Rolling Stock

The Bermuda Railway was a small operation, and this was reflected in its limited fleet. Almost all the rolling stock used during the railway's 17 years of operation was introduced during the first two years, and later additions were few and far between.

Until the 1940s, all motive power was provided by motorized coaches or freight vans with truck-mounted, 150 hp gasoline engines. They were built in England by English Electric for the Drewry Car Company. Several motor coaches or vans could be coupled together and controlled as a unit. A typical passenger train would be made up of one of more motor coaches pulling one or more trailers (either the "Pullman" or "Toast Rack" passenger coaches).

In 1942 and 1943, two diesel-electric locomotives were added to the fleet to help meet the increased World War II traffic. They were probably financed by the U.S. Army.

The following table provides a list of all Bermuda Railway stock (much of the information comes from Colin Pomeroy's excellent account):


Year Acquired	Quantity	Description
1931	6	Motor coaches, #10-15 Capacity: 16 1st Class and 26 (later 24) 2nd Class passengers
1931	2	Motor freight vans, #30-31 Freight capacity: 10 tons
1932	2	Motor locomotives/freight vans, #100-101 Freight capacity: 10 tons These more powerful machines had two truck-mounted engines rather than the standard single engine.
1942-1943	2	Diesel-electric locomotives, #200-201 These were Cummins rebuilds of Brill Model 55 cars.
before 1931	1	Planet contractor's locomotive
before 1931	1	Inspection speeder Both the contractor's locomotive and the inspection speeder were left behind when the final contractor, Balfour, Beatty and Company, finished building the Railway.

Year Acquired	Quantity	Description
1931	6	1st class "Pullman" coaches, #20-25 Capacity: 40 (later 50-52) 1st Class passengers
1932	6	Passenger coaches ("toast racks"), #60-65-Capacity: 68 2nd Class passengers
1937	1	1st class "Pullman" coach, #26-#26 was built from parts in the company's shops in 1937.

Year Acquired	Quantity	Description
1931	2	Trailer freight vans, #40-41-These had the same external dimensions as motor freight vans 30 and 31, which usually pulled them.
1932	2	Open wagons (gondolas), #50-51 Capacity: 15 tons-One of these (probably #51) was later converted into a fuel tank wagon.
1932	2	Open wagons (gondolas), #52-53-Capacity: 10 tons
? (early)	1	Oil tank car-Capacity: 5000 gallons
? (early)	2	Flat cars, #70-71-Capacity: 10 tons-#71 was possibly a rebuild of motor coach #12, which was seriously damaged by a fire in 1943.


	© Copyright 1998-2007, Simon Horn. This page was last modified November 2007. Email me your questions, comments and suggestions.