At the start of the twentieth century a number of experiments were made with railcars fuelled by light fuels such as kerocene and gasoline, the perfecting of the diesel engine put paid to these experiments. In 1903 the North Eastern Railway built two petrol electric railcars at it's York works.
| Information |
| Number built: |
2 |
| Built: |
1903 |
| Builder: |
NER York |
| Engine: |
Napier later Wolseley petrol engines |
| Power: |
100 hp (76 kW) |
The railcars (known as Autocars by the NER as they had cabs at each end) were the forerunners of the diesel electric multiple unit. The petrol engine being coupled to a Westinghouse generator which generated 60kW which fed a 50hp motor under each bogie [1].
They were put into use on the line between Scarborough and Filey. One of the Autocars was later fitted with a 225hp engine and could haul an unpowered trailer. They remained in service until 1930 and 1931. The coach body of one survived scrapping to become a holiday home and is currently undergoing restoration with a new chassis and powertrain.
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| Front of an Autocar, all images public domain from [1] |
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| Wolseley engine and generator |
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| Inside the Autocar |
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| Side view of the Autocar |
[1] "Self-propelled Petrol Electric Railway Cars Operated by the North Eastern Railway Company of England", Street Railway Journal Vol XXIV No. 19 p. 842
