LNER Memorandum on Questions Relating to the Working and Results Obtained from Sentinel, Clayton and Diesel Railcars, December 1934

Description

From 1927 the LNER introduced 84 steam rail cars, across the Southern, North Eastern and Southern Scottish Areas, with the greatest number (57) in the North Eastern Area (NEA). Nine were built by Clayton of Lincoln and 75 by Shrewsbury based company, Sentinel, to five different design combinations of boiler and final drive, including one articulated twin. Their introduction was stimulated by the need to reduce branch line operating costs against the traditional locomotive hauled train and the desire to introduce new and improved services. Additionally by 1934 the NEA had experience of four diesel railcars initially loaned by the manufacturer, Armstrong Whitworth.