DMU Railtours
DMUs were surprisingly popular on railtours, particularly those that focused on the line travelled and not the motive power, as DMUs allowed access to many routes that a conventional loco-hauled tour couldn't easily manage.
This is not a definitive list of DMU railtours, simply a gallery of some of those tours. For a more detailed railtour site see the Six Bells Junction website.
Details of the regular "Quaintonian" trains that ran to the Buckingham Railway Centre have their own pages.
If you have any photographs that could be added here please get in touch.
1965 - 1969
10th April 1965 - The North Eastern No.2 Rail Tour
A RCTS tour from Leeds that involved travel on both steam-hauled and DMU stock. Two four-car Derby Lightweight sets were used from Consett - Waskerley and return.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Waskerley. The KDH Archive.
11th July 1965 - Diesel Rail Tour
A Plymouth Railway Circle from Plymouth.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Weymouth. The KDH Archive.
At Newton Abbot. The KDH Archive.
18 September 1965 - The Bellingham Belle
A Gosforth Round Table organised tour running from Newcastle Central to West Woodburn on the old NB in England line from Morpeth to Reedsmouth Jcn. This ran fairly regularly each September to the Bellingham Agricultural Show, previously it had run through to Bellingham on the Border Counties line to Riccarton Jcn but by 1965 only the stretch from Morpeth to West Woodburn survived.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
A 4-car Met-Camm (probably 101) set with buffet car plus another Met-Camm at West Woodburn. Roy Lambeth.
Thought to be at West Woodburn Roy Lambeth.
14th May 1966 - Central Wales Scenic Tour
A RCTS tour from Worcester Shrub Hill / Gloucester (a Swindon Cross-Country set) and Bristol (a GRC&W Cross-Country set) which joined at Cardiff.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Llandovery. Norman Thomas courtesy S V Blencowe collection.
At Llanwrtyd Wells. Norman Thomas courtesy S V Blencowe collection.
At Llandeilo. Stuart Mackay Collection.
1st October 1966 - North Cornwall Lines Farewell
A Great Western Society tour from Plymouth using a Swindon Cross-Country DMU.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Hallwill Junction. David Hawkings.
4th March 1967 - East Anglian Branch Farewell
A M&GNJRS tour from Marks Tey, ending in Cambridge, using a blue-liveried two-car Cravens unit (with ER style small yellow panels).
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Somersham. John Clark / Adrian Sutterby Collection.
1st April 1967 - The Afon Llwyd
A Monmouthshire Railway Society tour from Cardiff General using a Derby suburban set in blue with small yellow panels formed 50838 + 59376 + 50891.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
The DMU next to Furnace Sidings signal box at Blaenavon. Monmouthshire Railway Society.
At Abersychan and Talywain. Robert Thomas.
At Hafodyrynys Colliery. Hugh Llewelyn.
At Abersychan and Talywain. Hugh Llewelyn.
2nd March 1968 - Unnamed
A tour around the Birmingham area using Met-Camm vehicles, organized by the Birmingham University Transport Society.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At the Redditch stop. Robert Chilton.
23rd March 1968 - Farewell to the Honeybourne Cheltenham Line
The last train on the Stratford-on-Avon - Cheltenham GWR line. Started at Birmingham New Street and used Met-Camm set 400 (50303 and presumably 59114 + 50321).
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
The stop at Henley-in-Arden. Stuart Mackay Collection.
30th March 1968 - Educational Special No.2
A Gilks-Grenside tour that ran from Salisbury.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
This is though to be the tour, seen at Radstock West. Stuart Mackay Collection.
4th May 1968 - Farewell to the G.N. Lines
Farewell to G.N. Branch Lines in Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire from Birmingham using two three-car 101s.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Nottingham Victoria. Kevin Lane Collection.
At Teversall East. Stuart Mackay Collection.
18th May 1968 - South Midlands Rail Tour
Organised by the RCTS West Midlands Branch using a three-car 101.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
Seen at Higham Ferrers goods yard. Robert Chilton.
26th May 1968 - Ffestiniog Railway Railtour
A Ffestiniog Railway Railtour tour that took a Class 124 Trans-Pennine set from Leeds to Ffestiniog.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
In Blanaeu Ffestiniog station. Bob Lumb.
24th August 1968 - Makerfield Miner
A LCGB tour starting from Earlestown using Allerton Class 108 power twin 51930 + 52045.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
Hulton's Sidings, just north of Chequerbent. Walter Burt.
Near Haydock Branch Junction. Robert Chilton.
Near Haydock Branch Junction, 52045 closest. Robert Chilton.
Near De Trafford Junction, 51930 closest. Robert Chilton.
1st September 1968 - (unnamed)
A Branch Line Society tour that took a 3-car Class 101 (in early blue livery with small yellow panels) to Mallaig.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
A stop at Ardlui on the outbound direction, probably waiting to pass a southbound service. Stuart Rankin.
14th September 1968 - Bicester & Thames Valley
A RCTS tour from St Pancras using a mixed-livery four-car Derby unit.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Witney. Stanley C Jenkins.
At Chinnor Cement Works. Stuart Mackay Collection.
At Bicester. Stuart Mackay Collection.
5th October 1968 - Doncaster Decoy
A 2-car Class 114 spent four and a half hours covering 64 miles taking in most of the freight lines in close proximity to Doncaster.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Bullcroft Junction (on the old HB&GC Joint). John Law.
Seen at Doncaster York Road. Robert Chilton.
Doncaster Junction. John Law.
Doncaster York Road John Law.
Doncaster York Road. John Law.
At York Road curve, Doncaster Junction. John Law.
Coming off the York Rd branch at Doncaster Junction, John Law.
Reversing at Bullcroft Junction. John Law.
5th October 1968 - South Wales Railtour No.3
A Class 120 unit was used on this Warwickshire Railway Society tour that ran from Newport High Street around various South Wales branches.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
The tour during a stop at Blawa. Stuart Mackay Collection.
12th October 1968 - Unknown name
A Railway Society of Scotland tour - name unknown - that is believed to have run from Stirling to Menstrie, Dollar, Newburgh and Forfar. It was operated by a 2-car Class 100 (set 28, 51109 + 56308) both in rail blue, The DMBS with full yellow end and the DTC with just a small yellow panel. There seems to have been no headboard carried.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
The tour seen at Forfar. Stuart Rankin.
During the stop at Menstrie. Stuart Rankin.
The Dollar station stop. Graham Johnston.
The Dollar station stop. www-railphotoprints-co-uk.
At Newburgh - between Perth & Ladybank. Stuart Rankin.
At Menstrie. Stuart Mackay Collection.
At Newburgh. Stuart Mackay Collection.
17th November 1968 - Central Wales Tour
A Warwickshire Railway Society tour from Birmingham New Street using a two-car Swindon Cross-Country (in green) and a three-car Met-Camm (in blue).
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At between Newcastle Emlyn and Llanyssul. Stuart Mackay Collection.
22nd March 1969 - Gloucestershire Railtour
A Branch Line Society tour of Gloucestershire branches from Bristol by a GRC&W Cross-Country DMU.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
About to cross Tufts Bridge approaching Tufts Junction between Whitecroft and Norchard on the Dean Forest Railway. Walter Burt Collection.
At Sudbrook. Stuart Mackay Collection.
At Mells on the Hempstead branch. Stuart Mackay Collection.
At Mells. Stuart Mackay Collection.
19th April 1969 - The Forester
The 200th RCTS railtour, taking a 3-car Class 101 from Coventry to the Nottingham / Leicester area.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Unknown, LMR. Stuart Mackay Collection.
3rd May 1969 - Manchester Terminals Farewell
A LCGB tour using DMC 52062 + DMBS 50778 / DMC 50516 + TS 59172 + DMBS 51931 which stopped at stopped as follows: Manchester Exchange, Kenyon Junction, Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport Edgeley, Northenden Junction, Cheadle Heath South Junction, Buxton No.1, Buxton LNW, Briggs Sidings, Droylesden Junction, Stalybridge, Godley Junction, Glazebrook Junction, Cheadle Heath and Manchester Central.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
The Class 108 set NH132 during the 'photo-stop' at Stalybridge. Robert Chilton.
The train during the Stalybridge stop. Leonard Rogers.
23rd August 1969 - Bulmer and Welsh Border Rail Tour
A RCTS tour from London Paddington using 4-car set 400 (117 with 101 centre car).
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Bulmers, 51376 closest. Stuart Mackay Collection.
18th October 1969 - (Unnamed)
A Railway Society of Scotland tour from Edinburgh Waverley around Central Scotland using a Class 101 (power cars in blue and centre car in green).
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Calder station (Coatbridge) on the ex-LMS Airdrie Branch. Stuart Rankin.
The stations on the destination blinds are being checked out - including Errol, Glasgow Buchanan Street and Ballater - during this railtour stop at Glenboig level crossing. Stuart Rankin.
Stopped at the closed Denny station so its participants can explore. Stuart Rankin.
Stopped at Thorsk in Stirlingshire. Stuart Rankin.
In Alloa station. Stuart Rankin.
SC51467 at Denny Station. Anon.
22nd November 1969 - Reunion Rail Tour
An RCTS tour using a three-car Class 101 from Birmingham New Street and ending in Moor Street.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Leicester. Stuart Mackay Collection.