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
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.
October 5th
Added to the cyclic diagrams page are the diesel car workings for ScR East Coast Division allocated DMUs in the early 1960s.
September 28th
Two additional sets of driver's instructions have been added: an April 1958 release for the Battery Multiple Unit; and the original June 1959 release for the Class 125s.
September 21st
Some more operation/timetable pages have been started: Sheffield - Barnsley; Crewe - Derby; Leeds - Huddersfield; Edinburgh - Stirling via Alloa; and Henley - Twyford.
Latest Images:
Class 117 DMU set L424 (presumably 51379 + 59489 + 51337) arrives into an unknown station, Reading on the destination blind. Circa early / mid-1970s. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Class 104 DMCL M50495 was withdrawn after a collision with a lorry at Chivers Occupational Crossing on 3 December 1976. Here it is seen in Derby Carriage and Wagon Works during the open day on 13 August 1977. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Two Class 126 DMUs in Ayr station with a service for Glasgow Central on 25 May 1980. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Class 119 sets L576 and L578 have either come out of or are about to enter the empty siding on the right. They are at Spalding on a Flower Parade special from West Ruislip on 7 May 1983. Other details from the July 1983 issue of The Railway Observer (p270): in the sidings on the far left are 53669 + 59256 + 53718 / 50331 + 59125 + 50308 / 53738... Stuart Mackay Collection.
The annual Spalding Flower Parade would bring many specials to the town and on 7 May 1983 we see two Class 119 sets, including L576 (51062 + 59421 + 51090) either coming out or in of the sidings at Spalding. The sign in the window notes it was Chiltern Trains 1Z49. The July 1983 Railway Observer (p270) notes this as running from West Ruislip with the second set being L578 (51092 + 59423 + 51064). Stuart Mackay Collection.
On This Day:
Class 101 2-car Metro Cammell DMU 54354 + 51192 Liverpool Lime Street, 21-11-83. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.
101687 (51512 + 51247) in Glasgow Central station on 21/11/97. Stuart Mackay.
Class 120 DMU Set 533 53700+59532+53682 (Class 101 TCL) with the 15-35 Dundee-Perth, 21-11-88. On Tour With The Class 13 Army.
Class 108/101 set No. P871 (Nos. 53639, 59118 and 51246) stands at Exeter St. Davids working a Barnstaple to Exmouth service on 21 April 1987. Brian Creasey.
Class 122 bubble car 55012 at St Ives on November 21, 1992. Alex Drennan.