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Oliver Alfa Romeo 158 diesel powered rail car
Custom built with Oliver Alfa Romeo 158 body
The body of this English diesel powered rail car is an original Oliver Alfa Romeo 158 produced by John S. Oliver and sold through his and his son's company, JAO Precision Products of Nottingham, England. Originally designed as a tether car powered by a twin-shaft diesel engine, this car was finished as a rail car using components provided by Miniature Road Racing Cars, Ltd. (MRRC). The Oliver Alfa Romeo 158 was designed by Harry S. Howlett, Esq. who owned the foundry which produced the aluminum castings for Oliver's cars.
The car features Henri Baigent-design rail guides (a.k.a. "zonkers") which allow the car to turn both right and left guided by a round rail on road course-design rail tracks, facilitated by a steerable front axle and a centrifugal clutch mounted in the right rear wheel hub. The car is powered by a 1.3 cc Mills diesel model engine. The car retains its original MRRC rear wheels and tires as well as its original HCB front wheels and tires.
The car is finished in the livery of the Alfa Romeo 158 "Alfetta" which carried Giuseppe Farina to victory in the British Grand Prix held at Silverstone on May 13, 1950.
