A.C. Cars 4 wheeled railbuses

The diesel railbus was introduced in the late 1950s by British Railways to work lightly used branch lines in an attempt to reduce operating costs. The two vehicles based on the Railway are from a batch of five built by A.C. Cars Ltd. for the Western Region in 1958. They are powered by an A.E.C. 6 cylinder diesel engine rated at 150 bhp. After initial trials at Swindon both railbuses worked the Kemble to Tetbury and Cirencester branches until they were closed in April 1964. They were then transferred to Cornwall to work the Bodmin to Wadebridge line and then to Yeovil to work local services. In January 1967 they were transferred to Scotland, W79976 to Ayr and W79978 to Grangemouth. Both vehicles were withdrawn in February 1968. W79976 was sold without the engine for display at the Bleadon and Uphill station museum. It then languished at the Bodmin and Wenford Railway and County School, Norfolk before arriving at the Colne Valley Railway in April 1995 for extensive restoration to full working order. W79978 was sold in working order to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, it then went to the Kent and East Sussex Railway before arriving at the Colne Valley Railway in February 1984. It has been restored and carries the original brunswick green livery with nose end 'whiskers'. It is currently on static display and awaiting repairs to its air system.