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
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.
June 6th
Added to the headcode pages are five more summaries of those used on the London Midland Region from the Western, Central, and North Western Lines.
May 30th
Some new operation/timetable pages have been started: Long Melford - Bury St Edmunds; Liverpool - Wigan North Western; Monkseaton-Blyth / Newbiggin; Stirling - Dollar - Kinross; and Cardiff - Crewe.
May 23rd
Added to the document archive are the June 1975 amendments for Issue 2 of Standard Examination.
May 16th
Added to the headcode pages are summaries of those used on the London Midland Region Midland Lines in 1961.
Latest Images:
The leading car of class 116 set TS520, 53826, has a decent number passengers on board as it waited to depart from Langley Green on 3 October 1986. The large signalbox controlled not only the main line but Rood End Yard which extended quite a distance towards Birmingham and took traffic to and from several rail-connected industrial sites. There... Peter Tandy.
Not the greatest shot of a class 110 DMU but living in Warwickshire there weren't many opportunities for pictures close to home. With car 51834 leading 52072 the dirty two-car set was running through Manchester Exchange on 27 February 1986 with "Special" displayed on the destination panel. Peter Tandy.
A heavily backlit photograph from Manchester Exchange with a class 108 going into Victoria station following a signal check with a service from Blackburn on 27 February 1986. The background was as interesting to me as the train with its mix of residential and industrial properties now, I'm sure, all swept away in favour of modern housing. Peter Tandy.
Class 121 route learner L103 (TDB 975659 ex-55035) was entering Worcester Shrub Hill on 5 June 1986 heading west towards Norton Junction. Peter Tandy.
Class 121 route learner L103 (TDB 975659 ex-55035) was entering Worcester Shrub Hill on 5 June 1986 heading west towards Norton Junction. Peter Tandy.
On This Day:
Hybrid Class 108 set BX494 (centre car is Class 107 59794, closest power car is possibly 52039), departs Buxton station. 15th July 1984. John Crooks.
E51204 + E54054 in Middlesbrough station on Tuesday 15 July 1986. Nunthorpe is on the destination blind. David Russon.
51360 heading set T302 with 59512 and 51402 waits at Lichfield City on 15/Jul/1992. Robert Chilton.
53881 from set T320 sits in the withdrawn siding at Tyseley Depot on 15/Jul/1992. Robert Chilton.
M50503 has a 1 on the first passenger door denoting first class. Seen in Derby station on July 15th 1978. Rex Holt.