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 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.
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:
On a very cold February 9th 1991 a very scruffy looking Class 108 set LO261 (51906+54496) is seen stabled on the cross over between up and down lines north of Bolton Station. This was well towards the end of the life of these vehicles and they were getting a bit long in the tooth! Stabling trains here is unusual and is probably due to the inclement weather. Steve Robinson.
Back in 1986 Class 108 DMB 53973 leads a power trailer set at Preston with an evening service to Whitehaven These sets were the preserve of this line at the time due to bars on the windows because of restricted clearance between Maryport & Carlisle Steve Robinson.
Tyseley Met-Camm set 400, M50303 visible, in Honeybourne station with the SLS 'Farewell to the Honeybourne Cheltenham Line' tour on 23 March 1968. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Class 103 DMU set P201 (presumably presume 50414 + 56169) departs from Paignton with a Kingswear service. The slide process date was October 1972. Stuart Mackay Collection.
E50609 is the lead car on the 17:18 service to Wakefield Westgate, via Healey Mills, waiting to depart from Huddersfield on 10 October 1980. Stuart Mackay Collection.
On This Day:
Class 117 DMU set L401 (51375 and presumably 59485 + 51333) at Henley-on-Thames with a Twyford service on 25 August 1983. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Class 122 M55012 is seen at Five Ways, Birmingham, in late August 1975. Redditch is on the destination blind. Michael Mensing.
A three-car Class 120 DMU is seen in Girvan station on 25 August 1986, probably after terminating on a service from Glasgow Central. It contains two brake vans, the closest vehicle is 53742. Bill Fraser.
The Branch Line Society Clydeside Wanderer railtour during the Dumbarton Central stop on 25 August 1979. SC51805 has set number 177 is taped over and 178 is in the cab window. Stuart Mackay Collection.
54242 and 53953 are seen at Thornaby TMD on the afternoon of Saturday 25/8/90. Note Kilmarnock showing on the destination blind! Graeme Phillips.