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
July 18th
New in the document archive are the Job Desciptions from Issue 3 of Standard Maintenance Instructions, the 1970s version of maintenance instructions.
July 11th
Added to the headcode pages are some of those used on the Eastern Region.
July 4th
Some new operation/timetable pages have been started: Firsby - Skegness; Crewe - Chester; Middlesbrough - Guisborough; Edinburgh - Bathgate; and Maerdy - Porth.
June 27th
New in the document archive are the Examination Schedules from Issue 3 of Standard Maintenance Instructions, the 1970s version of maintenance instructions.
June 6th
Added to the headcode pages are five more summaries of those used on the London Midland Region from the Western, Central, and North Western Lines.
May 30th
Some new operation/timetable pages have been started: Long Melford - Bury St Edmunds; Liverpool - Wigan North Western; Monkseaton-Blyth / Newbiggin; Stirling - Dollar - Kinross; and Cardiff - Crewe.
May 23rd
Added to the document archive are the June 1975 amendments for Issue 2 of Standard Examination.
Latest Images:
Two Derby Lightweight twins arrive into Rugby station, Peterborough East on the destination blind, circa 1957. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Class 101 DMU set 101317 (presumably 51243 + 59048 + 53747). Location unknown, Edinburgh is on the destination blind, circa May 1987. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Class 101 DMU set 101317 (presumably 51243 + 59048 + 53747), thought to be taken in the Carnoustie area on 4 May 1987. Perth is on the destination blind. Stuart Mackay Collection.
A Class 101 DMU, thought to be taken at Easthaven, to the east of Carnoustie, on 4 May 1987. Although slightly blurry, the DMSL seems to be SC53747. Stuart Mackay Collection.
A Class 101 twin, E50211 closest, with a Class 105 behind, in platform 13 of Newcastle station waiting to depart with the 08:30 Newcastle - Carlisle service on 7 October 1978. Stuart Mackay Collection.
On This Day:
Class 103 Roman Bridge Viaduct 24 July 1974. Disaster! For once I got myself into position at the right time for the relatively sparse service on the Conwy Valley line but I hadn't reckoned on the height of the viaduct parapets. Alistair Ness.
A Swindon Cross-Country unit with 50720 leading on the Approach to the now closed Lincoln St Marks, on 24th July 1982. David Scott.
55937 (M51581) at Snailwell on 24 July 1987. The 120 parcel renumberings were done just before they were withdrawn, if they managed to be applied at all to the unit in most cases this was the furthest it got. Nicholas Youngman.
Class 127 51621 and a Class 100 DTC at Derby Litchurch Lane on 24/7/84. Ian Francis.
Class 119 DMSL W51080 in Looe station on 24 July 1980. Brian Daniels.