Railcar of the Year 2020

It is that time of year again, the Railcar of the Year 2020 voting has now started, open for the month of December. As always it's free and just for fun.

Railcar of the Year 2020 Nominations & Voting

Despite the challenging year, enough merit has been achieved to generate enough candidates to offer a reasonable selection to choose from, although I must admit if you dislike Class 108's your options are limited!
I look forward to seeing as many as possible joining in and finding out who claims the title in this most difficult of times!

(Please note, you must click the link and follow to the poll to cast the vote, replies on this forum don't count!)

 

I have to admit, the one I thought would be on there isn't - what qualifications are needed to get on the shortlist?

 

What - you mean a Pacer?

Only kidding Victor - honest!

Peter

 

Very easy going rules. Vehicles can be shortlisted for almost anything of merit. The completion of overhaul and restoration work is the usual cause, but it isn't a hard necessity.

The only criteria that has to be met is that the vehicle must be one covered by The Railcar Association's umbrella, which is mainly BR built railcars/DMU's, with s few exceptions such as GWR railcars.

If the vehicle is listed on preserved.railcar.co.uk then it can be shortlisted.

The most commonly mentioned vehicle that people expect to see but doesn't qualify is the NER Autocar. This is because it wasn't diesel powered when designed, wasn't BR, and doesn't share many characteristics of of the traditional first and second generation DMU fleets.

Out of interest, what was the vehicle you were expecting to see? I may be able to offer an explanation.

Sent from my moto g(8) power using Tapatalk

 

Certainly an interesting thought experiment here. I could just about see why the NER autocar doesn't count. But what truly differs the Southern Region DEMUs from say a 101 if you accept they're both diesel powered, self propelled vehicles?

 

The logic here lies in that the Railcar Association was originally set up as a self help group for the owners of first generation BR DMU's. It was for groups to share information, skills and parts. Whilst to an enthusiast Southern DEMU's and 101's are the same, they are very different to those looking after them in preservation. A DEMU is effectively a Mark 1 coach with an English Electric loco power unit and traction motors, whilst a 101 has bus engines, gearboxes and final drives. Interestingly, a big diesel loco group is probably more helpful than a DMU group if one owns a DEMU unit.

The same reasoning is why the Battery Electric unit is included, because it's a Derby Lightweight DMU from the underframe upwards. Also why the GWR Railcars are included, as there is heavy similarly with the engines and transmissions.

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It was the NER railcar I was thinking of.
Where do the 1950s/60s 4-wheel ones sit re the group?

 

I get that logic.

 

They are included, they have unique bodies and suspension, and look very different, but they have similar mechanics to their bogied cousins.

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The first real DMU's were what was nicknamed the Razor Edge cars of the GWR built in 1940. The single cars did work in multiple, via a control cable coupled to each car. That included cars 19-34. However cars 35, 36, 37 & 38 were built as twin cars, with the ability to have a coach in between

 

Good to see the 117 looking good at Corfe, sadly has hardly been used during 2020 except for training, maybe 2021 it will start running to the wareham mainline

 

My favourite the class 108 railcar at Severn valley railway. Lovely green colour, smart lining and no yellow front end.

Knut