DMU Operations: London Midland Region
Nottingham - Derby
Services were introduced on 14 April 1958 alongside Leicester-Nottingham services with connections at Trent for Derby-Leicester journeys. These were part of the Derby-Nottingham-Leicester scheme.
Derby-Nottingham-Leicester scheme
The nineteen three-car Cravens (Class 105) sets were built for this services, and two three-car Met-Camms were transferred from the Birmingham Part 1 scheme for the launch of the services[1]. Originally used in other places first, all were reallocated to Toton depot (18A) for the launch.
The services included at the launch were:
- Nottingham - Derby
- Nottingham - Lincoln
- Nottingham - Leicester
- Leicester - Burton-on-Trent
- Leicester - Nuneaton - Birmingham New Street
- Birmingham - Derby
Sets were stabled at Nottingham and Leicester with one stayed overnight at Saltley carriage sheds. Trains running between Leicester & Birmingham displayed B7 on the route indicator and those on the Birmingham - Derby line B8 & B9.[2]
A folded leaflet was made available to the public promoting the new trains these services:
Sample Timetables
14th April to 8th June 1958
9th June to 14th September 1958
13th June to 11th September 1960
This measured 5 1/8" x 6 5/8" when folded.
12th June to 10th September 1961
This measured 5 1/4" x 6 1/2" when folded.
10th September 1962 to 16th June 1963
14th June 1965 to 17th April 1966
This measured 4 7/8" x 6 1/2" when folded.
6 March 1967 to 5 May 1968
5 May 1969 to 3 May 1970
2 7/8" x 4 1/8" when folded
Images
circa 1969
A three-car hybrid set at Derby Midland circa 1969. Closest is BRC&W DMC M50501, possibly the only vehicle of the type to have a full yellow end while still in green livery, also unusual in having a first class stripe. The other two vehicles are in blue, a BRC&W centre car and a Cravens DMBS. Nottingham is on the destination blind. Graham Clark.
March 1970
A Class 104 set in Derby station in March 1970 with Nottingham on the destination blind. Mel Smith.
March 1970
The crew have a chit-chat in the cab of the Class 104 DMC in platform 3a of Derby in March 1970 with Nottingham on the destination blind. Behind is a Swindon Cross-Country set. Mel Smith.
February 1989
Class 114 DMU set T222 (presumably 53005 + 54039) approaches Attenborough in February 1989. The platforms were shortened in 1988 and the edges removed from the redundant sections prior to their removal. Andrew Walker.
February 1989
Class 114 DMU set T222 (presumably 54039 + 53005) gets away from its Attenborough stop en route to Derby in February 1989. The four-aspect signal, waiting room and footbridge have all been replaced since this time, arguably with less aesthetic structures in all three cases. Andrew Walker.
References
- ⋏ Diesel Railcars - Allocation of Vehicles, Appendix B, 11 March 1958 minutes of the Diesel Trains Committee
- ⋏ p137 May 1958 Railway Observer (Railway Correspondence and Travel Society)