AEC

ID/Name: AEC
Type:  Railmotor
Description: Single Ended Rail Motor
Built: 1922
Status: Missing

The Victorian Railways built 19 of these 4 wheeled railmotors between 1922 and 1924. Powered by a 45hp AEC petrol engine, they were based on the chassis of London buses built by the same company.

SERVICE HISTORY
Although very basic in both amenities and comfort, they allowed the Victorina Railways to provide passenger services on the very lightly settled branchlines that could not justify the expense of a steam hauled train.

This was particularly so for the lines into the Mallee built in the 10 years between 1915 and 1925. Running services to places such as Maldon, Robinvale, Casterton, Tallangatta, Sea Lake, Cohuna, Hopetoun and Heathcote.

Five were converted to 4LW Gardner engines in the early 1930s, becoming the first diesel powered vehicles on the Victorian Railways.

They were eventually either replaced by the new 102hp Walker railcars in the late 1940s or the passenger services were withdrawn. However, the last one remained in service until 1956 on the Fawkner to Somerton run where it was known as The Beetle.

PRESERVATION JOURNEY
It is unfortunate that it appears none have made the journey to preservation. Although some bodies survived into the 1980s there was no interest in preserving them and when Daylesford Railway became aware of the body of 5RM in the 1990s, it was beyond salvage as a house frame had fallen on it and it was covered in blackberries.

CURRENT STATUS
Although they would now all be well over 100 years old, we are hopeful that a body may have survived somewhere as a shed or built into a holiday house as has happened to carriages and trams.

We investigate all reports of a possible body, as an AEC is the missing piece of the collection that would give us an example of every railmotor either built by, or for, the Victorian Railways from 1922 to 1970

So if you think you know of where an AEC maybe, please contact us. station@dscr.com.au

FUN FACT
When an AEC would replace the Dodge car on the Birregurra to Forrest service at holiday period, locals referred to it as the “Flying Dunny’ , which is strange as it didn’t have one!