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 7th
A Training / Fault Finding booklet has been added from the London Midland Region dated April 1967.
October 31st
Added to the headcode pages are the Scottish Region pages from June 1965.
October 24th
Two new operation/timetable pages have been started: Walsall - Dudley; and Glasgow - Ardrossan.
October 10th
Two documents on electrical systems have been added to the Training Manual section, one on Auxiliary Circuits (1.5mb PDF), and one on Alternators (3.3mb PDF).
October 3rd
Added to the headcode pages are four more sections from Western Region working timetables.
September 5th
Some new operation/timetable pages have been started: Sheffield - Doncaster; Birmingham New Street - Wolverhampton High Level; Leeds - Barnsley; Glasgow - Hamilton Circle; and Paignton - Exmouth.
August 29th
A look at the Rocket 150 DMU Shuttles for the 1980 event at Rainhill.
August 22nd
Added to the headcode pages are some of those used on the Western Region.
August 15th
Some new operation/timetable pages have been started: March - Wisbech - Kings Lynn; Liverpool - Gateacre; Leeds - Bradford Forster Square; Edinburgh - Dunbar; and West Drayton - Uxbridge.
August 8th
Added to the document archive is a 1964 Scottish Region Fault Finding booklet.
Latest Images:
The Buchan and Mearns rail tour operated by the SLS / Strathspey Railway Association on 26/05/1973 was worked by a 3 car class 101 and is seen here at Aberdeen Waterloo awaiting departure for Fraserburgh. John Clark.
A three-car Class 105 DMU with vehicles 50384 + 51301 + 56464 heads away from Houston and Crosslee station on 28 December 1982 with a Glasgow - Kilmacolm service. John Horne.
A view from 51301 towards 50384 while sitting int Kilmacolm station waiting to depart for Glasgow Central on 28 December 1982. John Horne.
A Class 105 DMU, 56464 closest, in Kilmacolm station on 28 December 1982. John Horne.
With less than two weeks before closure, a three-car Class 105 sits in Kilmacolm station on 28 December 1982. Part seen is DTSL 56464, in the middle is DMBS 51301, and the far end is 50384. John Horne.
On This Day:
53071 + 59751 + 53902 (T408) at Longbridge with the 17:58 to Lichfield Trent Valley, 14/11/92. Gazza Prescott.
Class 104 53598 with two Class 120 sets (one is 522) on their way to Snailwell. Seen at 09:05 on Saturday 14th November 1987 at March. Colin Brooks.
Wearing two different NSE liveries, 55027/L127 and 55022/L122 pass under Aynho Flyover about 14.40 on the 14th November 1989 working from Banbury to Oxford. Dave Gommersall.
DMU leaving Yarmouth Vauxhall on November 14, 1970. The 14.47 to Norwich is passing the signalbox on a drizzly November day. The extensive carriage sidings can be seen in the distance. Closest is Class 101 DTCL E56364, furthest is Class 100 E51115. Tom Burnham.
A Class 110 DMU with the 1110 Newark North Gate - Cleethorpes awaiting departs at Newark North Gate (1105) on Saturday 14th November 1987. Colin Brooks.