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.
1984
4th February 1984 - Norseman 1
A Hertfordshire Railtours outing from London Kings Cross, loco-hauled to Darlington then a seven-car (2+2+3) Class 101 formation. This was an addition 'relief' tour after the exceptional demand for the 18/2/84 tour.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Redmire. Stuart Mackay Collection.
From 53171 at Bedale. Rob Paterson.
Looking back from 53171 at Bedale. Rob Paterson.
Looking out from 59085 at Redmire. Rob Paterson.
18th February 1984 - Norseman 2
Organised by Hertfortshire Rail Tours, this originated at Kings Cross and was loco and coaches to Darlington. Passengers then transferred to a 7-car Class 101 formation to Redmire and Eastgate.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Bedale, 53244 closest. Chris Lings.
The train in Bedale. Chris Lings.
51219 at the rear of the formation at Bedale. Chris Lings.
53244 at the front of the train at Redmire. Chris Lings.
The full 7-car formation seen at Redmire. Chris Lings.
53244 at the rear of the train at Eastgate. Chris Lings.
51219 seen through the trees at Eastgate. Chris Lings.
53244 preparing to depart Eastgate for Darlington. Chris Lings.
The headboard being added or removed from 53244 at Redmire. Jeremy Chapter.
10th March 1984 - The Staffordshire Ranger
This LCGB tour ran from Liverpool Lime Street formed of a Class 108 and Class 120.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
51586 at the end of the formation seen at Cheddleton. Chris Lings.
51934 in Cheddleton station. Chris Lings.
51934 at the front at Helsby station. Chris Lings.
At Cheddleton. Jeremy Chapter.
31st March 1984 - Coed Ely Coupling
A Monmouthshire Railway Society tour from Newport using Class 117s L400, L415 and bubble L121.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Nantymoel. David Mant.
At Swansea Docks. David Mant.
At Aberpergwm. Robert Thomas.
At Coed Ely. Robert Thomas.
At Aberpergwm. Robert Thomas.
At Neath Riverside. Robert Thomas.
At Nantymoel. Robert Thomas.
At Coed Ely. Robert Thomas.
At Swansea Docks. Robert Thomas.
At Swansea Docks. Robert Thomas.
At Nantymoel. David Mant.
22nd April 1984 - Brentford Branch Special
A Class 121 bubble car hired by the GWR Preservation Group for shuttles from Southall along the freight only Brentford line.
Seen at Southall Railway Centre. Chris Lings.
At Brentford. Chris McKee.
At Southall. Chris McKee.
19th May 1984 - Day Excursion
A Chiltern Trains day excursion which took two Class 116 sets from Bicester to Hastings.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Hastings, 53116 closest. Adrian Nicholls.
29/05/84 - Blyth & Tyne
A Branch Line Society tour from Leeds using a four-car Class 108 DMU.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Newcastle. Stuart Mackay Collection.
9th June 1984 - The Ruddington Requiem
This BR organized tour ran from Derby to Ruddington traversing many other lines too. It used a 9-car 116/101 formation - 53910 + 59130 + 53857 / 53055 + 59611 + 53116 / 53318 + 59114 + 53328.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
During a stop at Lawfield. Chris Lings.
Plenty of admirers at Ruddington. Chris Lings.
53910 at the bufferstops at Ruddington. Chris Lings.
53910 at the bufferstops at Ruddington. Phil Deane Collection.
53328 leads at East Leake. Mel Smith.
53318 + 59114 + 53328 at East Leake. Mel Smith.
The nine-car formation heads away from the camera at East Leake. Mel Smith.
At Derby. Alistair Ness.
At Ruddington. Alistair Ness.
At Ruddington. Alistair Ness.
16th June 1984 - The Tay-Forth Venturer (A Grice of Fife)
A D.E.D. Blades / Swindon Preservation Society organized railtour that took 107 444 from Edinburgh Waverley to Perth and around many Fife branches.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
Waiting to leave Edinburgh Waverley. Chris Lings.
The Stirling stop. Chris Lings.
Participants enjoying the view near Menstrie. Chris Lings.
The stop at Markinch. Chris Lings.
At Cameron Bridge. Chris Lings.
107 444 at Cameron Bridge, 52005 closest. Chris Lings.
107444 and 101325 at Rosyth Dockyard. Chris Lings.
The stop at Oakley (Fife). Chris Lings.
52005 closest at Oakley. Chris Lings.
Dunfermline Upper, now the site of a retail park. Chris Lings.
Wandering around the closed Dunfermline Upper station. Chris Lings.
Lots of tour participants exploring Markinch station. The large light coloured shed on the right was once the home of 60009 Union of South Africa. Hamish Stevenson.
At Cameron Bridge. Hamish Stevenson.
Rosyth Dockyard. Hamish Stevenson.
Rosyth Dockyard, the 101 on the left is on open day shuttle duties. Hamish Stevenson.
Oakley. Hamish Stevenson.
Dunfermline Upper. Hamish Stevenson.
After finishing at Edinburgh Waverley. Hamish Stevenson.
At Cameron Bridge. alicia hartman.
52005 closest at Cameron Bridge. alicia hartman.
At Cameron Bridge station en-route to Methil. alicia hartman.
At Rosyth Dockyard. Mike McDonald.
At Perth. Alistair Ness.
At Stirling. Alistair Ness.
23/06/84 - Dyfed Dragon
A Branch Line Society tour from Cardiff using Class 117 set L404.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Fishguard Harbour. Stuart Mackay Collection.
24/06/84 - Unknown
A Branch Line Society tour using two Class 116 DMUs, C300 and C303.
C300 at Treherbert, the second set in the distance. Stuart Mackay Collection.
C300 at Treherbert. Stuart Mackay Collection.
At Rhymney. Stuart Mackay Collection.
30th June 1984 - Farewell Abingdon
The Oxford University Railway Society organised three shuttles from Radley to Abingdon to mark the closure of the branch using Class 119 set L585. It carried a homemade poster 'Farewell Abingdon 1856 - 1984' in the centre cab window.
At Abingdon. Brian Daniels.
At Abingdon. Brian Daniels.
At Abingdon. Brian Daniels.
At Abingdon. Brian Daniels.
At Oxford. Brian Daniels.
14th July 1984 - The Bucks & Oxon Freighter
A Fakenham & Derham Railway Society tour that took a 4-car Class 115 (including DMBS 51875) unit around branches in Bucks and Oxon.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
The Little Kimble stop, with 51875 at the rear. Chris Lings.
51875 at the rear at Winslow. Chris Lings.
Swanbourne, 51875 carrying the headboard. Chris Lings.
Swanbourne, with 51875 on the left. Chris Lings.
At Little Kimble. Adrian Nicholls.
At Winslow. Adrian Nicholls.
The tour at Oxford. Adrian Nicholls.
After terminating at Broad Street. Adrian Nicholls.
At Quainton Road. Adrian Nicholls.
Ready to set of at London Marylebone. Adrian Nicholls.
25th August 1984 - Fifeshire
A BLS tour from Glasgow Central using Class 107 set 107444.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At the limit of travel permitted on the Markinch to Auchmuty, described as the A92 road bridge. Jeremy Chapter.
26th August 1984 - The Coupler
A shuttle from Southall to Brentford using bubbles 55020 and 55029.
Between Southall and Brentford. The KDH Archive.
22nd September 1984 - The Crewe Independent
A BLS organised tour originating from Preston that ran around the Crewe area and Chester / Shrewsbury / Manchester.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
54224 during the stop at Shrewsbury. Chris Lings.
27th October 1984 - The Dockland Dawdler
A Monmouthshire Railway Society that originated at Newport and was formed of two 3-car 117 sets L402 and L415.
The tour on Six Bells Junction website.
At Oakdale Colliery with L402 headed by 51377. Chris Lings.
At Newport East Docks with 51393 heading L415. Chris Lings.
The view from 51393 at Newport Docks. Chris Lings.
L415 at Newport East Docks. Chris Lings.
51393 at Trethomus (Beclwas branch). Chris Lings.
Seen at Trethomus (Beclwas branch). Chris Lings.
Oakdale Colliery. Chris Lings.
At Maerdy. Chris Lings.
51393 at Maerdy. Chris Lings.
51393 at Glascoed. Chris Lings.