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 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.
July 11th
Added to the headcode pages are some of those used on the Eastern Region.
Latest Images:
Lots of Railway Infrastructure at Bletchley on show here in this view of two Blue Square Derby Lightweight DMUs arriving with a service from Bedford on the 27th of February 1960. The KDH Archive.
On Swindon shed on the 23rd of April 1961 is AC Railbus W79978 and Class 03 D2187. The Railbus was new to Swindon shed in December 1958 and withdrawn in February 1968. It survives today at the Swindon and Cricklade Railway. The 03 was new from Swindon Works the previous month and it had a shorter life than the Railbus being withdrawn in May... The KDH Archive.
Leeds on the 15th of January 1972 and one of the Western Region Pullman units is in town. The unit was used on a Football special from Bristol for Rovers Supporters and is about to return. The set was made up of 60093 + 60738 + 60748 + 60749 + 60739 + 60648 + 60649 + 60099. Leeds beat Bristol Rovers 4-1 in the FA Cup Game. The KDH Archive.
On a very wet 03/01/1983 117 444 awaits departure from Kilmacolm with a train for Glasgow Central. This was the last week of services with the branch closing as from 10/01/1983. John Clark.
Despite what was displayed on the destination blind the 116 waiting at the then recently opened platform 3 at Gospel Oak on 06/06/1981 was about to form an all stations working to Barking. John Clark.
On This Day:
Deep in East Lancashire, a two-car BRCW Class 104 DMU with Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) M53468 at the rear, was departing from Rishton with a Preston to Colne service on October 6th 1984. Rishton is a small town on the A678 Blackburn to Burnley road, and is mid way between Blackburn and Accrington. The station was once on the edge of the... Martyn Hilbert.
A class 119 dmu (L581, 51067 closest presumably with 59426 + 51095) leaves Worcester Shrub Hill with an Oxford to Hereford service. This set has additional luggage space for duties on the Reading to Gatwick Airport route. 6/10/1984. Stephen Burdett.
101365 and 307 forms the 09:30 Livingston Link - Edinburgh service at Livingston South on October 6, 1984, the day that the station opened. Hamish Stevenson.
A surprise visitor to King's Lynn on October 6th 1982 was this departmental dmu set TDB975349 and 975539 which has 'York Saloon' on a board in the front window. Gerard Fletcher.
55979 with 55969 (and behind, out of sight are 55974 and 55984 and a BG). Taken at Carnforth on 6/10/85. Robert Frise.