Western 52
Member
In Japan the Asa Seaside Railway is trialling a dual mode vehicle. Essentially a minibus with added rail guide wheels, it can change modes in 15 seconds. Could this idea work in the UK, and if so, how and where?
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Could dual mode vehicles have an application in the UK?
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ANDREW_D_WEBB
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Maybe the driver of the car in this incident will try to claim this as defence in court https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/car-on-the-track-at-cheshunt-15-07.219897/
I should think crashworthiness standards for rail vehicles would probably make it cost-prohibitive here. Any line it would be viable on would likely be better converted to a guided busway to allow the bus to serve a wider area.
busmanaams
Member
Wasn't this tried on the Worcester branch about twenty years go using a converted Leyland National bus? As with the single railcar experiments in the 1960s, I don't think BR had their heart in the exercise.
GrimsbyPacer
Established Member
I believe my local line needs this Dual Mode Vehicle urgently.
The Barton Line exists as it used to connect with the New Holland to Hull Ferry, it had a frequent service until the Humber Bridge opened, since then a dwindling service to Barton for awkward bus connections to Hull has been it's only purpose, the Humber Flyer Bus runs from Cleethorpes to Grimsby, Barton and Hull hourly cheaply, the Barton Line train is usually cancelled, but when it does run it's Cleethorpes, Grimsby, to Barton only runs every 2 hours and costs a lot more, with the added bus change.
This railbus would allow a Cleethorpes to Hull train to exist again, and the Barton line would be more sustainable. They are suited only for lightly used lines which do not reach the intended destination.
The Barton Line exists as it used to connect with the New Holland to Hull Ferry, it had a frequent service until the Humber Bridge opened, since then a dwindling service to Barton for awkward bus connections to Hull has been it's only purpose, the Humber Flyer Bus runs from Cleethorpes to Grimsby, Barton and Hull hourly cheaply, the Barton Line train is usually cancelled, but when it does run it's Cleethorpes, Grimsby, to Barton only runs every 2 hours and costs a lot more, with the added bus change.
This railbus would allow a Cleethorpes to Hull train to exist again, and the Barton line would be more sustainable. They are suited only for lightly used lines which do not reach the intended destination.
Light trucks (F150 or similar) with railway guide wheels are used a lot by track maintenance crews here in Canada. My understanding is that the small diameter of the wheels means that they are not completely reliable over pointwork and larger diameter wheels would add to the weight. I believe there was a similar problem with the roadrailers used in Britain in the 1960s.
Western 52
Member
It would be interesting to see how they've got round the small wheel issue in Japan. Maybe some clever technology? The vehicles appear to be running there without reports of any derailment risk.
I think this is what you are referring to:
A set of pictures of a modified Bristol LH which could run on road and rails being trialled on the West Somerset Railway in 1980.
HSTEd
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There are probably easier solutions to most of the places these could be useful in the UK.
We don't have rural lines like they have in Japan outside of the North of Scotland or Mid wales.
We don't have rural lines like they have in Japan outside of the North of Scotland or Mid wales.
GrimsbyPacer
Established Member
Maybe it could solve the undemocratic issue where the elected Welsh Government dictates service provision on railway lines such as Hereford to Chester/Manchester solely in England while locals on the line have no voting power at all.
Transport for Wales could run a Cardiff to Swansea and Carmarthen service which uses road to Aberystwyth and again from Pwllheli to Bangor... but then again a bus would probably be able to do the journey faster and cheaper, if anyone actually travelled from North to South Wales anyway.
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Still think the Barton Line is perfect for it.
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In Scotland though it raises the possibility of the railbuses then going on to ferries to islands.
It was tried back in the 1930s as well by LMS
www.therailwayhub.co.uk
From the archive: Experimental Vehicles – Ro-Railers: Ahead of their time or overtaken by events? | The Railway Hub
A new type of vehicle for use on both road and rail was trialled in the early 1930s, but never caught on. Alan Dale considers whether early road-rail vehicl ...
www.therailwayhub.co.uk
HSTEd
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Ultimately I could see road railers being used for freight shunt operations - but those are hardly common on the modern railway.
If we still had a wagonload freight business they could simplify trip freight operations since they only need a path in a direction when they are actually hauling wagons
If we still had a wagonload freight business they could simplify trip freight operations since they only need a path in a direction when they are actually hauling wagons
busmanaams
Member
Sorry, but no. It was without doubt a converted Leyland National. It was part of a programme of Leyland to find other uses for the model. Not only were there a train, but also an ambulance and a rural travelling doctor. However, on reflection, it was not at Worcester. Could it be Stourbridge?
The only other thing I can think of were the LEV railbuses, but they were only rail - so whilst in appearance they looked alot like a National, they were in fact mounted on rail running gear.
Details here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_railbuses
If not then I'm not sure what you're thinking of and, surprisingly, the internet doesn't seem to be conjuring up any suggestions either.
GrimsbyPacer
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PaulLothian
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I saw a report on the Japanese vehicle recently on TV. What struck me was that with rail guide wheels at each end, and with road wheels set well in, in road configuration it bucketed along like a Calmac ferry in a storm - made me travel-sick to watch it!
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