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
December 21st
Added to the cyclic diagrams page are some pages from Crewe and Llandudno Junction depots, part of the LMR Western Lines area commencing 9 June 1958 (1.7mb PDF). Also a short video clip by Les Harbone showing a Class 116 and Class 105 at Bromford Bridge circa mid-1960s.
December 14th
Three new destination blinds have been added: Chester 1960s; Chester 1970s; and Swansea late 1980s / early 1990s.
December 7th
Some more operation/timetable pages have been started: Cambridge - Ely; Birmingham NS - Redditch; Leeds - Morecambe; Edinburgh - Dundee; and Birmingham - South Wales.
November 30th
Added to the cyclic diagrams page are the workings for the DMUs allocated to Bletchley depot commencing 16 May 1988 (2.3mb PDF).
November 23rd
Two Metro-Cammell publicity brochures have been added: Diesel Railcars for British Railways (c1957, 3.2mb PDF); and a general company brochure (c1962, 7.6mb PDF).
November 16th
Some more operation/timetable pages have been started: Lea Valley Lines; Birmingham NS - Leamington Spa; Darlington - Richmond; Glasgow - Oban; and Kemble - Cirencester / Tetbury.
November 9th
Added to the cyclic diagrams page are the workings for the Class 113s allocated to Accrington depot commencing 5 May 1969 (1.7mb PDF).
November 2nd
Added to the manuals section is a Rolls Royce maintenance manual (48mb PDF) covering the equipment supplied for a variety of types such as the 112/3s and 125s.
October 26th
Some more operation/timetable pages have been started: Cleethorpes - Barton-on-Humber; Kentish Town - Barking; Newcastle - Alnwick; Dundee - Arbroath; and Yatton - Clevedon.
Latest Images:
A Derby Lightweight arrives into a busy platform. The station is unknown, but this was with some other images of Stratford units, so possibly in the ER London area. Stuart Mackay Collection.
A four-car Class 110 DMU departs Carlisle station circa 1977. Leeds is on the destination blind, the stickers in the cab and side windows suggests a Dalesrail service. Stuart Mackay Collection.
A four-car Class 110 DMU in Carlisle station circa 1977. Leeds is on the destination blind, the stickers in the cab and side windows suggests a Dalesrail service. Stuart Mackay Collection.
A Class 126 DMU in Stranraer Harbour station on 2 August 1976. The vehicle seems to be SC51050, its position on the platform suggests a nine-car formation. The passengers heading away have likely either come off the train or the Larne ferry. Stuart Mackay Collection.
A Churnetrail special at Cheddleton on 22 June 1980. Formed of a Class 108 with a Class 103 on either end, the vehicles were 50404 + 56161 / 50625 + 56213 / 56150 + 50400. Stuart Mackay Collection.
On This Day:
A Class 108 DMU alongside a derailed oil tanker at Poulton-le-Fylde on Thursday 24 December 1981. The previous evening the 16:15 departure from Manchester Victoria collided with this oil train which had a class 47 locomotive on it. Ian 10B.
It's 11.01 in the morning on Christmas eve 1991 at Manchester Piccadilly station with WYPTE liveried Class 158 unit 158901 in platform 2, whilst platform 3 hosts a Regional Railways Class 101 unit 101657 (53211 + 54085). Andrew J Crowther.
A Derby built class 108 dmu comprising of cars 54190 & 53610, are sat in the centre road at Sheffield awaiting their next turn of duty, on Christmas eve 1986. Andrew J Crowther.
LO298 M54247 + M53964 on 2D40 18:22 Piccadilly to Chester at Altrincham on 24-12-91 (the last day of BR service for the line to Oxford Road before Metrolink). Kevin Dowd.
A Derby built class 114 dmu comprising of cars 54028 & 53004, are sat waiting departure time in platform 3a at Sheffield with a Hull service, on Christmas Eve 1986. Andrew J Crowther.