1939 "MARTON VAMBAC" RAILCOACH
The 12 "VAMBAC" cars originated in 1939 as "Sun Saloons", so named because, as they were intended for the summer season, only the bottom half of the windows were glazed, they were fitted with a folding canvas section down the middle of the roof, and they had wooden seats. Built by English Electric they were the last of the 1930's streamlined cars.
Unfortunately, due to the outbreak of war, their intended use was cut short, and instead they were used as troop carriers for the R.A.F. Because of the wooden seats they were disliked by the troops and were nicknamed "cattle trucks". They were unusual also in retaining their cream livery for the duration of the war, when all the other streamliners were given a reversed livery of green with cream lining.
After the war, in 1945, it was decided to modernise the Marton route as the old standard double deckers which had worked it for many years were starting to deteriorate, as was the trackwork. As there were insufficient funds for new cars at this time, it was decided to upgrade the sun saloons. They were fully glazed, given upholstered seats and fluorescent lighting. In 1949 more upgrading began on the cars, with new "resilient" bogies, four motors and "VAMBAC" control equipment, housed in the base of the trolley tower. The letters stood for "Variable Automatic Multinotch Braking and Acceleration Control", and fitted with this equipment the cars became the fastest and smoothest riding vehicles in the fleet.
In 1962 the Marton route was withdrawn, and the cars were broken up, with the exception of one survivor, No. 11, which was saved for preservation and can now be seen running at the East Anglia Transport Museum near Lowestoft.