Class 114 Derby 2-car DMUs

Operations

15/10/56 - 26/08/57

The class mainly worked services in/from Lincolnshire, to places such as New Holland Pier, Sheffield, Grantham, Doncaster, Cleethorpes and Peterborough. In the early days some vehicles were based at Stratford and Sheffield.

In the final years the remaining sets moved to the West Midlands, all were withdrawn by 1992.

The 1950s / 1960s

Inspecting Derby Heavyweight units in Lincoln depot, circa 1957. British Railways.

The services at (40A) Lincoln had been in the hands of Yellow Diamond Derby and Met-Camm Lightweights since 1955. The arrival of the Heavyweights allowed the 79xxx vehicles to move to other depots such as Norwich, Stratford and Gorton, the last leaving in April 1957.

Services operated from Lincoln in these early days including the East Lincolnshire Line (Peterborough - Grimsby), Boston - Lincoln and the Mablethorpe branch.

The timetable cover pictured is for Willoughby - Sutton-on-Sea - Mablethorpe and Louth services between 17th September 1956 to 15th June 1957. It featured a Met-Camm 'Lightweight' on the cover, Lincoln had an allocation of these and Derby Lightweights until all the 114s had been delivered. The full timetable can be viewed on the timetable page.

Triples

By the end of 1956 it was realised that the sets were not adequately powered to operate the existing schedules, particularly as some of these required a tail load of a van or horsebox. Certain services, such as Skegness - Grantham and Lincoln - Boston were reformed into 3-car sets. Some examples noted in traffic were 50008/50007/56007, 50011/50012/56012, 50038/50039/56015 and 50015/50035/56035.

Two Derby Heavyweight sets seen in Lincoln Central station, date unknown. Stuart Mackay Collection.

The spare trailers were stored in various places: 56016/25/40 at Blankney and Metheringham; 56010/39 at Bardney; and 56004/20/22/37/38/44/45 near Sleaford South Junction. Despite these reformations, the 1 in 122 bank west of Ancaster could still reduce a set to 45mph, in comparison it was noted that the West Riding Derby Lightweights could accelerate to 60mph on 1 in 100 banks.

I haven't come across many images showing the three-car sets — one example can be found on page 316 of the May 1958 issue of Railway Magazine.

Driver Training

In Autumn 1957 the Eastern Region opened a training school for drivers at Hadley Wood. For the hands-on training part of the course the New Barnet - Harston route was used, and circa the start of 1957 50007/56007 were noted on this duty.^[1]

East Anglia

When new 50018/56018 would be filmed in the Dereham area for the British Transport Films "The Diesel Train Driver - Dealing With Faults" film, fitted with an appropriate destination blind.

05/02/57
(also new date)
40A->30A:
50032 + 56032,
50033 + 56033,
50034 + 56034

4w/e 23/02/57
40A->30A:
50031 + 56031

2w/e 04/05/57
40A->30A:
50029 + 56029

3w/e 03/08/57
30A->40A:
50031 + 56031

3w/e 31/08/57
30A->40A:
50029 + 56029,
50033 + 56033,
50034 + 56034

4w/e 02/11/57
30A->40A:
50032 + 56032

Feb-58
40A->30A:
50030

4w/e 22/02/58
40A->30A:
50031 + 56006,
50032 + 56038

Mar-58
30A->40A:
50030

4w/e 28/03/58
30A->40A:
50031 + 56006,
50032 + 56038

E50033 (and presumably E56033) appear to be brand new, judging by the condition of the buffers, lack of blinds, and Leyland 680 engines. Location and date unknown, they were delivered in February 1957. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Stratford

In February 1957 four new sets were transferred (or in reality delivered direct?) to Stratford (50031-4 with 56031-4). Other members of the class noted in the area before this were 50003/56003, noted in service on the Upminster - Romford branch on the 12th November 1956, and 50002/56002 and 50003/56003 which were noted on Stratford depot on the 25th November 1956.^[2]

This class was the first passenger carrying DMU to reach Southend (Central) on the L.T. & S. section, when on the 21st April 1957 50031/56031 and 50033/56033 worked an excursion to Cambridge, and a further set ran from Tilbury to join the Southend portion at Barking^[3].

A fifth set (50029/56029) arrived at Stratford in late Spring 1957. It would be noted working an Ipswich to Chessington South excursion in early summer, displaying Penistone on the destination blind.^[4]

That summer sets started to return to Lincoln, one in July and three in August. The final one returned in October.

The following year (1958) the allocation changes show 56031/2 returning to Stratford in February, this time with different trailers, along with a single power car 50030. All returned to Lincoln in March.

Although they were not alllocated to Sheffield until 1959, they were no strangers to the city before that. Two sets are seen heading out of Sheffield Victoria on May 17, 1957. E56023 is closest. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Diversions

When the ECML was closed on three consecutive Saturdays (from 1.30pm) to Mondays (till 1.30pm) for the rebuilding of Muskham Viaduct in 1957, all through trains ran via Lincoln and a DMU shuttle service operated between Grantham and Newark. 50020/56021/50021 operated this on the Saturday of the final weekend, June 1st.

Rolls Royce Power

By June 1957 the very similar Rolls-Royce powered 50000 + 56000 would work alongside the class from Lincoln.

The timetable cover pictured is for Boston - Lincoln services between 17th June and 15th September 1957, again featuring a Met-Camm 'Lightweight', which had all left Lincoln by April 1957. The full timetable can be viewed on the timetable page.

The 'Lincolnshire Poacher' railtour in Leeds station. British Railways.

Early Railtour

In 1958 two sets were chartered on a journey from Alford Town and stations on the East Lincs line, via Wakefield and Leeds to Bowness-on-Windermere. There the 250 plus passengers enjoyed a boat trip on Lake Windermere, before returning via Lancaster, Preston and Accrington. The train carried a 'The Lincolnshire Poacher' headboard. Organised by local enthusiasts, the trip was 392 miles, the sets also worked 119 miles empty.^[5]

2w/e 02/05/59
40A->41A:
50014 + 56014, 50015 + 56015,
50016 + 56016, 50017 + 56017,
50018 + 56018, 50019 + 56019,
50020 + 56020, 50021 + 56021,
50022 + 56022, 50023 + 56023

3w/e 04/07/59
40A->41A:
50024 + 56024, 50026 + 56026,
50027 + 56027, 50028 + 56028,
50029 + 56029, 50030 + 56030,
50031 + 56031, 50032 + 56033

Oct-59
On loan 41A->NER:
50015 + 56015, 50022 + 56022,
50024 + 56024, 50030 + 56030

4w/e 31/10/59
40A->41A:
50034 + 56034, 50035 + 56036

31/10/59
ex-loan NER->41A:
50015 + 56015, 50022 + 56022,
50024 + 56024, 50030 + 56030

4w/e 28/11/59
40A->41A:
50036 + 56036

3w/e 02/07/60
40A->41A:
50037 + 56037

2w/e 30/04/61
41A->40A:
50014 + 56014, 50015 + 56015,
50016 + 56016, 50017 + 56017,
50018 + 56018, 50019 + 56019,
50020 + 56020, 50021 + 56021,
50022 + 56022, 50023 + 56023

4w/e 28/04/62
41A->40A:
50024 + 56024, 50026 + 56026,
50027 + 56027, 50028 + 56028,
50029 + 56029, 50030 + 56030,
50031 + 56031, 50032 + 56033,
50034 + 56034, 50035 + 56035,
50036 + 56036, 50037 + 56037

More Lincoln DMUs

With the full fleet back at Lincoln after returning from Stratford, they were also joined by twenty-two Cravens power trailer sets, delivered new between November 1958 and February 1959. This would allow some of the 114s to move to Sheffield.

The timetable cover pictured is for Boston - Lincoln services between 2nd November 1959 and 13th June 1960, still featuring a Met-Camm 'Lightweight'.

Sets inside the newly opened Darnall depot circa mid-1959. British Railways.

Sheffield

Darnall depot (41A) opened in 1959 and by the end of the year it had 21 Derby Heavyweight sets allocated, 22 by the end of 1960, almost half the class. With two exceptions they were kept numerically together. One exception was 50025 + 56025 - there must be a story behind why that set was skipped? And 50032 had trailer 56033, so 50033 and 56032 remained at Lincoln. Otherwise the sets moved were 50014-37 + 56014-37.

The first ten sets, 50014-23 + 56014-23, moved at the end of April 1959, followed by another eight sets in June (50024-32 + 56024-33 minus 50025 + 56025-32 as noted). In October four sets spent a brief spell on loan to the North Eastern Region, and two more sets arrived from Lincoln, 50034/5 + 56034/5, followed in November by 50036 + 56036.

One final set, 50037 + 56037, arrived in June 1960.

For the June 1960 timetables the Met-Camm 'Lightweight' image was finally replaced by that of a Derby Heavyweight - at least on the cover, inside the interior images were still of those 79xxx vehicles. The cover for the Willoughby services is show here, the full versions of the Boston - Lincoln and New Holland editions can be found on the timetable page.

North Derbyshire Railtour

Darnall based E50036 + E56036 worked the RCTS North Derbyshire Railtour from Chesterfield on 17 June 1961.

Back to 40A

The sets were returned to Lincoln in 1961/2, starting with the first ten to arrive, 50014-23 + 56014-23, in April 1961, followed by the remainder in April 1962.

25/08/62
W 40A:
50028

18/04/65
W 40A:
56046

The first withdrawal

Just four months after returning to Lincoln from Darnall, DMBS 50028 was withdrawn on 25/8/62. While the exact reason is unclear, this could be due to a collision at Grantham. In bay platform 4 (now platform 3) in the early 1960s, a unit ran through the buffer stops and into the end of the building between then platforms 3 and 5 (now 2 and 4). The repair to the building could be seen for many years.^[6]

The image shows E56019 and E50019 in Birmingham New Street on September 15th, 1962, forming the 4.23pm service to Derby. Michael Mensing.

Bracebridge Collision

On January 25, 1963 a set travelling from Grantham to Lincoln Central collided with the rear (tender) of a stationary Class B1 steam locomotive near Bracebridge Gas Sidings Signalbox near Lincoln. Two persons were killed and three injured; the power car of the DMU was extensively damaged at the front end and the leading bogie was driven back two feet. The light engine had been allowed to wait on the Down line in preparation for reversal and its presence there had been forgotten by the signalman. View images.

North Lindseyman Railtour

E50003 + E56003 worked the Railway Enthusiasts' Club The North Lindseyman railtour from Doncaster on 21 April 1963.

Diagrammed Commitments

An official survey of Eastern Region railcars in June 1964 listed "Derby Heavyweights (Blue Square)" as having a diagram requirement for 78 vehicles on the GN, with 20 maintenance spares^[7]. That was 98 vehicles: 49 sets, the figures included 50000 + 56000.

E50005 heads the 11.52am Peterborough - Grimsby Town service on September 28th, 1965 at Littleworth. Michael Mensing.

1965

The second vehicle to be withdrawn was DTC 56046, from 40A on 18/4/65. There had been a buffer stop collision at Doncaster in which the DTC suffered distortion to the lower bodyside at the front of the vehicle, it is possible that this was E56046 and the reason for its withdrawal.

A RCTS survey of Eastern Region DMU vehicles in 1965^[8] found 50000-13/24-7/9-49, paired with 56000-11/3/6/24-49 allocated to 40A for worked the following services:

• Lincoln - Derby
• Lincoln - Sheffield Victoria
• Boston - Gainsborough then Doncaster or Sheffield Victoria
• Grantham - Doncaster
• Cleethorpes - Peterborough or Doncaster

50014-23, paired with 56012/4/5/7-23 were also allocated to 40A but loaned to Darnall for local traffic, between maintenance periods. The closure of Darnall was imminent, it was thought they may move to Tinsley which was due to open (but they were never to be allocated there). They were working:

• Sheffield Midland - Leeds City and Cudworth
• Sheffield Victoria - Hull and Cleethorpes
• Sheffield Victoria - Boston
• Sheffield Midland and Victoria - Nottingham

Grimsby & Immingham Area tour

An unknown blue-liveried set operated the RCTS Grimsby & Immingham Area Rail Tour on 7 October 1967.

The Rolls-Royce set 50000+56000 was withdrawn in October 1967, Lincoln now had 48 Derby Heavyweight sets in its DMU allocation.

The paytrain handbill (courtesy of Jon Stubley) circa later 1960s features a set that almost looks as if it could be in blue and grey livery.

23/06/68
W 40A:
50049  56049

30/06/68
Reinstated 40A:
50049  56049

Retford Collision

While awaiting its 07:45 departure time from Retford low level platform 4 on February 12, 1968, the 06:48 Sheffield - Cleethorpes was hit in the rear by a coal train ran. The Class 114 had a parcel van as a tail load which took the brint of the impact, but the rear cab was still severely crushed. The wreckage of the Hop AB wagon bodies remained on the adjacent embankment for many years. View Image.

Withdrawn and re-instated

50049 + 56049 were withdrawn on 23/6/68, but reinstated just one week later on June 30th. No indications why.

A Class 114 departs from New Holland Pier station with a Cleethorpes service in June 1969. Graeme Phillips Collection.

Doncaster Decoy

A blue-liveried set (E50014, probably with E56014) operated the joint RCTS / Railway Enthusiasts' Club Doncaster Decoy railtour on 5 October 1968.

Great Coates Accident

On the 28th November 1969 50031 + 56031 ran through level crossing gates at Great Coates level crossing near Grimsby, striking a Dodge articulated lorry and carrying it 46 feet into the station. 3 people needed hospital treatment. Both bogies of E50031 were derailed. The train had ran past a red signal.

The 1970s

18/01/70
W LN:
56031

17/05/70
W 40A:
56020

w/e 17/04/71
W 40A:
50048
56048

09/12/71
W 40A:
50029 50034

An oval buffered Class 114 pauses in Tumby Woodside station on its way to Firsby in 1970. Steve Davies Collection.

1970

The collision damage received by 56031 at Great Coates meant it was to be the first of the class withdrawn in the 1970s; from 40A on 18/01/70.

Dowdyke Bank Accident

Just eleven days later on January 28th, 56020 & 50020, travelling at 50mph, struck a tanker traversing Dowdyke Bank level crossing between Spalding & Boston. More details. The DTC would be withdrawn on 17/05/70. Lincoln now had 46 sets and 2 power cars.

1971

This year saw more vehicles withdrawn, starting with set 50048 + 56048 during w/e 17/04/71; this was as the result of a collision with wagons at Hibaldstow on 10/3/71. At the end of the year two power cars were withdrawn (50029/34 on 09/12/71). Once more no reason was given, but Lincoln now again had an even number of Derby Heavyweight vehicles forming 45 sets.

The image shows a hybrid set at Grantham in August 1971 - E50018 + E59542 + E50003. The Met-Camm centre car was a Lincoln vehicle from June 1970 to February 1972. Mel Smith.

New routes

In the mid-1970s the class began appeared on Derby - Matlock services and services in the Leeds area.

Refurbishment

From August 1977 the sets would be refurbished, bringing a refreshed interior and new livery for the sets.

In the final image for this section a refurbished set heads towards Huddersfield over Penistone viaduct on 16/9/78 with a train from Sheffield via Barnsley. Stephen Burdett.

The 1980s

p/e 22/01/84
W LN:
53049

19/02/84
W LN:
54049

An unusual working for the class on 16 October 1980 was the 09:27 Cambridge - London Liverpool Street and 12:05 return. For this E50003 + E56014 was paired with a Class 105. This image shows the working at Hackney Downs.

The image shows a rare visit of the class to Darlington on 08/12/1980 when E50049 + E56025 were on a service to York. John Carter.

E56040 was involved in a side-on collision with a Class 45/1 in Derby station on 27 November 1981, derailing and hitting a footbridge pillar.^[9]

E50013 + E56045 were noted far from home on the 8th December 1982 working the 19:08 Norwich to Lowestoft then the 20:15 Lowestoft to Ipswich paytrain. With two heaters having failed on the set, the passengers, driver and guard were noted as popping into Saxmundham signal box to warm up. The next day the set returned to Lincoln on the 05:57 from Ipswich then 08:13 from Cambridge.^[10]

Declassified

The driver trailer vehicles seem to have been declassified from a DTC to a DTS from the May 1983 timetable.

Wrawby Jct Accident

On the 9th December 1983 53049 + 54049 working the 17:32 Cleethorpes-Sheffield collided with the 15:02 Drax - Lindsey (900-tons of empty oil tanks hauled by 47299) at Wrawby junction, a convergence of lines just outside Barnetby, Lincolnshire. The set was withdrawn at the start of 1984, leaving LN with 44 sets.

05/01/86
W LN:
54030

June 86
Su LN:
53008

Sep 86
R LN:
53008

28/09/86
Ss LN:
53003 53010 53040
W LN:
53016
54033 54034 54041

19/10/86
Ss LN-> parcels LN:
53040
W -> parcels LN:
54041

16/11/86
Su LN:
53027

23/11/86
Ss LN-> parcels LN:
53010
LN-> parcels LN:
54014

E53001 at Doncaster on April 16, 1986. Lewis Bevan.

1986

The year started with the withdrawal of 54030 on January 9th. In June 53008 was stored unserviceable after hitting a bullock.^[11]

Lockington Level Crossing Accident

Another serious incident took place on the 26th July 1986 when 53016 + 54034, coupled to Class 105 54434 + 51278, collided with a van that had driven onto Lockington Level Crossing against flashing lights. 54434 derailed and ran down the embankment, turning 180 degrees before coming to rest on its side. All vehicles were badly damaged. The two Class 105 vehicles were withdrawn almost immediately but the 114 set seemed to stay on the books until the end of September, a month that saw a few changes for the Class.

The beginning of the end

With a new build of DMUs starting to arrive on the scene the Derby Heavyweight fleet could begin to be wound down. In September 1986 the Class 114 set involved in the Lockington incident was withdrawn, three power cars stored servicable, two trailer cars withdrawn, and oddly 53008 was reinstated from store. Lincoln now had 40 sets available for traffic, and three power cars in store.

Parcels

The following month - October 1986 - also saw the first set going into Parcels use, although this didn't affect the passenger fleet as 53040 + 54041 were reinstated from store / withdrawal for this purpose. November saw 53027 withdrawn, and another parcels set formed from 53010 reinstated from store and 54014 from service stock - this left a passenger fleet of 39 sets, with two power cars in store.

Seen on railtour duty on 25th November 1986 are E53047 + E54018 / E54044 + E53013, paused for a photo stop at Rotherham Masborough's platform 4. The tour visited Wakefield and went through Tinsley Yard. Andrew J Crowther.

p/e 17/02/87
R to parcels LN: 54034

11/03/87
Su to parcels LN: 53027

24/04/87
R to parcels LN: 54033

03/05/87
Su LN:
53023

10/05/87
Su LN:
53001 53004 53007 53009 53011 
53012 53013 53014 53017 53022 
53025 53031 53032 53035 53038 
53041 53043
-
54001 54003 54005 54007 54016 
54017 54021 54022 54025 54026 
54028 54029 54032 54035 54037 
54038 54040 54044 54045
LN->parcels LN:
53024

14/06/87
R LN: 53017

Jun-87
R LN then -> parcels CA:
54001

21/06/87
parcels LN->CA:
53010 53017 53024 53027 53040
54014 54033 54034 54041
Su LN:
53020 53033 53042 53046
54002 54023 54036 54042

05/07/87
Su LN -> parcels CA
53004

04/08/87
Su LN: 53045

09/08/87
Su LN -> parcels CA:
54028 54036

16/08/87
Su LN: 54004

27/08/87
LN->TS
53006 54009

04/10/87
LN->TS
53002 53005 53008 53015 53018 
53019 53021 53026 53030 53036 
53037 53039 53044
-
54006 54008 54010 54011 54012 
54013 54015 54019 54024 54027 
54039 54043 54047
LN Su->parcels CA:
53020 53046
LN Su->parcels TS:
53038 54042
Su LN:
53047 54018

Oct-87
LN Su-> RTC: 53032
parcels CA-> RTC: 54036

14/12/87
Su LN -> R TS: 54005

19/12/87
parcels CA->TS 53027 54041

1987

Early 1987 saw more stored / withdrawn vehicles transferred to the parcels sector, the first change to the passenger fleet was on May 3rd when power car 53023 was put into store.

South Yorkshire Transport's Class 114, 53045 + 54004, is heading home from Leeds on February 24, 1987. Mike Dean.

A week later - with the introduction of the summer timetable and a switch to second generation units on some services, a further 17 power cars and 19 trailers were stored and a power car transferred to the parcels sector.

Twenty sets remained at Lincoln for passenger use, and nineteen sets in store. Storage for many of these vehicles was in Lincoln Holmes Yard.

June changes saw a power car (53017) and trailer (54001) reinstated from store to the parcels fleet, the parcels fleet move away from Lincoln to Cambridge, and four more passenger sets placed into stored. The count was now sixteen passenger sets remaining, with twenty-two sets in store.

E53044 and E54043 pass through Queen Adelaide with the 16.50 Peterborough to Cambridge, 14 August 1987. On this date there were just twenty sets in the Lincoln passenger fleet. Surface Stock.

July had a stored power car move to parcels use, August had the South Yorkshire PTE liveried vehicles 53045 + 54004 placed into store and also two stored trailers move to parcels. It also saw a set (53006 + 54009) move from Lincoln to Tyseley; the first time a passenger set had been based anywhere other than Lincoln in 25 years. There were now fifteen passenger sets (14 at LN and 1 at TS) and twenty-two power cars / twenty-one trailers in store.

Tyseley

On the 4th October Lincoln lost it's allocation of operable Class 114 passenger vehicles. Of the remaining fourteen Lincoln sets in traffic thirteen were transferred to Tyseley, the other set (53047 + 54018) placed into store. On the same day Tyseley also gained a parcels set (53038 + 54042) from store at LN, and two stored power cars (53020 + 53046) went to the parcels fleet at Cambridge. The month also saw another power car reinstated from store (53032) to the Derby RTC, joined by 54036 from parcels use at Cambridge. The passenger fleet now comprised fourteen sets at Tyseley, there were 19 power cars and 20 trailers in store at Lincoln.

The image shows set T223 (54009 + 53006) seen at Ely on the 07.20 Birmingham to Cambridge, 27/10/87. This was the first set to escape from Lincoln in 25 years. Surface Stock.

By the end of the year Tyseley received a trailer car reinstated from store (54005).

In the next image 54047, carrying set number T226, is seen stabled at Tyseley on 26.12.1987. It still carries the South Yorkshire PTE symbol. Andy Cole.

11/01/88
W LN:
53003 53023
54022 54029 54032
W parcels CA:
54001 (or did it never leave LN?)

17/01/88
W TS:
54005

08/03/88
RTC->parcels TS:
53032
54036

03/05/88
W LN:
53041

Jun-88
Su->R LN-> parcels CA:
53035
54016 54026

29/06/88
W LN:
53001 53007 53009 
53011 53012 53013 
53014 53022 53025 
53031 53033 53042 
53043 53045 53047
-
54002 54003 54004 
54007 54017 54018 
54021 54023 54025
54035 54037 54038 
54040 54044 54045

27/09/88
parcels W CA:
53017 53024
54014 54033

27/11/88
parcels TS->CA:
53027 53032 53038
54036 54041 54042

1988

January started with a handful of the stored vehicles withdrawn from Lincoln (including the two power cars that had now been in store the longest: 53003 + 53023), reducing the count to 17 power cars and 17 trailers. The trailer car recently reinstated from store to Tyseley was also withdrawn, lasting only a few weeks there.

Class 114 DMBS 53015, set number TS225, is seen inside the factory at Tyseley on 07.02.1988. Andy Cole.

On February 10, 1988, a set formed of 53015 and 54015 ran over the buffer stops at St Albans Abbey.

The Tyseley formations on 7th April 1988 (from a TOPS report courtesy of Robert Chilton) were:
T221 53002 54047
T222 53005 54039
T223 53006 54009
T224 53008 54008
T225 53015 54015
T226 53018 54010
T227 53019 54027
T228 53021 54012
T229 53026 54013
T230 53030 54011
T231 53036 54006
T232 53037 54019
T233 53039 54024
T234 53044 54043

In May another power car was withdrawn from store, in June the parcels sector took a power car and two trailers from store. At the end of the month the remaining fifteen power cars and fifteen trailers were withdrawn from store, ending Lincoln depots long association with the class.

After the move to the West Midlands the class still visited some of their old haunts. Here WMPTE lettered set T223 (the DMBS is presumably 53006) at is seen at Doncaster in 1988. John Law.

The rest of the year saw no more changes to the passenger fleet, but Tyseley did lose its parcels vehicles when they moved to Cambridge in November.

22/01/89
TS-> parcels CA:
53015 53018
54009 54015

09/03/89
parcels W CA:
53038

20/03/89
W TS:
53026 53037
54013 54019

19/04/89
parcels W CA:
54042

15/05/89
W TS:
53008 53030 53039
54008 54011 54024

1989

1989 started with two of the passenger sets leaving Tyseley to join the parcels sector at Cambridge, and in March two sets were withdrawn.

The image shows 53019 leading 54027 as set T227 with T319 (51129 + 59756 + 51149) and T303 (51406 + 59516 + 51364) on The Institution of Mining Engineers Notts & North Derbyshire Railtour near Welbeck Colliery on a wet and overcast 23 April 1989. Robert Chilton.

In May another three sets were withdrawn, meaning 1989 saw the Tyseley 114 passenger fleet cut in half to just seven sets.

T222 (54039 + 53005) is seen in Sleaford yard on the 19th August 1989. Gazza Prescott.

On the 15th October 1989 set T022 (53002 + 54047) was loaned from Tyseley to the Severn Valley Railway for their diesel gala. View Image.

The 1990s

28/03/90
parcels W CA:
53004 53035
54026

02/05/90
parcels W CA:
50020

04/06/90
parcels W CA:
54028
54041

06/09/90
parcels W CA:
53027 53046

p/e 08/12/90
parcels CA->CH:
53010 53015 53018 53032 53040
54009 54015 54016 54034 54036

The 14:06 ex-Leamington Spa at Stratford-upon-Avon on the 25th January 1990 formed of 53006 + 54010 (T026). Hamish Stevenson.

1990

The Tyseley passenger fleet stayed consistant at seven sets through the year, the only changes to the class being in the parcels sector.

The formations on 11/10/90 were noted as:^[12]
T021 53021 54012
T022 53002 54047
T023 53036 54006
T024 53044 54043
T025 53005 54039
T026 53006 54010
T027 53019 54027

Set T021 led by 53021 arrives at Smethwick West with the 14:55 Stourbridge Junction - Birmingham New Street on the 2nd July 1990. Gazza Prescott.

24/05/91
parcels W CH:
53010 53018 53032 53040
54009 54016 54034 54036

29/07/91
W TS:
53002 53006
54010

30/10/91
W TS:
53005 53021 53044
54012 54039 54043 54047

1991

T025 (E54039 + 53005) stands at the temporary platform at Coalville working the morning open day shuttle services, 26/5/91. Kevin Dowd.

After being stable for two years the passenger fleet was reduced further by two power cars and a trailer in July, and three power cars and four trailers in October. Just two passenger sets now remained.

25/02/92
W TS:
53036
54027

09/03/92
parcels W CH:
50015
54015
W TS:
54006

11/06/92
W TS:
53019

1992

The final year for the passenger (and parcel) fleet.

Set T027 with 53019 at the front is seen in Birmingham New Street with the 17:30 to Hereford on the 2nd January 1992 with set T324. Gazza Prescott.

Vehicles were withdrawn when they became due for overhaul, the last set being T027, although 54027 was withdrawn due to a fault leaving 53019 to work its final weeks in service with Class 108 DTCL 54484 until withdrawal on June 11th.

DMBS 53019 sitting in the withdrawn siding at Tyseley depot on 15 July 1992, just a few weeks after being withdrawn as the last passenger carrying Class 114 vehicle. The coloured dot next to the vehicle number was part of a coding system to denote which withdrawn vehicles were to be scrapped or had been sold for further use. Happily it was sold for further use, entering preservation at the Midland Railway - Butterley along with 54006. Robert Chilton.

Although passenger and parcels use for the class had now ended, one set remained on the network for a few more years as an Automatic Train Protection Test Unit.

Withdrawals

The following list shows the number of passenger vehicles withdrawn each year from passenger use; including vehicles placed in store or transferred to the parcels sector:

References

1. ^⋏ p55 February 1957 Railway Observer
2. ^⋏ "1956" https://spottinglogs.co.uk/ compiled by Jon Stubley, accessed 16 August 2021
3. ^⋏ p135 May 1957 Railway Observer
4. ^⋏ "Motive Power Miscellany" p510 September 1957 Trains Illustrated (Ian Allan)
5. ^⋏ British Railways Magazine, Eastern Region, Vol.9 No.8 August 1958 p224.
6. ^⋏ email Paul Green to Stuart Mackay 22 November 2023.
7. ^⋏ ER Memo: General Manager to Chief Operating Officer, BTC, June 23, 1964
   National Archives - AN106/13 Multiple units: Utilisation
8. ^⋏ p180 June 1965 Railway Observer
9. ^⋏ Rail Enthusiast, April 1982 p57.
10. ^⋏ Rail Enthusiast, March 1983 p53.
11. ^⋏ Rail magazine September 1986 p49
12. ^⋏ Diesel Unit Pocket Book Spring 1991 p68 Platform 5 Publishing

The Railway Observer is the journal of the Railway Correspondence and Travel Society