Class 101 Met-Camm 2,3 & 4-car DMUs
Express Parcels
In 1986 eight Eastern Region Class 101 DMBS vehicles were selected for use as two-car parcels units which would be allocated to Neville Hill and Cambridge. The conversion involved the removal of most passenger seats, they remained in blue and grey but with a variety of different Parcels Sector markings.
All were withdrawn in mid-1989.
1986
The first vehicle to be transferred to the Parcels Sector was 51439 on 29 June 1986. It had been transferred from Cambridge to Neville Hill a few weeks previously at the start of the summer timetable on 18 May. It would be transferred back to Cambridge on 27 July.
Despite their Cambridge allocation the vehicles were no strangers to the Leeds area. E51439 is seen at Leeds on 22/9/86 working with E53362. Malcolm Clements.
On that same day - 27 July 1986 - 51430 and 51441 joined the parcel fleet at Cambridge. 51430 was a Neville Vehicle while 51441 had been withdrawn from Cambridge earlier that month.
These first three 51430/9/41 were the only ones of the eight to be allocated numbers in the parcels range - 55941/2/3 - although these were never carried.
Their initial partners would be Class 105 DMBPs:
51430 + 53361
51439 + 53362
51441 + 51293
The 105s remained in plain blue, the 101s were in blue grey. They did not have the waist level yellow/red stripe at this stage, but had 'Express parcels' lettering added to the centre of the bodysides below window level, and red bufferbeams.
With these three allocated to Cambridge (but mainly working in the Leeds area!) the remaining five would enter parcel use at Neville Hill. All five had been withdrawn from their passenger work on 28 September 1986. The first pair were from Botanic Gardens: 53218 + 53230 - listed as to parcels on 19 October. They would continue in that pairing, the conversion was done at Sheffield Darnall and their parcel use was noted as intended to be temporary[1]. The next pair came from Heaton on 23 November: 53233 + 53255, which would also remain as a pair. The final vehicle was 53221, also from Heaton, on 14 December.
On that last date - 14 December - the three Cambridge vehicles were reallocated to Neville Hill bringing all eight together. Their Cravens partners remained at CA, 51430 + 51441 would be paired together while 51439 was partnered with 53221. This meant there were four Class 101 DMBS/DMBS power twins.
1987
All eight were transferred to Cambridge (CA) on 18 January 1987 where they would remain allocated until withdrawal.
Though maintained in fixed formations no set numbers were carried but set numbers had been allocated by NL and new ones by CA:
| NL701 | 51430 | 51441 | CA900 |
| NL702 | 51439 | 53221 | CA901 |
| NL703 | 53218 | 53230 | CA902 |
| NL704 | 53233 | 53255 | CA903 |
E53233 + E53255 at Stratford on 30 March 1987. Kevin Law.
E51441 + E51430 with 4H04 1610 Liverpool St - Cambridge ready to depart from Liverpool St on 9 April 1987. Colin Brooks.
E53218 & E53230 at Wakefield Westgate on 21 April 1987. Malcolm Clements.
E51439 + E53221 with a Class 114 parcel set at Leeds on 30 December 1987. Rex Holt.
Yellow / Red stripes would be added to the vehicles at waist level.
In August there was a break from the regular pairings when 53218 was noted running with Class 105 53365. They were involved in a collision at Leeds station on the 7th hitting three vans while shunting before leaving on 4M29 the 18:29 York to Liverpool[2]. Any damage must have been minimal as the were seen at Huddersfield on the 11th and in Liverpool Street on the 22nd. 53218 and 53230 would return to their regular pairing by the end of November.
1988
When sector codes were introduced they were originally RXXL which was Parcels General (DPU). This changed to RXXN (still Parcels General (DPU), and by the end of the year it changed to RPXN (Parcels - DPU cars).
E51441 is led by E51430 out of Chelmsford on 27 January 1988. Malcolm Clements.
E53230 + E53218 at Queen Adelaide with a Birmingham New Street to Norwich Parcels on 21 March 1988. Surface Stock.
E53255 + E53233 at Leeds on 13 August 1988. Walter Burt.
Two sets — E53233 appears to be leading — pass Copmanthorpe, south of York sometime in 1988. Paul Braybrook.
1989
E51441 + E51430 at Northampton on 16 February 1989. AndrewHA.
E53255 + E53233 with a van on tow on 4E26, the 17:57 Piccadilly to Leeds mail at New Mills South Junction on 13 May 1989. Kevin Dowd.
E51439 + E53221 at Norwich on 7 June 1989. Sparegang.
Withdrawn E53218 + E53230 at Cambridge circa mid-1989. Stuart Mackay Collection.
1989 would be their last year in traffic. First withdrawn was 51441 on the 20 March - its partner 51430 would become a spare car[3]. Next was 53218 + 53230 on 17 May. 51441 would be reinstated in the period ending 17 June meaning there were three sets in use again.
The end came in July, 53255 was withdrawn on the 17th and the remaining five (53221/33, 51430/9/41) on the 19th.
Disposal
Six of the eight vehicles moved to Mayer Parry at Snailwell in April 1990.
E53221 at Snailwell in April 1990. Surface Stock.
E51439 at Snailwell on 14 April 1990. Surface Stock.
The other two — the first withdrawn pair 53218 + 53230 — would end up at Norwich Thorpe Station goods yard where they languished until movement to Snailwell in January 1992. It moved the same night as it was photographed here and was burned immediately on arrival at Snailwell. Unfortunately, it had been arranged for three of it's engines to go to the North Norfolk Railway, but the only one which survived was the unwanted one with a hole in the block, the reason for the sets withdrawal! Robert Frise Collection.