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.
1979
24/03/79 - Gwaun Cae Gurwen Growler
A Monmouthshire Railway Society tour from Newport using Class 118 set B466 and Class 120 C501.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Gwuan-Cae-Gurwen. Stuart Mackay Collection.
7th April 1979 - The Fensman No 4
A RCTS tour from Cambridge to Fen Drayton using a hybrid 105/104 set. The same set (55, 51265 + 56189) was also used on the BLS Ferryman tour the same day.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Histon. Jeremy Chapter.
At Oakington. Roger Geach Collection.
16th April 1979 - Waterloo & Buchan Tour
Class 122 55007 (set 178) worked a BLS tour from Aberdeen to Kittybrewster, Waterloo and Fraseburgh.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Aberdeen Waterloo Goods Station. Mike Cooper.
Maud station taken from 55007. Mike Cooper.
55007 in Maud station. Mike Cooper.
Photo time at Strichen station. Mike Cooper.
SC55007 sits in Fraserburgh station. Mike Cooper.
In Fraseburgh station. Mike Cooper.
Sc55007 in Maud station. Mike Cooper.
At Aberdeen Waterloo. Jeremy Chapter.
At the Strichen photo stop. Jeremy Chapter.
At the Maud photo stop. Jeremy Chapter.
Sc55007 at Ellon. Jeremy Chapter.
At Aberdeen Waterloo. Jeremy Chapter.
21st April 1979 - Fakenham Flyer
Organised by the Wymondham, Dereham & Fakenham Railway Action Committee (WyDRAC), the Railway Development Society (RDS) and the newly-formed Fakenham and Dereham Railway Society using two Cravens sets. It ran Norwich - Wymondham - Dereham - Fakenham and then operating a shuttle service to Ryburgh, County School, North Elmham and back to Dereham and Fakenham. The vehicles were 56116, 51277, 56125 and an unknown DMBS.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
56116 has the headboard attached at Norwich. Robert Chilton.
At Yaxham. Jeremy Chapter.
At Fakenham. Jeremy Chapter.
The train at its destination of Fakenham. Jeremy Chapter.
28th April 1979 - North Eastern No.4
An RCTS tour from Leeds using a Class 110 and Class 111.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Saltburn, E51826 closest. Jeremy Chapter.
19th May 1979 - Unnamed
A special organized by WAMRAC (the Wisbech & March Railway Action Committee) taking two Cravens sets (33 and 44) from Wisbech to Cambridge.
At Wisbech Goods, E50377 closest. Gerard Fletcher.
2nd June 1979 - London and Thames Haven
An RCTS tour from London Fenchurch Street using a Class 116 DMU.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Stratford Low Level. Alistair Ness.
At North Woolwich. Alistair Ness.
At Thames Haven. Alistair Ness.
21st July 1979 - Marchwood Volunteer No.2
An RCTS / SEG tour using Class 117 set L416 from London Waterloo to Marchwood.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
In Waterloo station. Hamish Stevenson.
At Bedenham Siding. Jeremy Chapter.
At Bedenham Siding. Jeremy Chapter.
At Marchwood. Jeremy Chapter.
At Fareham. Jeremy Chapter.
25th August 1979 - The Clydeside Wanderer
A tour around Glasgow branches using a three-car Met-Camm departing from Queen Street and terminating at Central.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Dumbarton Central. Jeremy Chapter.
At Dumbarton Central aloongside 'Blue Trains' 303044 and 303029. Jeremy Chapter.
At Partick West. Alistair Ness.
At Old Kilpatrick. Alistair Ness.
At Greenock (Union Street) Tunnel. Alistair Ness.
At General Terminus. Roger Geach Collection.
26th August 1979 - Tayside Railtour
A Branch Line Society tour from Dundee to Brechin using Met-Camm set 199.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Brechin. Jeremy Chapter.
At Brechin. Jeremy Chapter.
At Brechin. Alistair Ness.
At Brechin. Alistair Ness.
27th August 1979 - The Fiddichburger No.2
A Branch Line Society tour from Aberdeen using Class 122 Sc55002.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Burghead. Jeremy Chapter.
At Dufftown. Jeremy Chapter.
At Burghead. Jeremy Chapter.
At Keith. Jeremy Chapter.
At Keith Junction. Jeremy Chapter.
At Forres Goods loading dock. Jeremy Chapter.
15th September 1979 - South Wales Wanderer No.4
A Branch Line Society tour from Cardiff Central using Class 119 set C592.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Barry. Jeremy Chapter.
At Abertillery. Jeremy Chapter.
At Newport Docks. Jeremy Chapter.
At Abertillery. Jeremy Chapter.
At Newport Docks West Side. Stuart Mackay Collection.
20th October 1979 - Deep Duffryn Diddler
Organised by the Monmouthshire Railway Society running from Newport using a Class 116 and Class 120 (C612). A tour of the Mountain Ash system was done on steam hauled wagons.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Mountain Ash. Ian Buck.
At Aberdare. Ian Buck.
50666 at Penmawr Colliery . Ian Buck.