Peter Kerslake says "Railcar numbered 38, the last to be built, and seen here at Reading in 1953 could well be working between Newbury and Slough in this view from 1953, a regular duty for the Reading based railcars at this time, there being five based at Reading M.P.D. later in 1956 although this particular one was at Worcester that year so perhaps her stay at Reading was over by then.
Designed to work, as seen here, in tandem with a sister unit with a standard corridor coach sandwiched between them W38W remained in service until 1962 and had been fitted with a small buffet counter from newly built in 1942."