Railway Herald
Over 10 years after withdrawl the body of Park Royal Railbus No. 79971 could still be found in Millerhill Yard on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland. Seen on 28th August 1977 in use as a Carriage and Wagon Department messroom and workshop it has been fitted with two solid fuel stoves, hence the chimneys. The body is otherwise in a fairly complete condition and No. 79971 would survive at this location for nearly seven more years before being removed during July 1984 and buried in Patersons Tip, Mount Vernon, Glasgow along with several other ex BR vehicles due to concerns over asbestos insulation. No. 79971 had been the first of the five Park Royal Railbuses to be delivered to BR on 16th July 1958 and entered service from Bedford Shed on 11th August 1958. Transferred to Scotland during February 1960 she was allocated to Ayr Shed for several years before becoming the last of the class to be withdrawn, in February 1968 after less than ten years service, upon the closure of the service from Grangemouth to Falkirk Grahamston.
Bob Woolnough
