Great Northern Railway - Ireland / AEC built Railcars

[Lambeg man]

Following on from the thread I recently activated on the above subject, I have in mind to produce a booklet intended to raise some funds for the RPSI "No. 171 Appeal".

The GNR 'AEC' Railcars were the 'trains' of my schoolboy years and I suspect of many older members of this forum.

A lot of fresh information has recently been placed on the IRM thread and I myself have a good store of documentation relating to the their building.

While I may yet come back to this forum with further questions, may I ask if anyone knows that they were the first "fleet" of identical Railcars in the World? If I made that statement would I be wrong? They certainly were the first "fleet" vehicles in the British Isles. 

Edited November 18, 2022 by Lambeg man

[Lambeg man]

Question answered. The GWR had a "fleet" (albit small) of identical Railcars that pre-dated the GNR ones.

Edited November 19, 2022 by Lambeg man

[Galteemore]

Might they be the first multiple unit fleet in these islands ? I think the US had multiple unit railcar fleets from the mid 30s.

Edited November 19, 2022 by Galteemore

[Lambeg man]

40 minutes ago, Galteemore said:

Might they be the first multiple unit fleet in these islands ? I think the US had multiple unit railcar fleets from the mid 30s.

Thank you David, yes I agree. It was late at night and I was tired when I posted the question. "They were the first 'fleet' of identical Railcars in Ireland" is the correct statement.

[Mayner]

The GWR lead the way in the UK in introducing a fleet of 33 almost identical single unit diesel railcars and 2 power twins excluding the single engined prototype.

The GNR 600 Class and later CIE 2600 cars lead the way with the widespread introduction of 3-4 car and longer formation in Ireland and the UK.

Internationally railways and manufacturers began to develop diesel railcars from the late 1920s onwards

In the United States and Canada railroads Gas-Electric and later Diesel railcars were widely used on light passenger and mail services from the late 1920s onwards.

American Car and Foundry produced streamlined single unit and articulated diesel "Moto-railers" from the late 1930s onwards   http://www.northeast.railfan.net/self_prop10.html

Australian and New Zealand railways began building/purchasing diesel railcars during the 1930s. The 6 NZR "Standard" Railcar introduced in 1938 appear similar in principal to the GWR cars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NZR_RM_class_(Standard)

[airfixfan]

The UTA were also pioneers in Railcar development. The MEDs were full of innovations in many areas.

[leslie10646]

Another "fleet" which were two and three car units were to be found on Deutsche Reichsbahn - the "Flying Hamburger" and its cousins were two and three car units and built in some profusion.

I think I am right in saying that they were multiple units in that two (two car) units would run in tandem part of the way to their destination and there split with one unit going to one destination, the other to another. Exactly as the present-day ICE units do. I woujld quote the routes, but I'm not at the house with my 1939 DR timetable in in!

They were pretty extraordinary for their time  averaging around 70mph for some end to end journeys.

11 hours ago, airfixfan said:

The UTA were also pioneers in Railcar development. The MEDs were full of innovations in many areas.

In multiple unit terms (rather than "railcar") the UTA were pioneers with the MPDs which ran in many combinations, at about the same time as the GNRB built the BUTs at Dundalk - although the GNR didn't pull goods trains with them!

[GSR 800]

On 18/11/2022 at 10:10 PM, Lambeg man said:

Following on from the thread I recently activated on the above subject, I have in mind to produce a booklet intended to raise some funds for the RPSI "No. 171 Appeal".

The GNR 'AEC' Railcars were the 'trains' of my schoolboy years and I suspect of many older members of this forum.

A lot of fresh information has recently been placed on the IRM thread and I myself have a good store of documentation relating to the their building.

While I may yet come back to this forum with further questions, may I ask if anyone knows that they were the first "fleet" of identical Railcars in the World? If I made that statement would I be wrong? They certainly were the first "fleet" vehicles in the British Isles. 

pennsy ping pong cars?