Irish-based BREL railbus destined for Gwendraeth Valley Railway

THE IMMEDIATE future of BREL railbus R3, otherwise known as RDB977020, has been secured, with the vehicle set to return across the Irish Sea to a new home at the embryonic Gwendraeth Valley Railway. Built in 1981, the Leyland-derived railbus is one of the best-known of the experimental vehicles that appeared in the early 1980s and was trialled with British Rail, when it carried a white, green and orange livery. August 1982 saw it sold to Northern Ireland Railways and re-gauged, mainly for use on the Coleraine to Portrush branch.

Withdrawn in 1992, it was initially preserved at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum before moving to its present home at the Downpatrick and County Down Railway in 2001. However, plans to use the railbus on midweek services failed to materialise and its existence has been under threat ever since. R3 last carried passengers, as hauled stock, in 2012, and the railbus will require mechanical and electrical repairs in addition to re-gauging once again when it arrives in West Wales.

Paul Biggs The Great Central Railway-based Renaissance Railcars BR blue Class 101 DMU, consisting of driving motor composite lavatory E50266 and driving motor brake standard M50203, arrives at Quorn and Woodhouse station on March 2, working the 12.50 Loughborough Central to Leicester North service.