For some time now the denizens of Tweedale have been clamouring for better passenger train accomodation, having become dissatisfied with the old brake van that has been used hitherto. Personally I can't think of a nicer way of travelling along lazy bylines, but there is no accounting for taste, and the Tweedalers disagree. So the railway company has finally given way and obtained a Park Royal railbus. Sadly this was found to be too long for the line's sharp curves and short platforms (both practically and aesthetically), so Grimley Engineering were entrusted with the task of adapting it to suit the railway's needs.

OK lets face it, Tweedale doesn't really need a railbus, but I saw shortliner's thread describing a cut-down Budd railcar in the US subforum, and couldn't resist having a bash at something like it myself.

The chassis came from a Model Power Plymouth diesel, picked up at an exhibition for 16 pounds. You don't see many locos around at that price these days, so I wasn't expecting great performance, but it was cheap enough to risk a try.

The body was unscrewed and removed (I'm sure it will come in useful one day)...

The chassis was attacked with a hacksaw and cut down to the bare necessities...

The wheelbase is only half that needed for the full length railbus, but as the motor drives just one set of wheels it looks like it would have been fairly easy to cut the chassis and move the unpowered wheels out to suit. Instead I chose to leave the wheelbase as it was and halve the length of the body (approximately), giving a dumpy little railbus more in keeping with the layout's compressed nature. The body is of course from the Dapol plastic kit. Shortening the sides was straightforward, but filling and sanding the cut in the roof to blend it in was a chore.

The railbus arrives at The Pits on a test run. The crowd look suspicious. Nobody gets on. Perhaps they haven't grasped the concept of sliding doors on a train. Whatever next, disembodied voices telling them to mind the gap?

At Poshington Upon Twee nobody greets its arrival. The novelty has worn off already.

I have to say, its not a particularly smooth runner. On the level its not too bad, but it struggles getting up the gradient at Poshington, with a lot of wheelslip and shaking, despite a traction tyre on one wheel. Still, I enjoyed myself building the thing. Some interior details will be added in due course, which might help distract attention from the motor and ballast weight inside, though they are not too noticeable.

Cheers, Alan.