 | 29909 | Grangemouth | 4we 13/07/1935 | |
1927 | 4152 | 29910 | Grangemouth, Leadhills 1935-37 | 4we 07/08/1937 | |
1927 | 4153 | 29911 | (unknown) | 4we 15/06/1935 | |
1927 | 4154 | 29912 | Motherwell | 4we 15/06/1935 | |
1927+ | 4349 | 29913 | Hamilton, Methven, Leadhills 1937-38 | 4we early 1939 | |
c1906 | 10697 | 29988 | Beattock (for Moffat) (LNWR car No.2) | 1948 | |
*Taken in to LMS stock 1927. + Taken in to LMS stock 1930. |
- LNER Scottish Area had an allocation of fifteen Sentinel steam railcars by 1931.
- The LNER railcars were notable for being painted in Green and Cream livery with names on the centre of the bodyside.
- Kittybrewster had a Steam railcar for a year from September 1929. This was regularly used for services between Banchory, Dyce, and Ellon.
Number | Name | Build Date | First Shed | Last Shed | Withdrawn |
31 | FLOWER OF YARROW | 11/1928 | Carlisle Canal | Stirling | 09/1943 |
32 | FAIR MAID | 01/1929 | St Margarets | Stirling | 02/1944 |
33 | HIGHLAND CHIEFTAIN | 01/1929 | Kittybrewster | Stirling | 01/1945 |
34 | TWEEDSIDE | 01/1929 | St Margarets | Dunfermline | 12/1945 |
36 | ROYAL EAGLE | 01/1929 | St Margarets | Dunfermline | 08/1946 |
35 | NETTLE | 05/1928 | (NE area) | St Margarets | 08/1945 |
37 | CLYDESDALE | 01/1929 | St Margarets | Kipps | 02/1945 |
38 | PEARL | 08/1929 | Stirling | St Margarets | 04/1947 |
39 | PROTECTOR | 08/1929 | Haymarket | Carlisle Canal | 06/1944 |
310 | PRINCE REGENT | 09/1929 | Dunfermline | Dunfermline | 07/1943 |
312 | RETALIATOR | 10/1929 | Eastfield | Stirling | 05/1946 |
313 | BANKS OF DON | 01/1931 | Thornton Jcn | Thornton Jcn | 09/1944 |
314 | QUEEN OF BEAUTY | 01/1931 | Dunfermline | Dunfermline | 08/1945 |
31070 | NORTH BRITON | 04/1930 | Carlisle Canal | (NE area) | 03/1946 |
31073 | QUICKSILVER | 10/1929 | Stirling | Stirling | 10/1947 |
(Car 31070 was 2276 until 08/1931 and was allocated to Carlisle Canal until 1933, then reverted to the original number).
Links
- SteamIndex.com - references to Sentinel Railcars in magazines
- SteamIndex.com - LMS journal, notes on Operation of Sentinel Railcars
- LMS Sociey - Steam driven railcars (PDF)
- Wikipedia - Steam Railcars
- LNER.info - The Sentinel Steam Rail cars
- RailScot - (LNER) Sentinel Steam Railcars, a recollection
- Flickr - photo of LMS railcar departing Perth for Methven in 1932
- Rail-online - photo of LMS 4148 at Perth North shed, 1920s
- Rail-online - photo of LMS 2233 at Out of use Perth in 1932
- Rail-online - photo of LMS 29988 at Beattock, c1947
- The Transport Library - Photo of LMS 29988
- Flickr - LNER 38 'Pearl' at Stirling
- Flickr - LNER 35 'Nettle' at Carlisle Canal shed.
- Flickr - LNER 313 'Banks of Don' at Thorton Junction shed
- Rail-online - LNER 313 at Thorton Junction Station