The History of First Generation DMUs
The Railcar website provides information on the British Railways first generation DMUs (a.k.a. diesel multiple units / railcars) introduced in the 1950s.
The content of this website
The six key sections of the website are:
- Types - looks at each type of DMU in detail
- Topics - features articles on different aspects of the vehicles and personal recollections
- Technology - describes the technical details of how they work
- Data - various lists of numerical details
- Images - galleries featuring DMUs
- In Print - details the books and other printed materials made available over the years that have relevance
Details of railcars in preservation can be found on The Railcar Association website.
Date on DMUs
Vehicle / Set Data
To view details of a particular vehicle or set enter the number below:
DMU Images Wanted!
Do you have photos of First Generation DMUs? The more images we have the better we can tell the DMU story and make it more useful to visitors. Images can be loaded directly onto the site - just register as a user and upload! Alternatively if you have images on flickr or another website I can do the uploads for you - just let me know.
Scope
This website contains details about the First Generation DMUs. This includes the 4-wheel diesel railbuses, ACV / BUT railcars, the Battery Multiple Unit (BMU) and Blue Pullmans. It covers the period from their introduction to British Railways in the 1950s till their withdrawal and disposal from main-line use, but NOT preservation.
Because of the vast amount of data that this covers and the amount of information I have still to process I cannot include the DEMUs introduced on the Southern Region in the same era, nor Second Generation or later types.
Updates
August 22nd
Added to the headcode pages are some of those used on the Western Region.
August 15th
Some new operation/timetable pages have been started: March - Wisbech - Kings Lynn; Liverpool - Gateacre; Leeds - Bradford Forster Square; Edinburgh - Dunbar; and West Drayton - Uxbridge.
August 8th
Added to the document archive is a 1964 Scottish Region Fault Finding booklet.
August 1st
Added to the headcode pages are three more summaries of those used on the Eastern Region from September 1962. Also a Leeds Neville Hill destination blind from circa mid-1960s.
July 25th
Some new operation/timetable pages have been started: Peterborough - Spalding; Nottingham - Sheffield; Darlington / Barnard Castle - Middleton-in-Teesdale; Fife Coast; and Brixham - Churston.
July 18th
New in the document archive are the Job Desciptions from Issue 3 of Standard Maintenance Instructions, the 1970s version of maintenance instructions.
July 11th
Added to the headcode pages are some of those used on the Eastern Region.
July 4th
Some new operation/timetable pages have been started: Firsby - Skegness; Crewe - Chester; Middlesbrough - Guisborough; Edinburgh - Bathgate; and Maerdy - Porth.
June 27th
New in the document archive are the Examination Schedules from Issue 3 of Standard Maintenance Instructions, the 1970s version of maintenance instructions.
Latest Images:
Back in 1986 Class 108 DMB 53973 leads a power trailer set at Preston with an evening service to Whitehaven These sets were the preserve of this line at the time due to bars on the windows because of restricted clearance between Maryport & Carlisle Steve Robinson.
Tyseley Met-Camm set 400, M50303 visible, in Honeybourne station with the SLS 'Farewell to the Honeybourne Cheltenham Line' tour on 23 March 1968. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Class 103 DMU set P201 (presumably presume 50414 + 56169) departs from Paignton with a Kingswear service. The slide process date was October 1972. Stuart Mackay Collection.
E50609 is the lead car on the 17:18 service to Wakefield Westgate, via Healey Mills, waiting to depart from Huddersfield on 10 October 1980. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Class 118 DMU set P466, W51308 + W59475 + W51323, arrives at Newton Abbot where it will terminate with the 09:25 from Exeter on 8 August 1982. Stuart Mackay Collection.
On This Day:
Tyseley hydrid 2-car DMU set T052 with Met Camm Class 101 DMCL 53321 trailing Derby Class 116 DMBS 53060 standing at Boston for Nottingham 24-8-92. Note the Met Camms former Norwich set number '104' still in the cab window. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.
A three-car class 101 Metro-Cammell diesel set (closest is thought to be 50264) was used by the Branch Line Society on 24 August 1980 for their Forfar Railtour from Perth. First port of call was the Dewar's branch where the train reached a point just short of the first trap point. Jeremy Chapter.
Sandite / route-learner 977748 seen on Chester depot, 24-8-93. S Gaskell.
Met-Camm class 101 101340 (Sc51468 presumably leads) forming the 13.34 Perth to Glasgow Queen Street stopping service passes the box and crossing at Blackford on 24th August 1985. The signalman has been sharp in returning the peg, the few cars on the road will not be unduly delayed. Note also the differing application of the grey band on each... Bruce Galloway.
A two-car Class 117 with DMBS 51368 attached heads away from St Erth station on its journey to St Ives on 24 August 1995. Alan Grange.