The five British Railways Waggon und Maschinenbau railbuses were delivered in April 1958.

The underframe, power equipment, transmission and brake gear were similar to the Uerdingen railbus, common on the German Federal Railway.

[1] The underframes were built of channel shaped cross-beams welded to flanged plate longitudinal girders.

In 1965 79963 and 79964 were trialled on the Alston Line, but couldn't haul parcels vans and had heating problems in winter.

In 1966 79960 and 63 were sold to the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway Society (later North Norfolk).

To solve a problem with them slipping, they were turned round, so that the driving axle was at the rear on the uphill runs.