Steam Railcars

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Steam powered railcars were use on some lightly used branch lines in Scotland until the 1940s.

London Midland & Scottish Railway

  • LMS had around fifteen steam railcars based 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Built 1927 No. 1933 No. Allocations Withdrawn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.
Table from LMS Journal No.35. Article by Stuart W. Rankin.


London & North Eastern Railway

  • 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.
Allocation of LNER Steam Railcars, Scottish Area
Number Name Build Date First Shed Last Shed Withdrawn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
First and Last Sheds from Yeadon's Register of LNER locomotives, volume Twelve.
(Car 31073 was 311 until 10/1931).
(Car 31070 was 2276 until 08/1931 and was allocated to Carlisle Canal until 1933, later reverting to the original number after reallocation to the NE area).


See Also

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Created by Dysgraphyk and last modified by him at 19:30, 14 of September 2025.