DMU Operations: North Eastern Region
Newcastle - North Tyneside Loop
DMUs took over from the EMUs in late 1967, and continued until conversion of the loop to become part of the Tyneside Metro system.
Images
25th March 1969
A Derby / Gloucester hybrid DMU heading to the coast arriving at Benton station on 25 March 1969. Stuart Mackay Collection.
10th May 1969
A seven-car Met-Camm formation seen at Percy Main on May 10, 1969. Steve Davies Collection.
1970
A Met-Camm formation at Backworth, dated 1970. Steve Davies Collection.
25th July 1974
A four-car Class 101 DMU is seen entering Heaton station, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, with a Newcastle-Tynemouth service, Thursday 25/07/1974. Graeme Phillips Collection.
29th April 1975
Class 101 DMUs, Newcastle, on 29 April 1975. Seen in the east end bays on services to North Tyneside (before conversion to Metro). Nigel Menzies.
January 1976
A Class 101 DMU is seen at Newcastle in January 1976 in what was then platform 1. It is waiting departure around the North Tyneside loop. With the clock showing 1424, this may be the 1425 clockwise departure from the weekday timetable of the time. Graeme Phillips Collection.
July 1976
A Class 108 four-car and three-car set heads away from Newcastle in July 1976. Mel Smith.
July 1976
A four-car Class 108 DMU (the vehicle types can be identified by the water filler pipes on the roof) departs from Newcastle in July 1976. Note the single Met-Camm vehicle on the upper left of the frame - it appears to be ex-works and being towed behind a lighter coloured non-DMU vehicle. Mel Smith.
8th August 1976
A Met-Camm set heads out of Whitley Bay on August 8th, 1976. Arnie Furniss.
25th August 1976
Seen at Cullercoats, North Tyneside, with the 1605 Newcastle-Backworth-Tynemouth-Newcastle circular service. The rear 3-car unit is a Derby Lightweight Class 108. This British Rail station closed on 10/09/1979, pending development of the Tyneside Metro system. Graeme Phillips Collection.
25th August 1976
A three-car Class 101 and three-car Class 108 at Cullercoats, North Tyneside, on 25/08/1976. Running in a clockwise direction around the North Tyneside loop, the 16:05 Newcastle-Newcastle finds profitable reason to call, at 16:40. Graeme Phillips Collection.
28th September 1976
In BR days, a Class 101/102 is seen at Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, on 28/09/1976 Graeme Phillips Collection.
28th September 1976
A Class 101 DMU at Whitley Bay on 28/09/1976 at 1728 with the 16:55 Newcastle-Newcastle circular - travelling in an anti-clockwise direction. To the left, Class 101 DMBS E50247 is coupled to a class 108 vehicle. Graeme Phillips Collection.
28th September 1976
A 4-car Class 101/108 hybrid unit is seen departing Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear, with the 1740 Newcastle-Tynemouth on 28/09/1976. One of three such extra peak hour services, all of which unusually ran non-stop between Jesmond and West Monkseaton. This service called at Whitley Bay at 1803, nine minutes faster than the usual all stations services. Graeme Phillips Collection.
28th September 1976
A Class 101 set in Whitley Bay on 28/09/1976. Graeme Phillips Collection.
6th October 1976
DMS(L) E50645 is seen at Newcastle, in what was then platform 2, waiting to depart with a North Tyneside circular service to the coast and back. These services were withdrawn a few years later, to be replaced by the Tyneside Metro system. Platforms 1-3 were taken out of use and turned into a car park, so the first platform was 4, where a recently arrived Class 101 DMU is seen unloading in this view. Although Class 101 units tended to be the mainstay of north-east local services for over 30 years, Class 108s also worked in the area, mainly seen on North Tyneside services, up until the mid-1970s, being transferred away before refurbishment. They were replaced by an influx of Class 105s which had been displaced by EMUs from Great Northern services out of London King's Cross, following electrification of those suburban routes. Graeme Phillips Collection.
6th October 1976
DMS(L) E50632 is most prominent, with its first class yellow stripe having been crudely painted over in rail blue. Newcastle, 06/10/1976 Graeme Phillips Collection.
13th October 1976
A Class 101 DMU at South Gosforth East Junction, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 13/10/1976. This was the 12:25 departure from Newcastle to Newcastle via the coast, travelling in a clockwise direction around the North Tyneside circuit. These British Rail services gave way to the Tyneside Mero system a few years after this view. Graeme Phillips Collection.
13th October 1976
On 13/10/1976 a 3-car class 101 is seen approaching South Gosforth station with the 11:35 Newcastle-Newcastle circular around the North Tyneside loop. This is travelling in an anti-clockwise direction, and is about to enter the final southbound section heading into Newcastle. Graeme Phillips Collection.
13th October 1976
A Class 108 DMU calls at South Gosforth down platform on 13/10/1976, with the 1145 Newcastle-Newcastle clockwise circular service around the North Tyneside loop. Graeme Phillips Collection.