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
October 10th
Two documents on electrical systems have been added to the Training Manual section, one on Auxiliary Circuits (1.5mb PDF), and one on Alternators (3.3mb PDF).
October 3rd
Added to the headcode pages are four more sections from Western Region working timetables.
September 5th
Some new operation/timetable pages have been started: Sheffield - Doncaster; Birmingham New Street - Wolverhampton High Level; Leeds - Barnsley; Glasgow - Hamilton Circle; and Paignton - Exmouth.
August 29th
A look at the Rocket 150 DMU Shuttles for the 1980 event at Rainhill.
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.
Latest Images:
The BLS Bristol & Gloucestershire railtour allows participants a photostop at Sharpness on 03/04/1982. The 101 is comprised of 51533 + 59561 + 51463 with class 122 55032 on the rear. John Clark.
The Derby Lightweight Ultrasonic Test Train with vehicles DB975008 + 975007 at Lancaster sometime in 1982. The KDH Archive.
BRCW Type 2 D5404 with a Derby Lightweight DMU at Carlisle, the closest car appears to be M79647. The date is a dilemna, the loco being transferred from Nottingham to Eastfield in Spring 1969, yet the DMU car had been noted out of use since April 1968. The KDH Archive.
Class 100 DMBS M53355. Probably at its home depot of Longsight, the slide process date was February 1984. The KDH Archive.
The 28th of December 1979 and a 3 car Class 111 dmu is approaching Selby on a Hull to Leeds service. The 3 cars are E51552 + 59106 + 51542. The KDH Archive.
On This Day:
Pressed Steel single car W55031 at Wallingford. The date on the slide is barely readable but could be 24 October 1969 (a Friday). Stuart Mackay Collection.
Several Class 116 and Class 120 vehicles can be seen in Vic Berry's Yard on October 24, 1987, as well as a Class 122 on the right. Malcolm Clements.
Class 119 DMU set L588, presumed 51107/51079, at White Road Lane, Boxhill, with the 09.20 Reading to Gatwick on 24 October 1993. Rob Paterson.
A Class 108 DMU formed of 51909 + 54271 with the 12:48 Watford Junction - St Albans Abbey service after arrival at St Albans Abbey on Saturday 24 October 1987. Colin Brooks.
53812 (N699) at Vic Berrys, Leicester, 24/10/90. Ian Francis.