176 Book of Engineering 



The Great Southern Railway of Ireland 

 have recently placed in service several 

 Drewry internal combustion rail cars for 

 branch lines and intermittent passenger 

 services on the main lines. These coaches 

 appear to be the very type of inexpensive 

 unit for working such lines as are found 

 in Ireland where traffic has never been too 

 heavy. 



The running costs are low, and even if 

 they load up to less than half capac- 

 ity it has been proved that they will pay 

 their way. Two types of the Drewry rail 

 car have been supplied by the makers from 

 their Burton-on-Trent works; one of them 

 is of the 70-75 h.p. four-wheeled coach for 

 the 5J feet gauge. It was stipulated that 

 this car should give up to a speed of 40 

 miles an hour on the level, and yet be able 

 to attain a rate of 20 miles an hour up a 

 gradient of i in 75. They have accommoda- 

 tion for 30 passengers, and it is estimated 

 that the total running costs amount to less 

 than one shilling per mile. This type of 

 car is fitted with a 6-cylinder water-cooled 



