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 24th
Two new operation/timetable pages have been started: Walsall - Dudley; and Glasgow - Ardrossan.
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.
Latest Images:
An OC Class 101+121 pairing 53155 + 54287, running as L211, pass Banbury South Signal Box as they run into the platforms at Banbury whilst forming the 1603 stopping service from Didcot on 13 July 1989. Nigel Mack.
The 0914 Cleethorpes - Sheffield service accelerates away from the station stop at Scunthorpe on 14 September 1987 formed of a 2 Car Class 101 Met-Cam Power Twin with vehicles E53261 + 53214. Nigel Mack.
Joining the Hope Valley route at New Mills South Jn whilst forming the 1245 Manchester Piccadilly - Cleethorpes 'Trans-Pennine' service on 13 February 1984 is a four car Class 123 unit, thought to be led by E52092. Nigel Mack.
Running towards Iver Station on the Up Relief whilst forming the 1110 Reading - Paddington stopping service on 17 August 1988 is RG allocated Class 117 DMU set L423 wearing the revised NSE livery of darker blue, but still retaining the BR double arrows. The set formation being 51361 + 59513 + 51399. The route to the left of the up relief line... Nigel Mack.
Forming an early afternoon Parcels service from Paddington, Class 128 DPU W55991 leads a Class 121 Bubble Car W55027 along the down relief line towards Acton Main Line on 9 February 1984. Nigel Mack.
On This Day:
On a misty Autumn morning with the sun trying to break through, a Derby Class 108 two-car DMU formed of cars M54257 + M51919 was running on bullhead rail as it departed from the village of Croston with an Ormskirk to Preston service on October 26th 1985. Martyn Hilbert.
Class 128 55993 is seen passing Nuneaton on 26.10.1982 still in BR all over blue livery. Andy Cole.
A Blue Square Derby Lightweight DMBS is seen as part of a parcel train near Mirfield on 26 October 1961. Under the warning flash on the cab front is 'YK SET' lettering. Stuart Mackay Collection.
A Scottish Region publicity image (negative 15732) showing a 3-car Metro-Cammell set about to leave the south end of the Forth Railway Bridge into Dalmeny station, heading towards Edinburgh Waverley. 26th October 1962. Courtesy of the AA McLean Collection. British Railways.
After a warm drink in the signalbox at Stratford-upon-Avon on 26 October 1985 I went out into the cold and took this shot of the contrasting front coaches of class 116 coach M53818 and class 108's M52058 in platforms 2 and the Cold Store Siding respectively. The training tower of the nearby fire station is still extant in 2021 albeit updated... Peter Tandy.