Heljan RL3173

North Eastern Railway Petrol Electric Autocar 3170 London & North Eastern Railway Brown

Contents

Class & Prototype

The North Eastern Railway's 1903 Petrol Electric Autocars were revolutionary pioneering vehicles that introduced the world's first petrol-electric transmission system for passenger rail service. Built at York Carriage Works under Vincent Raven's leadership, the two vehicles (numbered 3170 and 3171) anticipated diesel-electric technology by fifty years, establishing principles still fundamental to modern locomotive design.

Originally powered by 85hp Napier engines driving 550V dynamos to supply twin 55hp traction motors, reliability issues led to replacement with superior Wolseley horizontally-opposed engines in 1904. The 53ft 6in vehicles seated 52 passengers and featured bidirectional controls, electric lighting, and pioneering regenerative braking systems.

Operating primarily on branch line services including Hartlepool-West Hartlepool, Scarborough-Filey, and later the Selby-Cawood line, both vehicles provided quarter-century service careers. In 1923, autocar 3170 was rebuilt with a 225hp engine enabling multiple-unit operation with conventional coaching stock - Britain's first such service.

Both vehicles survived into LNER ownership, retaining their original numbers until withdrawal in 1930-31. While 3171 was scrapped, 3170's body survived as a holiday home before restoration by the 1903 Electric Autocar Trust, returning to operational service in 2018 on the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway as a unique working example of transport history.

  • Running Number: 3170
  • Name: -
  • Ordered By: North Eastern Railway
  • Built By: North Eastern Railway
  • Built At: York
  • Built: 08/1903
  • Withdrawn: 04/1931
  • Length of Service: 27.7 years
  • Running Numbers: NER 3170, LNER 3170
  • Names: -

Operator & Livery

The London & North Eastern Railway emerged in 1923 as Britain's second-largest railway company, combining seven major railways including the Great Northern, North Eastern, and Great Eastern into a 6,590-mile network stretching from London's four terminals to the Scottish Highlands. Despite serving economically challenged industrial regions, the LNER achieved worldwide recognition for engineering excellence and speed records that remain unbroken today.

Under Chief Mechanical Engineers Sir Nigel Gresley, Edward Thompson, and Arthur Peppercorn, the LNER developed revolutionary locomotive designs characterised by three-cylinder layouts and streamlined aesthetics. Gresley's masterpieces included the A1 Pacifics featuring Flying Scotsman and the legendary A4 class, culminating in Mallard's world steam speed record of 126 mph in 1938.

The company pioneered luxury express services including the Silver Jubilee and Coronation streamliners, whilst investing in forward-thinking electrification schemes and massive marshalling yards. Notable achievements included operating the complete East Coast Main Line, introducing Britain's first regular 400-mile non-stop service, and commissioning Eric Gill's iconic typography that influenced railway design for decades.

Nationalised in 1948, LNER locomotives continued serving British Railways until the 1960s, with some A4 Pacifics working Scottish expresses until 1966. Today, the LNER's engineering legacy thrives through extensive preservation, new-build projects like Tornado, and comprehensive model ranges covering every major class in all popular scales, making LNER subjects essential for discerning railway modellers seeking authentic British steam-age atmosphere.