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
August 8th
Added to the document archive is a 1964 Scottish Region Fault Finding booklet.
August 1st
Added to the headcode pages are three more summaries of those used on the Eastern Region from September 1962. Also a Leeds Neville Hill destination blind from circa mid-1960s.
July 25th
Some new operation/timetable pages have been started: Peterborough - Spalding; Nottingham - Sheffield; Darlington / Barnard Castle - Middleton-in-Teesdale; Fife Coast; and Brixham - Churston.
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.
Latest Images:
It is a chill day at Lapworth on 4 December 1982 as a fisherman peers glumly at his float which refuses to bob. The angler is at one of the large pounds which connect to the Stratford canal. Back in 1982 these pounds had a clear view of the railway but of course today the line is all but obscured by trees. Rattling along in the background a... Geoff Dowling.
Marylebone 1982 BC (before Chiltern), on 30 November 1982. Marylebone Station under British Rail was a run-down unkempt disgrace, the old carriage road used as a car park. Clapped out diesel units sat with their engines idling filling the grimy roof space with fumes as this 4 car class 115 is doing. Under Chiltern Railways the station is clean... Geoff Dowling.
The driver of the Swindon unit (the far car is 50686) opens up having negotiated the junction at Smethwick West. The train is bound for Hereford and will continue though Stourbridge and Worcester, these comfortable units has curtains and little Formica topped tables just big enough to put two cups of tea on. Smethwick West would soon have a... Geoff Dowling and John Whitehouse Collection.
W50686 is leading this service for Hereford, it has run from Snow Hill and is picking up the Stourbridge Line at Smethwick west Junction, circa 1966. The line which the train has used was closed to passenger trains when Snow Hill closed but remained in use for freight, when the Jewellery line opened passengers returned once again. The train is... Geoff Dowling and John Whitehouse Collection.
With that familiar rasp of exhaust, a class 101 DMU leaves Riding Mill on 12/06/1981. The train was the 10.42 Carlisle to Newcastle service. Geoff Dowling.
On This Day:
E50217 (very likely with E56383) running into York station on 14 August 1978. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Class 122 bubbles 55007 and 55011 with Met-Camm buffet 59577 in-between pass along the loop at Dundee ready to form the 15:25 to Arbroath on 14 August 1981. Stuart Mackay Collection.
51398 + 51356 at Harringey Green Lanes, 14/8/99. Sparegang.
A 3 car class 108 (52039 nearest the camera, presumably with 59386 + 51938) and a class 104 seen at Buxton on 14 August 1986. Robert28194.
The 'Dalesrailwayman' railtour at Skipton on 14 August 1983 with 53207 closest. In 1983 this train ran on June 12th, July 17th, July 31st and August 14th. Chris Lings.