The traveller in the railbus

This excited young rail enthusiast, with his Mum, is thoroughly enjoying his ride on our local Keighley and Worth Valley Railway’s pretty little rail bus, Watton & Maschinenbau M79964. He probably couldn’t have been more thrilled if he’d actually been travelling on ‘Thomas’ himself! Small railbuses, a lightweight type of railcar very similar to a bus, were brought into use in the late 1950s and ended up working as a cost-cutting exercise mainly on lines under threat during the Beeching era. KWVR’s bus is of continental origin, with blue upholstery and colour co-ordinated curtains, giving it an air of comfort and luxury. I’m sure our little traveller will always remember his thrilling journey as the railbus prepares to enter the Ingrow tunnel on its way to Damems.