Building a DMU
Part Twelve: The Completed vehicles
The final set of images from the construction booklet are views of the finished articles. They are drawn from several different Swindon Works photograph 'sub-collections' - 5C ('Coach details'), 5CR ('Motors, trailers and diesel cars'), 5T ('Trains'), MT (possibly matted trains?) and TI. The dates of the images are taken from the Swindon Works negative register which is now in the National Railway Museum, along with any surviving negatives.
"Underframe Arrangement of Equipment"
Negative 5CR31
Taken on 28/5/56, this is a motor brake showing the number two side taken from the rear with the the cab to the right. Under the 'EMERGENCY LIGHTING POINT', the smaller text reads 'BATTERY ISOLATION SWITCH MUST BE IN THE "OFF" POSITION WHEN BATTERY IS BEING CHARGED'. Under this text an orange band can be seen painted on the wiring conduit, and on other places.
Note there is no coaching crest on the vehicle. The two 'stars' near the center are where the cords are for manually releasing the vacuum from the brake cylinders, and the BO (brake overhaul) date is 30-4-56.
"Underframe Equipment"
Negative 5C130
Taken 12/6/56. This is a motor brake showing the number one side taken from the cab end with the rear of the vehicle to the right. The brake overhaul date on this vehicle is 9-4-56.
"Underframe Equipment"
Negative 5C129
Also taken 12/6/56, and this is the number two side of a motor brake. It is not the reverse of the vehicle in 5C130, as this vehicle has a BO date of 30-5-56, it is probably the vehicle the one paired to the one in 5C130 as they both seem to be taken on the same side of the track. One difference from the very similar view 5CR31 two weeks earlier is under the Emergency lighting text is the addition of 'NIFE BATTERY 400 A.H.'.
"Underframe - Arrangement of Equipment"
Negative 5CR30
The number one side of a motor brake, taken on 28/5/56. With a BO date of 9-4-56, this seems to be the vehicle paired with the vehicle in 5CR31, and the same two vehicles as 5C129/30.
"Trailing End, Intermediate Motor Brake Third"
Negative 5CR29
Taken on 28/5/56. The exhausts have been wrapped in what is probably some sort of asbestos bandage to protect staff from the heat when climbing up the steps. Later Swindon DMU types would have metal mesh grilles instead. There is no jumper cables, two 'shit chutes' are visible for the toilets above, and the buffer beam does not seem to be black like the items around it so was probably red. The vacuum bags have a sort of metal coil visible, this was probably to prevent damage from rubbing where they crossed over when joined.
"Driving End - Intermediate Brake Third"
Negative 5CR28
Another image from 28/5/56. When coupling to another vehicle by buckeye coupling the buffers would first need to be retracted just like coaching stock, except rather than a saddle they had a pin to keep the buffers extended.
"Driving End (Leading) - Motor Brake Third"
Negative 5CR27
The final image from 28/5/56. This view has the stencil in place (also used was B or C, later 1, 2, or 3).
"End View"
Negative 5CR32
Another view of the inner end, this is an intermediate brake third on 11/6/56. The wear marks on the gangway end seem the same as image 5CR29 but more evolved, suggesting it is the same vehicle. This time the jumper cables have been left in place, the lack of dummy sockets mean they are draped over the footstep on the left and the coupling release chain on the right.
"Inter City Diesel Rail Car Intermediate Brake Third Sc79095"
Negative MT56
No date for this one, but the vehicle has a paint date of 6-4-56 and a varnish date of 9-4-56 so probably soon afterwards.
"Inter City Diesel Rail Car Intermediate Brake Third Sc79095"
Negative MT55
Another view of the same vehicle. Noted how rippled the bodysides are from the stressed steel construction.
"Leading Motor Brake Second"
Negative MT57
The view of the intermediate was noted as a 'third', this is noted as 'second'. Paint date is 1-5-56 and varnish date is 4-5-56. The number is not given, but a Sc prefix can be made out. Note the white brake pipe along part of the solebar.
There was no side-on view in the booklet as there was for the intermediate, although one was taken. It was Sc79098 and negative MT60 (so not consecutive and not necessatrily the same vehicle). There was also a later view almost identical to this one of a Western Region leading car, the WR vehicle has a coaching crest unlike this one (and it has paint/varnish dates of 21/24-5-57).
"On Trial"
Negative 5T13
The negative register had a more detailed description - 'Trial run, first cars at Swindon', and a date of 25/5/56. They are two Sc prefixed vehicles.
"On Trial near Swindon"
Negative TI195
The final image in the booklet. No date for this one, it is a three power car formation, with an intermediate brake in the centre, and taken at the same location is the previous image.