Derby Lightweight (Yellow Diamond) 1, 2 & 4-car DMUs

Four-car sets (for Middlesbrough - Newcastle)

Five of these sets were built for the North Eastern Region for Newcastle - Middlesbrough services, and all four vehicle types were unique to this batch. All other Yellow Diamond DMUs were formed into two-car sets, and so these were the only Yellow Diamond centre cars. In most cases DMUs would have the first class in an unpowered vehicle (either a centre car or driver trailer) for a quieter ride but these were one of a handful of types that had the the first class in a power car, no doubt the view was more important than the noise.

Seating was 2 + 2 thoughout all vehicles. All the first class was in the Driving Motor Composite, with a twelve seater smoking compartment directly behind the cab, and an eight seat non-smoking compartment. Both had a row of reversible seats. They had light creamy wall coverings and flooring. Seats were blue, with a leaf pattern on the seats in gold.

The second (initally third) class in the DMC vehicle also had smoking and non-smoking areas, but no sliding doors separating them to prevent smoke drifting.

Second class had green PVC (vyanide) wall and partition coverings and a green floor. Seats were shaped in a different style from the earlier LMR sets with lower curved backs. They were a deep red colour and an almost leaf type pattern.

The sets were formed from a Driving Motor Composite (20 1st + 36 3rd), Trailer Brake Third (45 3rd), Trailer Third (61 3rd) and Driving Motor Third (64 3rd), giving a total setting capacity of 20 first and 206 third. There were only two lavatories on each set, one in each trailer car.

Diagrams

Works Photographs

The first five are from the Derby Works collection, circa September 1955.

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79508 + 79325 + 79400 + 79150 on the Wirksworth branch

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The first class smoking compartment in Motor Composite E79508. The row of seats closest were reversible.

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Inside Motor Composite E79508, taken from the second class saloon looking through two different first class compartments (non-smoking / smoking) towards the cab.

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The guards van of E79325. Note the vehicle number above the end door. The adjacent vehicle, 79150 has 2 + 2 seating and no interior doors dividing the three saloons.

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The guards van of E79325.

These four colour images were possibly hand tinted, probably from British Railways images that were part of the above series. They appeared in a trade magazine as part of an advert for ICI / Vyanide who supplied the interior wall and part of the seat coverings.

The first class smoking compartment in the Motor Composite.

The rear end of the Motor Third. Normally there would be a toilet on the left, but one is available just through the doors on the right.

The interior of a Trailer Third.