Did You Know?
- Bennie Monorail
George Bennie, born in Scotland 1892, was an inventor who was too far ahead of his time.
His passion for trains led him to create the "George Bennie Railplane System of Transport" which consisted of an elevated track and a propeller driven carriage suspended from a monorail.
The engine was electric and it was expected that the cost of construction would be far less than conventional railways.
He built a test track and carriage over a stretch of railway on the outskirts of Glasgow and on 8 July 1930 invited guests boarded the new luxury form of transport.
Although capable of travelling at 120mph, the limited length of track only allowed speeds of 50mph.
Bennie travelled the world trying to gain support for his invention but it was too revolutionary and existing rail companies were opposed to it.
Bennie died a bankrupt but his prototype structure and carriage remained in place until it was scrapped in 1956.
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