#1143
GWR steam rail motors
🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by Great Western Railway· from 1903· self-propelled steam carriages operated by the Great Western Railway
1 photo from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Norton Fitzwarren - GWR SRM 93: Geof Sheppard· CC BY-SA 4.0
what is it?
The steam rail motors (SRM) were self-propelled carriages operated by the Great Western Railway in England and Wales from 1903 to 1935. They incorporated a steam locomotive within the body of the carriage.
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 123 years ago, in 1903.
- Served for 32 years (1903–1935).
multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.
spec sheet
- built
- 1903–1908
- in service from
- 1903
- retired
- 1935
- status
- retired
- number built
- 99
- kind
- Steam
- traction
- steam
- origin
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- builders
- Great Western Railway, Kerr, Stuart and Company, Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company, Swindon Works
- designer
- George Jackson Churchward
- operators
- Great Western Railway
- top speed
- —
- power
- —
- wheel arrangement
- 0-4-0+4
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q12059297, Wikipedia: GWR steam rail motors (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.