RB004

Home Railway	Lathalmond Railway Museum	Location History	Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway 94-04
Current Location	Lathalmond Railway Museum		Telford Steam Railway 04-May 11
Current Status	Operational		Midland Railway Butterley Aug 11-May 12
Current Livery	Chocolate & Cream		Waverley Route Heritage Centre May 12-Present
TRA Designation	E		Lathalmond Railway Museum Sep 25-Present
Owner	The Railbus Trust
Website	shed47.org	Visited Railways	National Railway Museum (Shildon) Apr 09-Nov 09
Record Last Updated	25 October 2025		Llangollen Railway May 11-Aug 11
Preservation Modifications None
Preservation Information Experimental railbus with a body based on the Leyland National bus. Originally preserved on the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway, it is not known if the vehicle ever operated at the line under its own power. In 2004 it was sold and relocated to the Telford Steam Railway and was restored to working order, receiving a fictitious chocolate & cream livery in 2006. The vehicle was returned to traffic in 2007 replacing the line's Class 104 set. In 2011 the vehicle was put up for sale and purchased by the Railbus Trust, whose stated mission was to bring back the various Leyland railbus demonstrator vehicles to the UK and restore them for use on various heritage railways. Since 2011 the group have maintained and operated RB004 in service and made many improvements to its reliability which was always previously a problem for the vehicle. RB004 saw much popular us at the Midland Railway Butterley and visited the Llangollen Railway in 2011 for their gala. During 2012 the vehicle was relocated north to the Waverley Route Heritage Centre where it provided passenger services on the embryonic heritage line. It only saw occasional use however due to the limited number of operating days and the remote environment. Following the arrival of two Class 142 sets at Whitrope, RB004 fell out of use and suffered some vandalism whilst in storage. Luckily it did not deteriorate too badly during this time but it was clear that its future at the railway was no longer assured. In 2025, RB004 was moved further north to the Lathalmond Railway Museum in Fife, where there are plans for a return to service for limited operation on their demonstration line.
Future Plans To return to traffic, reversing the effects of vandalism and storage, before limited operation on their demonstration line.

	The bodywork of RB004 being assessed shortly after arrival, 28/9/25. Shed47 Railway Restoration Group

	RB004 departing Whitrope to its new home at the Lathalmond Railway Museum, 25/9/25. Shed47 Railway Restoration Group

	RB004 started up and moving itself onto the road transporter out of Whitrope, 25/9/25. Shed47 Railway Restoration Group

	RB004 in the platform at Whitrope, 17/11/18. The Railbus Trust

	Running services at Whitrope, 31/7/16. David Bellamy

	RB004 at Whitrope, 13/2/16. The Railbus Trust

	RB004 stabled at Whitrope, 6/5/14. David Milburn-Shell

	RB004 stabled at Swanwick Junction, 15/3/12. Mike Gill

	RB004 at Butterley during the Railcar Gala, 11/9/11. Chris Moxon

	Leaving Llangollen for Butterley, 22/8/11. Llangolln Railcar Group

	Only a clean required before RB004 can operate at the gala, 13/6/11. Llangolln Railcar Group

	Llangollen Railcars had to fit a coupler to the Llangollen end, as the bus had been delivered without one. This was accomplished (not without considerable difficulty) by the end of the afternoon. They also had to remove all the steps fitted to the unit as we had discovered that it was out of gauge, 28/5/11. Llangolln Railcar Group

	In the evening they took RB004 out on its first test run on Llangollen metals, reaching Carrog and gauging all the platforms and structures on the line. A second run was made to Deeside following which it was decided that they ought to do some work on the bus' water system before the gala. The unusual single car is seen at Deeside Loop, 28/5/11. Llangolln Railcar Group

	Gala visitor RB004 has been inspected and has had a couple of runs on the "back road" towards Llangollen. It is due to be main line tested this weekend, 22/5/11. Llangolln Railcar Group

	RB004 stabled at Telford, 28/12/09. Chris Moxon

	RB004 stabled at Telford, 5/5/08. Simon Edwards

	RB004 alongside 53479, 5/5/08. Simon Edwards

	RB004 stabled at Telford, 21/10/07. Simon Edwards

	An undated view of RB004 at Embsay, Gary Duckworth

Interior

	RB004's interior, 31/7/16. David Bellamy

	The larger of RB004's passenger saloons, 11/9/11. Chris Moxon

	The smaller of RB004's passenger saloons, 11/9/11. Chris Moxon