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 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:
DMU set N699, formed of Class 100 DMBS M53355 and Class 105 DTSL M53812 departs from Manchester Victoria. The slide process date was January 1989. The KDH Archive.
Retford on the 8th of February 1988 and this two car Class 103 dmu has been converted to Laboratory test unit number 5. They are on Rail Profiling duties and based at Derby. The individual cars were numbered RDB975090 and RDB 975089 and were formerly 50396 and 56162. Image taken by Tony Smith. The KDH Archive.
A Midland Pullman set seen at South of Acton Grange Junction on the West Coast Main Line. This is thought to be a Preston to Euston special for the FA Cup Final on 2 May 1964. The KDH Archive.
Twyford on the 2nd of March 1963 and a 3 car Class 117 dmu is working the 2A64 service which will be a Paddington to Reading Service. The KDH Archive.
A Rolls-Royce powered Met-Camm, with a BRC&W centre car, is seen heading towards Burnley at Portsmouth, Lancashire, on 22 May 1968. The DMBS has an NE prefix to the vehicle number. The KDH Archive.
On This Day:
Helsby Junction 20/8/74. A Class 101 2-car on the 10.10 Chester - Man Vic, with Class 116 3-car suburban unit 50093,59000,50062 on the Hooton branch service. My notes on the print say it stayed for a month on this service. Anthony Griffiths.
A Class 101 DMU (formed 51519 + 51204) at Brightside on August 22, 1988. Allocated to Neville Hill it still carries a previous set number from its time at Cardiff. Walter Burt.
Class 121 55032 descends the Lickey Incline at Vigo Bridge on Tuesday 20 August 1991 with what is likely a morning Birmingham to Worcester Shrub Hill service. Stuart Mackay Collection.
M51875 leads the 17:10 Marylebone - High Wycombe service out of Whitehouse Farm Tunnel on 20 August 1984. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Class 118 DMS 51323 in Birmingham New Street with the 08:41 to Llandudno Junction on 20 August 1986. Dave Warby.