Col. Stephens was a pioneer of petrol traction. The WC&PR was the first of his railways to introduce railcars. The first was bought new in 1921 from the Drewry Car Co Ltd to Col Stephens’ specification - works no 1252. It was powered by a water-cooled 35 hp 4 cylinder Baguley petrol engine with 3 speed gearbox giving it a maximum speed of 25 mph. It seated 30 with 12 standing, and due to low running costs was relatively profitable. Luggage could be stored on the roof ! The railcar height was lower than normal at 8’ 3”. Livery was dark green with yellow lining.

A matching trailer seating 24 was bought in 1923 from Drewry (works No 1323). Livery was as above, dark green with yellow lining. The trailer was the same height as the small railcar but without the roof luggage storage.

There is a possibility of model kits being produced for a railcar and trailer. Details ....

Not the fifth railcar but the only other one! This larger Drewry railcar was bought second-hand in 1934 (built 1928 - works No 1650) from the Southern Railway (where the No 5 originated), and was also 4-wheeled and petrol engined (50 hp, later a Parsons 64 hp). Though it only seated 22 passengers, it had a separate luggage compartment also used to carry milk churns. There was a separate driver’s compartment at each end. The seat backs could be moved to face the direction of travel. Livery was left in SR dark olive green. Christopher Redwood’s book ‘The Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway’ has scale drawings of this railcar for modelling. See Books page.