These are dealt with in their original orders as much as possible, to try and simplify matters. However, certain topics cannot be dealt with in this way, and inter-regional transfers also complicated matters immensely, so there are also lots of additional notes. The amount of information required the pages to be split up, so use the following menu to pick an order or topic. There will be plenty more added in the future!

For services between Newcastle and Carlisle.

They commenced working Newcastle - Carlisle services from the 4th Feb ‘57. The existing timetable was modified slightly from this date, but only one extra train was introduced then, an additional afternoon train from Carlisle to Newcastle on Saturdays only. Steam still operated trains, the 101s mainly did the stopping services, an example being the 14:00 Carlisle - Newcastle with stops only at Haltwhistle and Hexham was steam worked, but the 13:05 from Carlisle was 101 worked.

From the 4th March ‘57 further diesel workings were introduced in the Hull area. While these were generally operated by Class 105 sets, a 4-car 101 was loaned from South Gosforth.

Minature buffets were introduced on the 13th June 1960 to certain trains between Newcastle and Carlisle. The four trains each way were the 10:30, 12:20. 15:20 and 16:20 from Newcastle, and the 13:00, 14:20, 17:25 and 19:00 from Carlisle.

In 1965 50138-49 & 59042-7/9-54 were allocated to 52J and were operating Newcastle - Carlisle services. 50150/1 & 59048/55 were allocated to 55H.

Order 2B - 10 power twins DMBSs 50152-7, 50164-67, DMCs 50158-63, 50168-71

For the West Riding.

It looks likely that originally 50164-7/50168-71 were due to have trailers numbered 59056-9. (These numbers were never used, and the numbers either side were used orders 2a/c. Plus the way the ten 2-cars are broken up into two batches, each having separate lot. numbers.)

Sets 50154/60 & 50155/61 were put into service on the 17th December ‘56 by Hammerton St. staff. They were equipped with indicator blinds for Bradford services and were working along with the eight Derby Lightweights.

A 3-car set and two 2-car sets were stabled overnight at Starbeck and ran as diagrams S1, S2 and S3, although S1 and S3 ran coupled together as a 5-car set at morning and evening peak hours. In the morning the 5-car worked the 06:32 to Leeds, 07:15 return to Knaresborough, and the 08:07 from there to Leeds. As on most diesel diagrams, this gave two trips to Leeds and it was a good many years since any Starbeck men had taken part in such a working.

A Bradford unit, diagram B6, also stayed overnight at Starbeck to make a 4-car set with S2 for the 07:25 to Leeds.

All the sets were changed everyday except for S3 which worked S2 the following day, so enabling Bradford to be responsible for fuelling and maintenance.

The 3-car sets were made up from new 4-car units on loan from Darlington, the first of which was run empty to Bradford on the 21st Feb. '57, made up of 50176, 59062/75 and 50177. 59062 ran between 50155/61, and 59075 stayed between 50176/7. Other cars noted were 50156/59065/50162, 50182/59078/50183, plus unidentified/59082/50191.

The extension of these West Riding diesel services from the 25th February ‘57 enabled the reduction of Starbeck steam passenger diagrams from seven to four.

The Easter ‘57 holiday workings saw various combinations of 2,3,4 and 5-car sets from both Bradford and Starbeck. A pair of power twins (50154/60/71/67) ran the 18 1/4 miles from Harrogate to Leeds (Central), unchecked, in 21 1/4 minutes start to stop on the afternoon of Easter Monday. Top speed was 66 mph near Weeton, and the 2 1/4 miles at 1 in 94 up through Bramhope Tunnel were run at an average of just over 54, from the prescribed limit of 50 at the bottom, with a maximum of 56 at the top. The cars were carrying an approximate passenger load of 80-90 per cent capacity.

At Nov ‘57 the Bradford sets invariably remained in the same formations. One variation noted was 50158 which should have been paired with 50152, but for some months had been paired with 50214.

Soon after the 3-car Rolls-Royce sets were delivered to Bradford the borrowed trailers were dropped from the power twins. Noted in January ‘57 back as 2-cars were 50155/61 and 50156/62.

At the beginning of 1958 50158 was still running with 50214, but on the 9th April it was noted with 50166. 50166’s original partner 50170 was running with 50152 (50158’s original partner!)

At 1965 50152-5/7 paired with 50158-61/3 & 50164/5/7 paired with 50168/9/71were allocated to 56G working Bradford Exchange - Huddersfield services, 50156/62/6/70 to 51A working the Guisborough branch and Middlesborough - Scarborough.

Order 2C - 13 4-car sets DMCs 50172-97, TSs 59060-72, TBSs 59073-85

They were for Darlington to Saltburn services, a distance of 27 ¾ miles. This was covered in 60 mins with 10 (and in some cases 11 or 12) stops. The turnaround time at Darlington was normally 19 minutes and at Saltburn 10 minutes. Two of these sets were coupled together for peak periods.

One set (50176, 59062/75 and 50177) was loaned to Bradford, traveling on the 21st Feb ‘57. It had a trailer removed (59062) to work as a 3-car, with 59062 being added to a power twin to made another 3-car.

Other vehicles noted working these West Riding services were 50182/59065/59078/50183, again split to form two 3-car sets with a power twin.

Vehicles from 50192 and on were delivered with blue squares painted above the buffers. All previous vehicles soon had these added.

Vehicle 50173 was withdrawn in Oct. ‘57 following accident damage at Hexham, so these vehicles must also have worked that line.

At '65 50172/4-85/7-9 & 59060-8/70-2 & 59073/4/6-81/3-5 & 50192/4-7 were still allocated to 51A for Darlington - Saltburn services, while 50186/93 & 59075 was at 52J and 50190/1 & 59069/82 were at 55H.

Order 2E - 12 power/trailers NER DMBSs 50198-209, DTCs 56050-61

For Darlington area, including services to Middleton-in-Teesdale, Richmond and Crook.

Sets 50202/56054 and 50203/56055 were on test between Castle Bromwich and Aldridge on the 8th May ‘57.

Newly completed 50207/56059 and 50208/56060 were used to work additional trains at the British Industries Fair on Saturday 11th May ‘57. The majority of the services that year between Birmingham (New Street) and Castle Bromwich were worked by Longsight’s Class 111s.

At '65 50198/9/201/4/7 with 56050/1/3/6/9 were allocated to 52J. 50200/5/9 & 56052/7/61 were allocated to 51A and used on Richmond and Crook branch trains and on Durham - Bishop Auckland services, and also on Darlington - Middleton-in-Teeside trains. 50202/3/6/8 with 56054/5/8/60 were allocated to 55F and used on Bradford Forster Sq - Leeds City locals.

Order 2F - 24 power/trailers DMBSs 50210-33, DTCs 56062-85

For the Hull area.

50210/1, 56062/3 to 9D (Newton Heath) on loan 7/57 (most likely it was when new)

50212/3/22-5 with 56064/5/74-7 all went on loan to 9A (Longsight) soon after delivery.

50210-3/22-5 + 56062-5/74-7 to 54A (ex-loan LMR) 7/57

50214/56066 to 54A (ex-loan LMR) 2/58

The 29th July ‘57 saw the first regular DMU working into Scarborough. It was the 10:15 from Hull, and 13:00 return, crewed by Bridlington men. On this first day it was formed of three Cravens sets, but on the following and subsequent days it was made of four Cravens and Met-Camm 2-car sets.

The now abundance of diesel sets at Hull made it possible to handle the summer ‘57 heavy weekend traffic to the coast resorts of Hornsea and Withernsea without recourse to steam power except on rare occasions.

Sunday excursions produced some interesting DMU workings. On the 27th October ‘57 an 8-car train worked from Hull to Newcastle formed of 50220/56072, 50222/56074, 50228/56080 and 50212/56069.

While DMUs had been working to Scarborough since July ‘57, the first unit to enter the shed there was 50223/56075 with gearbox trouble on the 27th November ‘57. It was one half of the 13:10 to Hull.

By Dec '57 there were 31 Class 105 2-cars allocated to the Hull district, with four Met-Cams on loan. They were maintained at Springhead (53C), but when alterations to Botanic Gardens (53B) were completed they were transferred there.

At '65 50210/2/3/5-23/5-7/9-33 with 56062/4-8/70-5/7-9/81-5 were allocated to 52J and used on Newcastle - Hexham and Newcastle - South Shields services. 50211/7/24 & 56063/9/76 were allocated to 51A and used on Richmond and Crook branch trains and on Durham - Bishop Auckland services, and also on Darlington - Middleton-in-Teeside trains. 50228 with 56080 was at 55H.

Order 2G - 3 power/trailers DMBSs 50246-8, DMCs 56218-20

50247/8 and 56219/20 were allocated to Darlington at Sep. ‘57.

At '65 50246-8 they were allocated to 52J.

Order 2H - 6 4-car sets DMCs 50234-45, TSs 59086-91, TBSs 59092-7

These vehicles took over the Newcastle - Middlesborough services, replacing the Derby Lightweights, which were all transferred to the Newcastle - Carlisle services on the 16th September ‘57.

In '65 50234-7/40-5 & 59086/7/9-91 & 59092/3/5-7 were allocated to 55H. 50238/9 & 59088/94 were allocated to 55J for Newcastle to Hexham and Newcastle to South Shields. 

Order 2I - 3 3-car sets DMBSs 50290-2, TSs 59302-4, DMCs 50745-7

On the 14th December the 13:10 Scarborough to Hull consisted of a new 3-car set, the first noted at Scarborough.

50746/59303/50291 was shown as transferred to Darlington in Nov. '57, but it was still running from Hammerton Street depot on 20th Jan ‘58.

3-car sets took over NER West Riding services between Leeds and Barnsley in March 1958. To inaugurate the new services on the 3rd March a demonstration run was made. Members of the special party carried included: Mr HA Short, General Manager, NER; Mr Albert Roberts, MP for Normanton; Councillor MS Fitzpatrick, Mayor of Wakefield; Mr RB Temple, Traffic Manager, ER, Sheffield; Councillor S Tubb, Mayor of Barnsley (and the driver was N Barrat!).

At '65 the first and third sets were allocated to 51A and working the Richmond and Crook branches. The second set was allocated to 52J.

Order 2J - 2 4-car sets DMCs 50748-51, TSs 59305-6, TBSs 59112-3

At '65 50748/9 & 59112 & 59305 was allocated to 51A working the Richmond & Crook branches. The other set was allocated to 55H.

Order 2K - 4 power/trailer sets DMBSs 50293-6, DTCs 56086-9

At '65 50293-5 & 56086-8 were allocated to 51A and used on Richmond and Crook branch trains and on Durham - Bishop Auckland services, and also on Darlington - Middleton-in-Teeside trains. 50296 and 56089 were allocated to 52J.

Order 2L - 17 3-car sets DMBSs 50303-20 TCs 59114-31 DMCs 50321-38

On the 26th January ‘58 the through Sundays DMU working from Stoke (16:00) to Rugby (18:38) and return (18:50) was worked by brand new 50323/59116/50305. It had up to then been worked by 3-car 104s.

New 3-car sets were running to Rugby from Leicester apparently to train drivers, arriving at 13:20 and returning about 13:35. On the 12th March ‘58 50305/59116/50323 appeared, and on the 19th it was 50326/59119/50308.

50308/59119/50326 and 50309/59120/50327 were running into Birmingham New Street during March ‘58 on training trips in connection with the Birmingham, Leicester, Burton-on-Trent and Nottingham area diesel train services which were scheduled to commence on the 14th April.

50303/6/7 + 50321/4/5 + 59114/7/8 to 9A 3/58

At '65 50303-17 & 50321-35 & 59114-28 were allocated to 2G and working Birmingham New St. to Lichfield services. 50318-20 & 50336-8 & 59129-31 were allocated to 9D.

Order 2xA - 10 power twins DMBSs 50250-9, DMCs 50260-9

50250-3 and 50260-3 were allocated to Darlington at Sep ‘57

50253/7 + 50263/7 to 51A (ex-loan LMR) 2/58

At '65 50250-3/5/7-9 with 50260-3/5/7-9 were allocated to 51A and working Middlesborough services. 50254/6 and 50264/6 were allocated to 56G.

Order 3A - 30 power/trailers DMBSs 51224-53 DTCs 56382-411

Sets were delivered from Saltley via Preston and Cowlairs eight cars at a time. Noted heading north on the 15th May ‘58 were 51230-3/56388-91, on the 29th May 51234-7/56392-5, and 51238-41/56396 on the 12th June.

Possibly 101 - maybe 100? - By July ‘58 the 15:46 Waverley to Larbert and 17:39 return were worked by 2-car sets and was a way of returning the Grangemouth sets to Leith Central for attention.

From 7/7/58 51239/56397 replaced the remaining steam passenger services on the Deeside line from Aberdeen to Ballater. It worked opposite the Battery Multiple Unit, and the timetable was adjusted to give slightly faster running. The 101 was based at Kittybrewster for servicing and was maintained at Dundee West mpd. Also maintained at this depot were the Met-Camms which took over services between Dundee and Edinburgh Waverley and between Dundee and Glasgow Buchanan Street, both via Thornton Jct and via Perth, on the 4th August 1958.

A picture in the October 1958 Railway Magazine (page 695) of 2x2-car 101s is captioned "The first diesel train to leave Glasgow Buchanan Street in service: the 2.15pm to Aberdeen on July 18th."

A number of stopping trains between Edinburgh and Dundee switched to two 2-car 101s from the 4th August ‘58, the sets being used were originally destined for Dundee local services. The workings also extended to three services between Fife and Glasgow and the 16:00 Dundee to Buchanan Street and 20:15return. One working to Kirkintilloch and one on the Tayport branch was included in the scheme. The latter was expected be more or less entirely diesel worked together with the other Dundee local services from the 15th September.

The new sets were noted coupled into 8-car sets for long distance specials such as Leven to Heads of Ayr on the 19th July ‘58 and Dundee (West) to Stanraer (Harbour) on the 26th July, Airdrie to Ayr excursions during the Glasgow Fair, and ‘Land Cruises’ from Glasgow to Killin on the 29th July, and to Largs and Girvan two days later.

Around Nov '58 owing apparently to complaints of rough riding 2-car sets (101? Most likely 100?) on the Benhar route (Edinburgh Princes Street -Glasgow Central), 126s took over. Subsequently Leith was short of 126s. Met-Camms were loaned presumably from Dundee, and 4-car sets were operating most of the Princess St - Central Central services.

At '65 51224/5/38-46/8-53 with 56382/3/7/96-404/6-8/10/1 were allocated to 62B for workings from Dundee to St. Andrews, Tayport and Arbroath. 51226/8-35 with 56384/6/8-93/409 were allocated to 66C for South Clyde locals from Glasgow Central. 51227/36/7 with 56385/94/5 were allocated to 64H for Edinburgh Waverley to North Berwick services. 51247 with 56405 was at 61A for Elgin to Keith Town services and the Lossiemouth Branch.

Order 3B - 20 power/trailers DMBSs 51204-23 DTCs 56362-81

At '65 51204/11 & 56362/9 were allocated to 55F for Bradford Forster Sq - Leeds City locals. 51205/6/8/9/14-7/21 with 56363//6/7/72-5/9 were allocated to 52J for Newcastle to South Shields and Hexham workings. 51207/10/3/8/22/3 with 56365/8/71/6/80/1 were allocated to 55H. 51512/9/20 with 56370/7/8 were allocated to 51A and used on Richmond and Crook branch trains and on Durham - Bishop Auckland services, and also on Darlington - Middleton-in-Teeside trains.

Order 3C - 30 power/trailers DMBSs 51174-203 DTCs 56332-61

At '65 51174-88 with 56332-46 were allocated to 2H and worked from Birmingham New Street to Rugby, Coventry and Leamington. 51189-92 with 56347-50 were allocated to 2G working local services from Birmingham New Street including the old Midland line via Bournville to Redditch. 51193-201 with 56351-9 were allocated to 9D, and 51202/3 with 56360/1 were allocated to 6A working Chester Lines traffic from Chester Northgate.

Although ordered as 3-cars they were delivered as power twins 51425-34/51495-504 and 4-car sets 51435-44/59523-42/51505-14.

At '65 51425-34 with 51495-504 were allocated to 56G. 51435-9/41 & 51505-9/11 & 59523/6/7/30/1/5 with buffet cars 59573-8 were allocated to 52J and were working from Newcastle to Middlesborough and Carlisle. 51440/2 & 51510/2 & 59533/4/7/8 were allocated to 55H. 51443/4 & 51513/4 & 59539-42 were allocated to 51A and working Darlington - Saltburn services. The remaining trailers 59524/5/8/9/32/6 were allocated to 55H and were used with Class 111 power cars.

At '65 51445-51/5/6 & 51515-21/5/6 & 59543-9/53/4 were allocated to 62B and working from Dundee to Edinburgh and Glasgow. 51452-4/7-67 & 51522-4/7-37 & 59550-2/5-65 were allocated to 64H and working from Edinburgh to Dundee, Stirling and Dunblane. 51468-70 & 51538-40 & 59566-8 were allocated to 66C and were working South Clyde locals from Glasgow Central.

At '65 all this batch was allocated to 64H and were working from Edinburgh to Dundee, Stirling and Dunblane.