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Ian Allan ABCs - DMUs


Hands up who bought these in their younger days? They seem to be quite collectable now.

The date of each one is not always easily identifiable, so if you can help with extra information please contact me. Similarly, if you have any of the missing issues a cover scan would be very useful.

They are a great source of photographs, the individual versions often contained extra shots not in the 'combined volumes'.


Diesels

Early issues contained both locos and DMUs

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1958 edition
Dated 10/57

As far as I can tell this is the earliest year to contain DMUs. It is certainly the most unusual in that the first 1/3rd is taken up with technical details of how the 'new diesels' worked. Quite a lot of recognisable 'official' photos used.

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Summer 1958 edition
Dated 3/58

Again contains some technical pages with illustrations, although the chapter "Why Diesels?" from the above edition is omitted. It starts with a Foreword to the Second Edition and mentions "second edition" again in the text, also stating that "details herein are as available at February 1, 1958, from official information but it should be appreciated that multiple units are now appearing at the rate of 70 vehicles a month" and appealing for readers' observations. Curiously, considering the foreword text, on the cover is printed "THIRD EDITION".

Included theoretical formations.

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Winter 1958/59 edition
Dated 10/58

Also included theoretical formations.

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Summer 1959 edition
Dated 7/59

This edition now shows coupling code, including blue square with cream stripe for the 114s!

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Winter 1959/60 edition
Dated 11/59

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Summer 1960 edition
Dated 5/60

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Winter 1960-61 edition
Dated 11/60


Diesel Multiple Units

Now on their own, no doubt because the numbers of locos and units were growing rapidly.

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Summer 1961 edition
Dated 5/61

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Winter 1961-62 edition
Dated 10/61

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Summer 1962 edition
Dated 7/62

This one has 16 pages in the center of photographs.

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Winter 1962-63 edition

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Dated 3/63

Inside, the text format has now changed, and the cover painting is reproduced in the centre over 2-pages.

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Dated 5/64

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Dated 4/65

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Dated 5/66

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undated, thought to be 1967 edition

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undated, thought to be 1968 edition

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Undated, issued in 1969

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Dated 6/70

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Dated 4/72

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Dated 5/73

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Undated, thought to be 1974

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Undated, thought to be 1975

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Undated, thought to be 1976

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1977 edition
Dated 5/77

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1978 edition
Dated 4/78

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1979 edition
Dated 4/79

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1980 edition
Dated 4/80


Multiple Units

Now one edition covered both diesel and electric units.

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1981 edition
Dated 4/81

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1982 edition
Dated 4/82

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1983 edition

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1984 edition

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1985 edition

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1986 edition

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1987 edition

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1988 edition

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1989 edition