Non-Conventional Publicity
During the era of the introduction of these new diesel trains, images and information about DMUs could be found in other places beyond the normal sources such the railways own promotional material/adverts and the railway enthusiast press.
Here we look at some examples from those early years, which seemed to heavily feature the early Swindon Inter-City units and Blue Pullmans.
If you have any similar items that could be featured here please get in touch.
Books and Magazines
The first two images show the front and read cover of a book from the Nelson "Little Hercules" series named "My New Train Book". This was a 1958 edition of the cardboard book, there had previously been a 1956 edition with a steam engine on the cover.
Another book (unknown) had an illustration of a Blue Pullman unit is show to the left.
The "Blue Streak" cutaway is from TV Express Weekly on 29 July 1961. The artist was not credited but it is in the style of Leslie Ashwell Wood who produced many Eagle Comic cutaways. Scan courtesy of Dave Wilson. Note the leading bogie is wrongly shown with a traction motor.
The July 1957 "Meccano Magazine" cover featured a Swindon Inter-City DMU departing Edinburgh Waverley.
The October 1960 issue featured a Diesel Pullman unit. Can anyone recognize what station this is?
The "Ladybird Book of British Railway Locomotives" — published circa 1965 — had pages on the Class 115, Blue Pullman and Trans-Pennine units. The images seem to be colourised photographs. These scans are courtesy of Bob Gregory.
Eagle Comic
This popular comic featured several cutaway drawings by the artist Leslie Ashwell Wood.
A Derby Heavyweight (later known as a Class 114) appeared in the April 4th 1958 issue.
The March 14th 1959 issue had a Wickham railbus.
A Blue Pullman power car appeared in the 22 October 1960 issue.
The following week, the 29 October 1960 issue, the Blue Pullman was again featured, this time looking at the kitchen car.
A Pullman also appeared on the cover of the 1964 Eagle "New Book of Trains", artist unknown.
The Blue Pullman scans are courtesy of Dave Wilson, who has many hundreds of these Eagle cutways, and similar artwork, on his flickr pages.
Comic Album
This was issued with a comic book circa 1960 — exactly which has been lost in the mists of time — with a new photo being issued every week to cut out and glued into the album. Only the pages with vehicles relevant to this website are shown. Scans courtesy of Alan Grange.
Postcards
A Valentine's postcard featuring the Midland Pullman.
A Salmon postcard featuring the Midland Pullman.
An Ian Allan postcard featuring the Midland Pullman.
An Ian Allan postcard featuring a Western Region Pullman.
An Ian Allan postcard featuring the Midland Pullman alongside a Peak.
An Dalkeith Special Series postcard with several different views.
Jigsaws
These two jigsaws feature Blue Pullman units.
Cigarette / Gum / Tea Cards
Senior Service (1938)
This was issued in 1938, number 12 in a series of 48 and featured an LMS railcar. Card 41 featured a GWR railcar.
Details of the full set can be found on the Trading Card Database website.
A&BC gum (1958 and 1959)
The origin of this card — front and back shown - had me baffled for a while. After some pointers from John McGrevey I've found this was a A&BC gum card from their 1959 railway series (a set of 72, this being number 35). There are some USA terms on the card, this was because the card was made under license from the USA gum manufacturer TOPPS and adapted from their 1955 "Rails and Sails" series. The USA version of card 35 had the same "What is a Derail?" section on the right and Baltimore and Ohio wagons on the bottom but featured a Lehigh Valley Railroad engine rather than the Swindon DMU.
There was also a earlier A&BC railway series which had just 48 cards released in 1958, a Swindon DMU (different image) appeared on card 44:
Barbers Teas (1958)
This card dating from 1958 featured a colourised version of a Swindon Works publicity image showing a new leading DMBS.
Details of the full set can be found on the Trading Card Database website.
G.P. Teas (1962) / Hitchman's Dairies / Phillips Choice Tea (1965) / Clover Dairies (1973)
This set of 25 cards featured three of relevance here. It was originally issued by G.P. Teas in 1962
Card 6 was a six-car Midland Pullman.
Card 16 was a St Pancras-Bedford (Class 127) DMU (not illustrated here).
Card 25 was an Edinburgh & Glasgow Swindon Inter-City DMU. this used a colourised publicity photograph taken at Edinburgh Waverley.
The set was reissued by Hitchman's Dairies (date unconfirmed), Phillips Choice Tea in 1965 and Clover Dairies in 1973, after the E&G sets had been withdrawn from this service!
Kelloggs (1963)
An eight-car Western Region diesel Pullman card issued by the Kellogg Company of Great Britian Limited in 1963. It was part of series 2 of 'The Story of the Locomotive' set of 16 cards.
Fine Fare speciality tea (1965)
A card is from a 1965 "Inventions & Discoveries" series of 50 cards. It is principally about Rudolf Diesel but also features an illustration of a Derby Lightweight.
Brooke Bond (1966 and 1973)
This card was originally released in 1966 and re-issued in 1973. It was part of a series called 'Transport Through the Ages' featuring 50 cards.
Unknown
For this final card I only have a scan of the front and have been unable to find the origin.