LEV3 (R3)

Home Railway

Gwendraeth Valley Railway

Location History

Overseas: Cultra Sep 93-Mar 01

Current Location

Gwendraeth Valley Railway

 

Overseas: Downpatrick & County Down Railway Mar 01-Jun 25

Current Status

Stored

 

Gwendraeth Valley Railway Jun 25-Present

Current Livery

Blue & White

 

  

TRA Designation

E

    

Owner

Cymdeithas Rheilffordd Gwendraeth Railway Society

 

 

Website

 

    

Record Last Updated

13 September 2025

    

Preservation Modifications
None

Preservation Information
Experimental railbus with a body based on the Leyland National bus. Used for trials but not a sucess, being sold to Norhern Ireland Railways and exported there, being regauged to 5' 3" and used until December 2012, being withdrawn officially in September 1993.

In March 2001, R3 was moved to the Downpatrick & County Down Railway and put mainly on ststic display, although the vehicle did operate from time to time.

In March 2011 during a diesel gala the vehicle failed and had to be hauled back to depot. Later in the same year it carried passengers on several occations being hauled by a tamper rather than under its own power.

It is believed that the last time the vehicle carried passengers was in November 2012, after which R3 was placed on undercover static display.

After around five years, R3 was stored outside and its condition deteriorated fairly quickly. By the mid 2020's, the vehicle was advertised for disposal and scrapping was feared.

Luckily in summer 2025, R3 escaped death by moving the Gwendraeth Valley Railway, the first time it had been on "the mainland" in preservation. Following assessment, the vehicle was not found to be in as poor a condition as first feared.

Future Plans
It is planned to regauge R3 to British standard gauge. The thin nature of the vehicle will proive ideal for the limited loading gauge at the Gwendraeth Valley.

 

R3 looking a little worse for wear, 7/1/23. Sean Russell
   

R3, stored at the Downpatrick & County Down Railway but holding up fairly well, 6/19.Jeremy-de-Souza
   

R3, stored at the Downpatrick & County Down Railway but holiding up fairly well, 6/19.Jeremy-de-Souza
   

LEV3, on static display undercover at the Downpatrick & County Down Railway, 25/9/14. Henry David Allum
   

LEV3, on static display undercover at the Downpatrick & County Down Railway, 25/9/14. Henry David Allum
   

LEV3 at the Downpatrick & County Down Railway, 29/4/07. David Beardmore