The bodies and underframes were built as an integral structure, the complete body and underframe being capable of carrying all the superimposed loads normally encountered in service and a 200% overload. The main body pillars were of a 16 s.w.g. thick mild steel pressed top-hat section, with the flanges located against the outer skin to form hollow box sections. These were connected by light and waist rails together with intermediate 16 s.w.g plate of angle and "z" section, and the 1/8 in plate cantrail. The main carlines were of similar section and thickness as the pillars, and were tied together by purlins of shallower top-hat section.

The body side, end and roof panelling was 16 s.w.g. steel, and these were stitch welded to the body framing in cast iron jigs to minimise distortion and buckling of panels. All joints between adjacent body side and end panels were welded and ground smooth after assembly to provide a completely flat exterior. The underframes were a conventional design of mild steel rolled sections and plates, with members spaced to accommodate the power and transmission equipment, and fabricated by electric welding. Standard BR drawgear and light alloy Oleo hydraulic self-contained side buffers were fitted, although some were fitted with spring buffers mounted on adapter brackets until receiving the one piece Oleos during overhaul in the late '70s.

The standard BR swing bolster bogies were used, and were fitted with Timken roller-bearing axleboxes and lateral control bolster dampers. 22 inch vacuum cylinders were carried in the power car bogies, although they were later changed to the standard 21" rolling ring type. Trailer cars had 18" cylinders and one bogie and carried a dynamo. On the power cars these were driven by V-belts from the transmission. Brakes were the Gresham & Craven quick release vacuum type, with two Clayton exhausters also driven from the transmission by v-belts. There were brake valves in the guards van, and in each cab, the cabs also containing the handbrakes. The TBS vehicles had a vertically mounted hand brake wheel by the corridor connection door but these was later removed.

BUT supplied their standard engine and transmission equipment, with each Leyland 680 engine driving a final drive on the inner axle of the nearest axle via a freewheel, four speed epicyclic gearbox, and cardan shafts. An air compressor was mounted on each engine to supply air for the electro-pneumatic controls. Radiators, mounted on the side of the frames were cooled by fans driven by a right angle drive on the engine. Each exhaust system had two silencers to cut down on noise.

Horsepower per ton of tare for a 3-car set (86 tons) was approx 7.0, and fully laden would be about 6.0hp per ton.

For heat and noise insulation cars were sprayed with asbestos, 1/4 inch thick on the inside of the side, end and roof sheeting, and 3/8 inch thick on the underside of the aluminium dovetail floor sheets. These were covered with 1 3/16 inch thick cork, to give better protection against noise, onto which the linoleum was laid.

J Stone & Co (Deptford) Ltd provided the lighting equipment, with 60W 24V lamps in the saloons powered by 150 amp Tonum generators. Standard BR A2 type lead acid batteries were used which had a capacity of 440 amp/hour. Destination and route indicator boxes could also be illuminated.

Interior

The seating was of a high backed type, unique to Class 104 & 110. First class had tubular frame seats upholstered in Dunpillo and trimmed in a blue shade of uncut moquette (with a "floral shaped" vertical stripes) and contrasting blue Vynide panels on the seat frame and back panel, and had armrests and headrolls. There was also a blue carpet over the linoleum. Second class seating was also tubular framed and upholstered in Dunpillo but trimmed in cut and uncut maroon moquette (with a narrower fawn/buff/light brown type colour vertical pattern approx. 1" wide), and grey green Vynide panels in the seat frames and back. Headrolls were provided, but not arm rests. The floor had a green shade of linoleum.

Left: 1st Class interior

Right: 2nd Class interior

Self coloured anodised light alloy luggage racks ran the full length of saloons, which in most cases were finished in polished veneered plywood. The first class was rose zabrano and the second class lacewood. The type of wood was identified by a small plaque inside each saloon on the vestibule walls above the archways. The exceptions were the NER sets, which had light blue formica in first class and light green in second. On all cars the window frames and panel beading were made from wood (most DMUs had alloy frames and strips). Vestibule bulkheads were formed from blockboard and veneered to match the saloons, with windows of armoured glass. The interior sliding doors were also blockboard but veneered in mahogany to match the mahogany framing in the bodyside and bulkhead windows. Standard BR bodyside windows with sliding ventilators were used, and Beclawat full-drop balance windows were fitted to the bodyside doors. Blinds were fitted to the second class windows, with curtains in the first class. Toilets were finished in primrose yellow plastic with furnishings to match.

Two S. Smiths & Sons fuel oil burning heaters were provided per car, each operating independently. One used fresh air from the outside and the other used recycled air. Ozonair filters were fitted to both systems between the air intake and the heater. The air was fed through longitudinal ducts along the bodysides and distributed at floor level. There were two feeds into the van through the partition, capable of being blanked off at the guards discretion, and another feed to near the guards seat. The drivers' cab and toilets also had feeds through the partitions. Warm air, and cool air from a grille on the front of the cab under the secondmans window, was fed into a mixing chamber which had a flap valve allowing the temperature to be controlled for de-misting and de-frosting. This was aided by an electric driven fan which blew the air to the distributing duct at the bottom of the drivers window.

There was good use made of fibreglass in the construction, for the cab roof and ceiling, front and side cab interior finishes, and alarm valve covers, which were in a dove-grey finish. It was also used for the covers over the heating ducts in vestibules, in a shade to match the anodised aluminium kickplates on the vestibule bulkheads.

Communication between the driver and guard was by electric buzzer, and there was an electric bell system that warned both driver and guard if any engine went on fire. Smith's Industrial Instruments provided the speedometer equipment, with Smith-Stone speed indicators, and a Smith-Stone distance counter on one axle of each power car. The cab controls were laid out in a manner similar to other manufacturers. The cab windows were 1/4 inch armoured glass, with Laycock pneumatic windscreen wipers, some fitted to both sides, some vehicles had one fitted to the drivers side only. Although not fitted when new on the first units, a Trico-Folberth window washer was added.

The door vestibule end of the TC and TS vehicles and the gangway ends in all vans were fitted with the same sized windows as the cabs, one either side of the gangway.

Click for a bigger view Peter, Lincolnshire & East Yorkshire Transport Review

Variations

All the ER allocated vehicles were built with a luggage rack area opposite the toilet. One double seat was omitted to accommodate the rack, and the triple seat backing onto the toilet was replaced with a double.

When new the cabs fronts differed only in the marker lights that they carried. DMBSs M50420-3 & 50428-43 and DMCs 50424-7 & 50480-95 were built with one marker light, positioned on the cab roof above the destination indicator. 50529 is also believed to have had the roof marker light from new. The rest were built with two, one above either buffer. In later years the roof lamp vehicles received the lower ones to save the use of oil burning lamps, although the roof ones were often left in place unused. The cab roofs were formed of a separate fibre-glass moulding, which was sometimes swapped between vehicles during overhauls. An example was 53429 which lost its marker light.

Modifications over the years saw the bogies being modified to improve the ride, and some DMC (L) and TC(L) vehicles being declassified to DMS(L) and TS(L). None of the class were refurbished. During overhaul in the early '80s some vehicles had their blue asbestos removed and fibre glass insulation fitted. The vehicles which had this done were easily identifiable as the roof vents were removed and the holes plated over.

All driving vehicles were built with a two character reporting number headcode box, fitted below the centre windscreen. The letter in the first position indicated the classification of the train, the number in the second position indicated the local route coding. These were taken out of use in the mid-'70s and the characters replaced with a yellow or more commonly a black background with two white dots. Subsequent removal of these headcode boxes followed and the holes were plated over.

One power twin set (M50446/M50521) was converted at Doncaster Works in 1982 and became M78851 (DHBS) and M78601 (DHC). The work involved the removal of one engine and drive train from each vehicle, an an attempt to reduce running and maintenance costs. The set was numbered EXP DM352.