In 1986 eight class 101 DMBS vehicles were selected for conversion to 2-car parcels units. The vehicles involved being 53218 ex BG, 53221 ex HT, 53230 ex BG, 53233 ex HT, 53255 ex HT, 51430 ex NL, 51439 ex CA and 51441 ex CA.

The conversion involved the removal of most passenger seats. They remained in blue and grey but with Parcels Sector red/yellow bodyside stripes, and ‘Express Parcels’ lettering on lower bodysides.

All vehicles were initially based at Neville Hill Leeds (NL) but later moved to Cambridge (CA). Though maintained in fixed formations no set numbers were carried though set numbers we allocated by NL and later CA.

51430 was allocated 55941, 51439 55942, and 51441 55943, although it is believed these were never carried.

This small fleet of vehicles were only in use as Parcel cars for approximately two years all being withdrawn by July 1989, four arriving in Mayer Newman's Snailwell Yard during 1990.

A gallery of 101s in parcels use can be found here.

The last surviving pair 53218/53230 languished at Norwich Thorpe Station goods yard until movement to Snailwell in January 1992. It moved the same night it was photographed (left) and was burned immediately on arrival at Snailwell. It had been arranged for three engines to go to the North Norfolk Railway, but the only one which survived was the one with the hole in the block, the reason for the sets withdrawal. Robert Frise Collection

Departmentals

In all 25 steel Met Camm vehicles have been taken into departmental stock, mainly for sandite and route learning cars.

In 1987 a new Ultrasonic Test Train was built at Cardiff Cathays Works using two DMBS vehicles 51433 and 53167 with ex SR EMU car 62483 between, the new departmental running numbers becoming 977391 / 999602 / 977392 (set 960001). A third 101 vehicle (DMBS 53246, renumbered 977393) was acquired for conversion but in the event was not used, remaining at Cathays Works until its closure in 1990 and was then moved to Radyr to await disposal. The next conversion was "LAB 19" (IRIS 2) involving cars 53222 (977693) and 53338 (977694). Both these are allocated to the Derby Technical Centre code (ZA).

Sandite and Route learning cars are as follows, though some are now scrapped:

Set 960991 was is formed of 977895/6
Set 960992 was is formed of 977897/8
Set 960993 was is formed of 977899/900
Set 960994 was is formed of 977901/2
Set 960995 was is formed of 977903/4
Set L842 (53314/53327 is in use as a Serco tractor unit