#1580
GWR petrol-electric railcar
🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by British Thomson-Houston· from 1912· GWR railcar introduced in 1911
what is it?
The GWR petrol-electric railcar was a 4-wheel motorised coach ordered by the GWR in 1911 from British Thomson-Houston, who designed it and supplied the electrical fittings. It was powered by a 35–45 horsepower (26–34 kW) Maudslay petrol engine driving a dynamo which supplied two electric motors, one on each axle. It was provided with a driving position at both ends, and could carry 44 passengers at over 30 mph (48 km/h).
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 114 years ago, in 1912.
- Served for 11 years (1912–1923).
multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.
spec sheet
- built
- 1912
- in service from
- 1912
- retired
- 1923
- status
- retired
- number built
- —
- kind
- multiple unit
- traction
- diesel
- origin
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- builders
- British Thomson-Houston
- designer
- British Thomson-Houston
- operators
- Great Western Railway, Lever Brothers
- top speed
- 56 km/h
- power
- —
- wheel arrangement
- Bo
- capacity
- 44 passengers
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q107490184, Wikipedia: GWR petrol-electric railcar (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.