Current number:
977091
Any other previous number(s):
BR coach 21234
Notes:
Moved to Gwendraeth Valley Railway, Coed Bach, Near Kidwelly ?/18 after brief period at Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway.
Livery:
BR BLUE & GREY
Preserved Railway / Museum:
Gwendraeth Valley Railway
Category:
Preserved vehicles
977xxx series

Photos

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Comments

The following comments have been left on photos of this vehicle. To reply, just visit one of the photos.

• 977091

  20 March 2007 - ian saunders

  is this coach in use or awaiting restoration ?

• 977091

  21 March 2007 - Martin Barnsdall

  When I visited the railway last August, it was in use as an overflow for the buffet car. The coach was 'hard wired' to the mains.

• 977091

  31 March 2007 - ian saunders

  is it likley to ever be used as a passenger carrying coach any more then or is this the sad end of another unusual vehicle, just an over grown portacabin unloved and uncared for.

• 977091

  2 May 2007 - Dave Shell - Northumbria Rail Ltd.

  An email I received today suggests this is up for sale, but had it marked as Nene Valley Railway. Anyone know anymore?

• 977091

  31 March 2008 - Jim

  is this vechial coverted form one of the railbuses?

• 977091

  31 March 2008 - sideshow pete

  Text lifted from SEMG website so copywright blah blah blah. e-mail address is : http://www.semgonline.com/coach/leyland.html

  Coach RDB977091 was built by British Leyland as an experimental prototype incorporating Leyland bus body features on a BR Mk 1 underframe, ex-M 21234. Built as an off-shoot from their Railbus project, with the idea of providing new bodies for these underframes, this single example was finished as a Tourist Open Second. Passenger reaction to it was adverse and in subsequent tests it was found to be unsuitable for use, after which it spent a decade dumped at Derby following withdrawal. The coach is preserved on the East Kent Railway at Shepherdswell.

• 977091

  15 November 2008 - Phil

  Ooooh....

  I hope that that coach was not built by the same Leyland National who made the horrible buses i use too work on!!!

• 977091

  15 November 2008 - peter Cummings

  The very same. At the time, a modular coach body on a re-used underframe was seen as some sort of way forward in dire times.

  We can't but be truly grateful that squadron production never happened.

• 977091

  24 May 2009 - Dave Coxon

  This coach was borne out of the Leyland railbus project and was put into service for passenger evaluation on the Manchester-Brighton route in c1983. Unfortunately it was compared unfavourably with the much higher specification InterCity stock and following press criticism was withdrawn fairly quickly after its introducton

• 977091

  25 May 2009 - Jon Horswell

  I cannot believe that people seriously thought that this would work on the Brighton - Manchester InterCity route and also that it was a good idea!

• 977091

  25 May 2009 - Dave Blacksmith

  its a pile o crap, like all the other railbuses!

• 977091

  25 May 2009 - Andrew Harvey-Adams

  It was also used time to time on a normal inter-city departure from Euston. I used to ''commute'' into Euston at that period ,and that is where I first saw it. Given time I could prob. go back to my records of the time to find exact date etc

• 977091

  25 May 2009 - Jon Horswell

  What was the given top speed for this vehicle?

• 977091

  26 May 2009 - Dave Birchall

  100 mph IIRC

• 977091

  26 May 2009 - Rob Morel

  1960 vintage mark 1 underframe ex 21234 a bck ( corridor brake composite) 100mph

• 977091

  26 May 2009 - kev smith

  at a time when new stock was needed, this was i think an innovative idea, like all innovative ideas some succeed some fail.

• 977091

  15 July 2011 - Jonathan Flood

  Can anyone confirm that this coach has now left the East Kent Railway and if so where it is now?

• 977091

  11 September 2011 - Ben Williams

  This may have moved from East Kent to a new site in Wales last week but confirmation is needed.

• 977091

  12 September 2011 - Mark Thomas

  It moved on Friday to Cynheidre on the Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway for restoration and storage for the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway.

• 977091

  18 October 2011 - Ben Williams

  Pictured here in its new location following move from East Kent Railway

• 977091

  19 October 2011 - John Lee Richards

  On Thursday 8th September at around mid afternoon the Leyland Prototype coach No RDB977091 was loaded onto the back of an Allerly's Lorry, and left the East Kent Railway at around 3pm, and at 9am on Friday 9th, the coach arrived at the Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway in Cynheidre as M Thomas says.

  Because of it's unusual loading gauge it is indeed a perfect asset for us as we have restricted height with bridges (being built on top of the old Kymers Canal) and only being about 8ft wide it was a perfect choice for us with the restrictions to the line.

  Also to add is there will soon be a prototype Model made in 00 gauge in which the Gwendraeth Railway Society has the copyright to.

• 977091

  23 October 2011 - ian saunders

  please keep us informed of the restoration progress and news of the model I ll definatly be having at least one

• 977091

  3 November 2011 - Patrick Moss

  It certainly looked a bit tidier and had less stuff growing on it in my 1984 photo !!

• RDB 977091

  7 April 2013 - steve rimell

  Any latest news on this coach ?. & also the model ?. Would be interested in a 7mm (O Gauge) version.

• 977091

  7 April 2013 - steve rimell

  Any latest news on this coach ?. & also the model ?. Would be interested in a 7mm (O Gauge) version.

• 18 June 2025 - Peter Kellett

  Observation on 17-Sep-83 at Reading station. The 'coach' arrived as the sixth vehicle of eight at 14:31, 12 minutes late, in 1O74 10:23 Manchester Piccadilly-Brighton service. It departed at 14:35 a further two minutes late, loco 47537.