J A Lower
M J Collins
G R Mortimer
This finished up in the USA - look here and here for more info and pictures.
Alan Rimmer
Unknown
The Leyland Experimental Vehicle (LEV)
| The forerunner of all those nasty railbuses was the Leyland Experimental Vehicle,
a joint venture between Leyland and BR to combine the worst features of
rail and bus. Here are some pictures of the various early railbuses with links. The railbuses were powered by 200bhp 6-cylinder Leyland TL11 diesel engines, with fully automatic SCG gearboxes and a Gmeinder final drive unit driving one axle. There were five single car railbuses built for trials on BR. Amazingly, they have all survived - look here for information and pictures. |
Click on the picture for a bigger image- all photos are BR official unless otherwise indicated
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The first LEV was un-powered and is shown here in the sidings at the RTC around 1978 |
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Another shot of LEV1 at RTC J A Lower |
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As part of the preliminary trials it was ride tested on the WCML and is pictured here between two test cars at an unknown location |
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At Carlisle probably on the same day |
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LEV1 pictured at an unknown depot whilst on trial. Now known as the BR Leyland Motors experimental railbus and numbered RDB975874 |
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After extensive tests it eventually entered
passenger service in East Anglia and is pictured passing through Ipswich
station.
M J Collins |
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Pictured here near Woodbridge on the line to Saxmundham
in early 1980 on test. G R Mortimer |
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After trials in passenger service it was sent to the USA in early 1980 - note the grills over the windscreen which were fitted for use in the States.It travelled widely before returning to Derby works in 1986. |
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Pictured in the C&W Works prior to departing for USA c1980 |
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LEV1 awaits the passage of a freight train whilst on trial in the USA in late 1980 |
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Somewhere in the US of A - it eventually returned to the UK in 1986 and is now to be found undergoing restoration at the North Norfolk Railway - on loan from the NRM. |
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A view of the Wickham version of
the railbus
(known as LEV2) at the Old Dalby test track - pictured on the straight between the Covered Way and Grimston.
Note the destination on the blind - 'Bus stn'. This finished up in the USA - look here and here for more info and pictures. |
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The next version was known as R3 (or Rb3) and is shown here when new in the C&W works at Derby |
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R3 pictured at the Control
Centre at the Old Dalby test track Alan Rimmer |
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In service at an unknown
location - this eventually finished up in
Northern
Ireland Unknown |