The first of the modern trains - the NER Autocar - Lawrie Goes Loco Episode 31

[@daveclaridge8316]

Lawrie. I really do enjoy your programmes about your passions, I find your enthusiasm a joy to watch. What I like enormously is your knowledge. You don't just talk about it you take the bull by the horns and drive the things. You get your hands dirty and get 'stuck in' . Brilliant programmes enthusiastic informative descriptions, I salute you.

[@lmm]

Thank you very much! I'm glad you're enjoying it!

[@proudyorkshireman7708]

I always find it funny when Lawrie is talking to the camera when driving you can see someone sat next to him in silence having to listen to lawrie waffle on about how wonderful and marvellous it is.

[@TotoDG]

Where do you think I can apply to get that job?

[@lmm]

Probably going 'this guys an idiot'

[@yannickjacobs1203]

I’ve bin there, it is pretty funny i would say,🤣

[@josephclemmons5234]

​@@lmmid say, if they stick around. Then they have found some joy/delight in your passion for railways

[@Batlampjim]

Watched the video what a beautiful machine and hope it! Earns some good revenue and lives a Long and productive life and brings pleasure to many .

[@anumeon]

What a beautiful thing to behold.. Blessed be the people who dedicate their lives to restoring monuments to railway history such as this. :)

[@lmm]

It's an amazing bit of kit

[@williamadams7865]

Here in Australia, the former Victorian Railways acquired (and built under license to a US design) railmotors very similar in concept to the Autocoach. Internal combustion engine driving a generator and traction motors. Like this, these were also originally petrol powered when built in 1930 but later converted to diesel operation in the 1950’s and became known as DERMs (Diesel Electric Rail Motor). The last ones finished revenue service around 1991. A number are preserved and one is mainline certified. Unlike the NER Autocoach, these DERMs are unbelievably loud and you can hear them coming from a mile away!

[@williamadams7865]

A video by a friend of mine of RM58 on the mainline in 2015. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXSUloyulsx5eqc

[@lmm]

Oh really? They sound quite interesting!

[@williamadams7865]

@@lmm - They are indeed! Check out the video link to see the mainline certified one in action.

[@williamadams7865]

@@lmm Another more recent clip of RM58 on the mainline, including a brief look at the engine bay. Very much akin to the original NER arrangement. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqPPdIiNa5idoqs

[@Batlampjim]

It's a very sympathetic and beautiful upgrade and it does justice the Autocoach,a real nice useable train

[@theodorusemanueljohannessm6133]

28.15.......😂🤣😂🤣😂❤️....... thanks for those lovable great journeys mate!!!

[@vladabocanek3703]

This motor wagon is very beautiful. Piece of art. It reminds me of "Slovenska strela" made in ČSSR as fast train - solo motor wagon. It changed engines too, due to some notes about noise. Now, is brand new restored to it's formal glory and beauty.

[@lmm]

I'm glad it has been restored!

[@Batlampjim]

Amazing No computers and built purely from the mind ,amazing

[@Batlampjim]

As you can tell I'm commenting as I watch the video and the more I watch the more I'm impressed with the work done to this motorcade , the net upgrade is amazing .

[@Batlampjim]

Motorcoach

[@KerbalRocketry]

it's kinda amazing how the trend of recycling old carriage bodies as holiday homes has saved so many carriages, there's many victorian 4 and 6 wheel carriages saved that way! I do wonder if the modern approaches to preservation could learn a thing or two of finding secondary uses, pacers have been used as temporary libraries so there's surely some cases. Railways saving sleeper carriages as sleeping accommodation is one I can think of, but there's surely more uses for modern-retired stock

[@lmm]

I don't think a lot of what's around today is built well enough to survive that long!

[@madalheidis]

A lot of New Zealand's tram stock has been preserved thanks to conversion into houses. Two of the ones at Ferrymead are in house form, awaiting proper restoration, and another is pretending to be a shed.

[@auricstorm]

Personally, I wish they WOULD put more sleeper cars in terminal stations. I often make a journey from Cardiff to Aberystwyth, and Carmarthen is often the station I end up sat in at 2am because there's no (cheap) hotels there and the first bus* isn't till 6am... I'd love a £20 doss coach *Lord beeching removed the direct link

[@MicrowaveOven12]

Amazing, nice to see the genesis, of current rail travel.

[@lmm]

It's really quite special

[@michaelhayes1678]

Truly amazing craftsmanship on that NER autocar. The paint, leather, brass, hardware, upholstery, and woodwork are just all so beautifully well done.

[@Batlampjim]

Amazing story ,people with passion create amazing things .

[@RockyRailroadProductions_B0SS]

Sort of a halfway between a "doodlebug" railcar and one of our electric "interurban" cars - One of my favorites you've driven so far, love the air whistle!

[@lmm]

I must say, it's one of my favourite things too

[@cme2cau]

Restomod. that's what it is!( and a lovely job, too!) NSW Railways used petrol mechanical rail motors from the 1920s. They were re-engined over the years to Diesel mechanical and I caught the odd one in revenue service in the 1970s!

[@lmm]

They've done an amazing job with it

[@Batlampjim]

It's now the machine it should and deserves to be .

[@lauriefielder8762]

one word SUPERB

[@lmm]

Thank you

[@andrewirobinson]

This was a good find. Excellent vehicle and an excellent vid.

[@lmm]

Thank you very much

[@Daisysdomain]

Amazing railcar, I knew it had been restored but I've never seen it yet and I can't wait to. But I have to be honest, when you said style, control. My brain immediately added Damage and Aggression, damn you Robot Wars. Another great video.

[@lmm]

So did mine! There's an outtake where I did just that

[@GooseWaffe]

That is absolutely massive, and beautiful. One could say massively beautiful

[@lmm]

It's fantastic!

[@classic_britain]

Wow what a amzing peace of history what a honor to drive her!

[@lmm]

It really was

[@thebritishempire8754]

Lawrie always looks so chuffed.

[@richardsweeney197]

So, you just got to Drive a 118 year old electric autocar. Well, they chose a good driver. I have to get to the Ubited Kingdom, we have some old equipment, some much older. Though, admittedly, many of our oldest locomotives were from England originally. I think someone just announced an OO gauge model of this Autocar.

[@gs425]

Not quite. It was petrol - Mechanical. Its now diesel- electric.

[@lmm]

It's an amazing bit of kit. Was a huge privilege to take it out

[@michael32A]

Tremendous! Thank you for sharing this experience, Lawrie.

[@lmm]

You're most welcome!

[@Rombald11]

The diesel engine fitted to the restored NER Autocar is a Cummins water cooled, six cylinder in line QSL9. It's rated output is 254kW(340HP) at 1800 RPM. The traction system is designed to be able to haul the fully laden power car and trailer, with about 100 passengers, up the steepest significant gradient on a Heritage railway, which is the 1 in 49 on the NYMR, and to restart the train twice in quick succession on this gradient without overheating, We hope to have the opportunity to test this sometime in the future. The 415v three phase auxiliary alternator can supply up to 50kW. It is used either directly, such as powering the radiator fan or heating in the Autocar and Autocoach, or converted to DC for powering the locomotive style 110 volt DC control equipment that operates throughout the Autocar and Autocoach two car unit. For more information see Autocar Newsletter issue 17, Autumn 2012, available to view or download from our website: www.electricautocar.co.uk/membership/newsletters/

[@lmm]

Where were you when I was filming the video! Thanks for the info

[@bugrats]

Just got to Mid-Suffolk Light Railway , well just over the road in Brockford Railway Sidings staying in a lovely railway carriage

[@lmm]

It was a good weekend!

[@HM...333]

It really is stunning. I has had the joy of taking a ride on it and if anyone ever gets a chance to do so, it is a must. Amazing video Lawrie.

[@lmm]

Thank you very much! It's super isn't it!

[@HowardLeVert]

The whistle sounds very London Underground! When I first learned of the model, my pre-order went in straight away. Vincent Raven was very forward-thinking in his use of electricity for propulsion, as many of his designs for electric locomotives and railcars showed. I always felt his steam locomotives looked clumsy and ungainly compared to Gresley's, but Raven's contribution to modern propulsion should never be forgotten. It's a pity none of his other electric locomotive designs survived.

[@Steam_Guy02]

Saw that at the great central. Mistook it for a parcel van as it was packed with people

[@lmm]

Oh really!

[@TimEaston]

Another great video from Lawrie, I rode on her in February 2020 at GCR just before the first lockdown.

[@lmm]

Thank you, it's an amazing thing

[@solarusthelonghaulerrailfa3226]

Well lawrie & friends going out 😁👍👋

[@lmm]

Was a good trip!

[@Transportationspotting]

Hey lawrie, excellent video like the others, lawrie goes loco is my favourite series you make, thank you lawrie

[@lmm]

Thank you very much!

[@kentishman5179]

Another excellent video. You are well on your way to continuing the great work of the late Sir Fred Dibnah.

[@lmm]

Thank you very much. High praise indeed!

[@ajaxengineco]

4:52 I know this is completely unrelated to the Autocar, but out of the window on the left you can glimpse Hudswell Clarke 'Nightingale' who is currently visiting my local railway. Cute cameo!

[@lmm]

Lovely engine!

[@Living_Life_RN]

Saw this little beaut at the Great Central Railway Winter Steam Gala in 2020, just before COVID came about. I still regret not getting a ride in it to this day, as that interior is right up my alley. Very reminiscent of old tramcars and the Gloucester Carriages of the Ashover Light Railway!

[@lmm]

It's such an experience to be in

[@chrisrumble2665]

That was just brilliant. I never knew this existed.

[@lmm]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@lauriefielder8762]

I envy you so much we do not have anything like this railcar it is fantastic

[@lmm]

It's pretty special isn't it

[@Shipwright1918]

Reminds me of the vintage McKeen motor car that was restored over here not too long ago. Had to put a modern CAT engine and hydraulic drive in it as the original powerplant was lost to history. A lovely thing all told, glad it was brought back to life for everyone to enjoy.

[@muir8009]

That mckeen is something amazing. This railcar looks like it's from upstairs downstairs whereas the mckeen looks like it's ready to go on a jules verne voyage to the moon

[@lmm]

Sometimes things have to get modernised, but at least people can still sample it!

[@BassandoForte]

It does look like it's from the Isle Of Mann Electric Tramway - Obviously without an overhead pickup... 👍👍

[@joshuaritchie3836]

Really nice.

[@lmm]

It really is!

[@PocoToro]

lovely restomod

[@lmm]

They've done a lovely job with it

[@bow-tiedengineer4453]

I would love to see people make something like this for actual passenger service. It could absolutely do it.

[@lmm]

It's the real way to travel!

[@jonh845]

Look up the Southern Region's 'Thumper' units.

[@tonyevans3695]

What a wonderful machine.great video.

[@lmm]

Isn't it just, thank you.

[@williamadams7865]

Given the similarities of the control equipment of this to trams of the period, I wonder if we will see Lawrie take on a tram? Trust me, they are great fun.

[@lmm]

You never know...

[@Lethalape15]

Another great video!

[@lmm]

Thank you very much!

[@themechanicalmile]

Thank you for this. Also thank you for giving me the spark to film my own train videos.

[@lmm]

You're most welcome

[@alistairshaw3206]

Brilliant and interesting video Lawrie. The Co Donegal Railway were early users of railcars. They still used steam for goods traffic though. Unfortunately the narrow gauge closed at the end of 1959.

[@lmm]

Oh really? The steam locos looked wonderful

[@MrBnsftrain]

I'm amazed this internal combustion railcar predates the Missouri and Kansas Interurban Railway (or Strang Line) that used to run through my area with internal combustion railcars beginning in 1906. The railway was later electrified and the internal combustion cars were converted to electrics. They were all scrapped in the 1940s. But the cars of the nearby Kansas City, Clay County, and St. Joesph interurban were converted into houses and one was later retrieved to use as the front of the Streetcar Named Desire restaurant in the Crown Center mall until it closed in 2015. I believe the carbody has been saved and moved to a new location for restoration. There are also quite a few historic streetcars in America that have been modernized like this railcar, but for non-heritage lines

[@lmm]

Oh really? That's interesting.

[@andrewentwistle515]

Well that's another great video from Lawrie driving the Motor Carriage on the Railway which I was a Member of back in the 80's to 90's. Back then it had a different name to the railway which was the Yorkshire Dales Railway & didn't go to Bolton Abbey as it does now. Here's to seeing the next episode of Lawrie driving a Locomotive.

[@lmm]

Oh really? It's a lovely line, so scenic!

[@cbmsysmobile]

Oh I absolutely love the upholstery.

[@lmm]

It's very plush!

[@northernblue1093]

Great video of a very interesting rail vehicle, possibly your best yet.

[@lmm]

Thank you very much!

[@BrandonF]

Am I about to go on an old train deep dive? Yes, I suppose I am...

[@andrewpitt621]

This is fantastic, I like this old meets new, kind of like the class 56 being converted into class 69 to keep them on the rails and modernize them

[@lmm]

It's an amazing blend of old and new

[@gherkinisgreat]

Great coverage on an interesting engine! How about a video on the steam Railmotor it's predecessor next?

[@lmm]

When it's back in service, I'd love to

[@gherkinisgreat]

@@lmm Indeed, hopefully they renew the boiler ticket soon

[@kevinrkinsella]

@@lmm I’d booked to visit Didcot where the Autocar was to have been running with the Railmotor and GWR Railcar also on roster. An ideal opportunity to try out all 3 types. Covid intervened and the opportunity vanished. After Covid I went to Didcot for a wander round. There were long faces and bucketfuls of despondency when I asked about the Railmotor. Mechanically the overhaul task is reported as straightforward, but currently unfunded. The bodywork is a different story. I was told that the restoration / recreation work on the bodywork hadn’t proved to be resilient. Material choices, Weather, Storage facilities and bad luck having conspired to create a perfect storm. The damage requires extensive reworking of the Railmotor body before it can be returned to service. This was reported as being beyond current capacity. The bright side is that the Railmotor now has its own weathertight shed so further deterioration has been dramatically slowed.

[@richardjones5255]

I enjoyed this slightly unusual episode, wonderfully relaxing and joy to hear the wonder in your voice. It is something of a Frankenstein vehicle with its loving restored cabin and its thoroughly modernised underpinnings. In some ways it does not capture the full experience, especially the underpowered state of the original, nor its almost certain lack of any safety features. The latter being the most significant indicator of progress, as you said it was originally one of, if not the first tentative step forward towards the current forms of transport. It is a pity that it was not taken forward when they had the chance to develop the concept as possibilities presented themselves, but steam ruled, err, until it became something only for heritage railways and memories, of which I have many, thank you.

[@lmm]

You're welcome - yes indeed, if the NER and LNER had stuck with it, history may have been very different!

[@c5173]

great video and very informative on the resto.

[@lmm]

Thank you, glad uoi enjoyed it

[@BrokenIET]

I only learnt about these yesterday when I was at the NRM

[@lmm]

Oh really?

[@carbidejones5076]

really neat ,thank you

[@lmm]

You're most welcome!

[@TB76Returns]

The Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway I'd my local heritage railway, it is only 2 miles from me, and I have ridden on this Autocar

[@lmm]

Great thing isn't it

[@FoxfieldRailwayOfficial]

What a find!!

[@lmm]

It's an amazing thing!

[@MJC19]

The American equivalent to this car is an Interurban car or "doodlebug" and wow, it's amazingly grand.

[@lmm]

It's stunning isn't it - thanks for clarifying doodlebug, that's a very different thing over here.

[@warriorstar2517]

Beautiful Edwardian design, this!

[@lmm]

Isn't it just!

[@johnbarham7718]

Wonderful film as always. (A bit different from my Meteor 1 71/4" loco.)

[@lmm]

Just a little bit! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@QALibrary]

this is a wonderful video

[@lmm]

Thank you very much!

[@johnsamson-snell9558]

Most people don't understand. A locomotive is alike a living being. It talks to you. I say if you ride a motorcycle, or ride a horse or sail a boat or fly a plane or a glider you will understand. Its all part of the senses. Its what you feel and hear. All of the time whatever t is talks to you. I work with lots of animals, sometimes wild animals that could do me serious damage if they wished to but they don't. It all about empathy. Understanding how to communicate. Same with a steam locomotive. It speaks to you. It tells you what it needs if only you listen.

[@lmm]

Excatly!

[@Duececoupe]

All good ideas starts with a beer! 🍻😉👍🏻

[@lmm]

Apparently so!

[@scrantonshopsmodeller8089]

such a beautiful carrige, if only we could see it with a victorian style 4 wheeler like a stroudley coach and a pregrouping brakevan would be such a cool sight!

[@lmm]

It's an amazingly pretty thing

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

The Wright brothers changed the world with a mere 12hp.

[@lmm]

This is true

[@Klutch58Customs]

Fascinating vehicle. It, I suppose, is the Austin Mini of the locomotive world.

[@lmm]

It's more than that, the mini was an icon, but it was still a car, a very small one, but a car. This was really changing what a train could be

[@AndreiTupolev]

The engine in that has to be the quietest I've ever seen in a DMU. You can't help thinking if only they'd gone the route of a couple of big engines in a well soundproofed separate engine compartment in Voyagers and likewise rolling stock how much of a difference it would have made. That electrical switch panel is pretty cool.

[@lmm]

They've done a really top notch job with it

[@francisjoussot3521]

I am wondering if there any remains of the Bugatti autocar?

[@basilschwegmann7395]

Very very nice. What is the top speed as it appeals the speed you travelled at would not be practical if it were in service

[@MrDomb101]

I want to see a class 08 diesel shunter being driven by lawrie on the channel

[@lmm]

I'm working on it

[@MrDomb101]

@@lmm can not wait to see the video when it's posted

[@jimdieseldawg3435]

By the engine note and the black staining around the exhaust port even when being babied, I’m going to guess Cummins ISBe6.7-250, or an industrial/genset version of it. 24-valve 6cyl. If it is, our cousins across the pond fit (basically) the same engine in RAM pickups. Ancient meets modern indeed 🙂

[@lmm]

I'm afraid I haven't a clue 😂

[@georgejonesthestarseeds77]

This is amazing! I feel like if these would be a better choice for passenger trains, it looks like locomotive or coach you would feel comfortable and happy to be on

[@lmm]

It's so nice being inside

[@bentullett6068]

This is such a interesting DMU and amazing that the original was the first diesel electric train and first DMU train. I saw the NER Autocar at the Warley Model Railway Show when they were close to finishing the restoration as model railway supplier Rails Of Sheffield and Heljan models were announcing it as one of their models which has recently been released. There is though a SMU (Steam Multiple Unit) out there in the form of the GWR steam railmotor that was brought out at the same time as the NER Autocar and that would be interesting to compare the differences.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

The NER was always an innovative railway. In the days before WW1 they were looking to electerrified the ECML from York to at least Newcastle and as part of the testing phase electrified the Shildon to Newport line.

[@lmm]

It was a very advanced machine to have come up with, very against the grain of other such machines.

[@danielletheprotogen]

@@neiloflongbeck5705 They also managed to successfully electrify most of the tyneside lines pre ww1

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

@@danielletheprotogen yes, plus the linedown to Quayside. All at 600V DC. The rest was 1500V DC.

[@stevedurrell]

Ye got to E&BA the eh lawrie.... Hilariously I've got one of my miniature steam locos at Bolton Abbey.... and you were quite literally within spitting distance of it and also Harrogate club! 😂

[@lmm]

Oh really? Damn!

[@johnathanedwards9054]

My guess in regards to the Cummins engine that they used is a 6.7L or larger in-line 6 cylinder from a COE type long-haul truck

[@lmm]

Something like that 😂

[@Marci124]

6:31 You know they went all out when the screws are aligned.

[@lmm]

It's amazing isn't it

[@T3ki1a_]

I work on SNCB AR41 and it's basically this but 100years later

[@MrJimbaloid]

More comfortable than a pacer I'll bet.

[@rjds1800]

Steampunk Sprinter Railcar, if Edwardians had built the BR Class 155 that is :)

[@highpath4776]

there is a lot of early electric things from the 1900s , buses , trolleybuses, trams, cars must be other rail stuff too

[@lmm]

The problem is powering it, overheads didn't come in much later on the railway.

[@the_retag]

Gwr autocoaches and steamrailmotors are also multiple unit gen 0 id say

[@lmm]

They're the generation before this - moving to internal combustion was a huge step

[@highpath4776]

Basically a truck engine can shift 40 tonnes, so allow for losses for conversion to electic to heat thats about right for the unit. Most DEMUs have quite larger engine units

[@lmm]

It is a truck engine. Seems to do the job well enough

[@wharris302]

Yeah, that diesel engine sounds like the cummins 6.7l 6 cylinder engine, used in those Enviro400 buses you see everywhere

[@lmm]

Oh really?

[@johnjephcote7636]

Presumably 'no smoking' with the plush upholstery, like a tramcar's lower deck.

[@lmm]

Certainly today!

[@devontrainspotting]

You should visit the Lynton and Barnstaple railway in devon, they have some great locos love the vid

[@Living_Life_RN]

I have to agree, the L&B is fantastic! I really need to go there one day, as I’m still yet to visit, but it’s just too far of a drive for me at the moment. Do you volunteer there or just a visitor and supporter of the line?

[@devontrainspotting]

@@Living_Life_RN im just a visitor, but it is my local heritage railway. My freinds dad is an ex steam engine driver and a boiler inspector, and took me to see it.

[@lmm]

I've tried to get in contact with them, but never had any luck

[@a.ivlogs2678]

Lmm please do a video if you can showcasing this with the working auto. That would be so interesting

[@lmm]

I'd really like to do that

[@Techno-Universal]

That carriage could of also had third rail pickups installed if they wanted to use the existing third rail infrastructure on certain lines which could of also in theory allowed the car to operate on lines with gradients that had third rails if the electrical motors themselves were powerful enough! :)

[@lmm]

When this came about the third rail wasn't a thing.

[@Techno-Universal]

@@lmm I guess it in theory could of been a possible modification it could of had if it survived on the railways for a few more years though I guess in this case it was retired before they started electrifying regional lines in the UK! :)

[@danielletheprotogen]

@lmm The tyneside electric lines (Also NER) Had 3rd rail by 1904

[@guidor.4161]

A truly lovely machine. I notice that Lawrie is far from appropriately clad for the occasion...maybe a bowler hat next time?

[@lmm]

Yes, indeed, very much the wrong outfit

[@AndreiTupolev]

Just out of interest, the original engine was an 85 hp Napier, but that proved unsatisfactory so they used a flat-four Wolseley, and in its later life it was given a new engine offering a massive 225 hp, so the current one is pretty close in the performance offered (leisurely)

[@lmm]

Thanks for the info!

[@brickleyyard4966]

Would love for you to do the Bodmin general railway

[@lmm]

So would I!

[@jamesmoxleyjamesmoxley2239]

I like your video lawrie

[@lmm]

Thank you very much!

[@paulshirley6383]

The first of the modern trains - the NER Autocar - Lawrie Goes Loco Episode 31 Lawrie's Mechanic lovelouis shirley

[@datguymiller]

I was thinking it was a steam era auto coach and he was gonna drive a few engine from said coach

[@lmm]

Not quite!

[@roberthopper1872]

I am so jealous

[@lmm]

It was a real privilege

[@sjaakmcd1804]

Just a tram then, LNWR beat this and the GWR with its autoTRAINs by at least 10 years. L & Y beat them with their steam railcars.

[@lmm]

Yes.. The key part of those is steam, something which isn't in regular use on the network anymore, where as internal combustion is in widespread use.

[@GooseWaffe]

Were those gauges from the HST aswell?

[@lmm]

Quite possibly