DMU Operations: Scottish Region
The first DMUs on the Scottish Region were two Met-Camm Lightweights borrowed from the Eastern Region in April 1956, they spent 14 weeks operating services from Edinburgh and on the Gleneagles - Crieff/Comrie line.
The Region began to get its own DMUs delivered from late 1956, these being the first Swindon DMUs to be built: the 79xxx series Inter-City sets. They were introduced on Edinburgh-Glasgow services from January 1957.
The other new units it received were five types of 57" low density units: twin sets built by Derby (the BMU), GRC&W, Met-Camm, and Cravens; triples from Met-Camm and Derby; and further Swindon sets: 5xxxx series Inter-Cities and Cross-Countries.
| Type | Code | Formation | Sets | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swindon 79xxx |  |
3-car | 15 | 46 |
| BMU | - | 2-car | 1 | 2 |
| Class 100 |  |
2-car | 29 | 58 |
| Class 101 | |
2-car | 30 | 60 |
| " | |
3-car | 33 | 99 |
| Class 105 | |
2-car | 22 | 44 |
| Class 107 | |
3-car | 26 | 78 |
| Class 120 | |
3-car | 7 | 21 |
| Class 126 | |
3-car | 22 | 66 |
| Totals: | 185 | 474 |
In addition to the above the Region would also get ten new railbuses (one AC Cars, both Bristols, two Park Royals and all five Wickhams).
After the 79xxx series cars the next to be delivered were the Gloucesters - like the earlier Swindons all initially allocated on paper to St Margarets but in effect to Leith Central - and they were introduced to suburban services from Edinburgh. The first few sets went on loan the LMR before moving north.
The 30 two-car Met-Camms were delivered in mid-1958 to Dundee for local services and they would also be used to Glasgow and Edinburgh.
In summer 1958 a Swindon Cross-Country set was borrowed from the Western Region for trials between Aberdeen and Inverness.
February 1959 saw the Cravens begin to arrive in Scotland being allocated to Kittybrewster for services between Aberdeen to Ballater, Peterhead, Fraserburgh and St Combs, and Hamilton for south Glasgow suburban services.
Also in 1959 the next batch of Swindon Inter-City vehicles (the 5xxxx series Class 126s) began to be delivered to Ayr and entered service in August from Glasgow St Enoch to Ayr, Girvan and Stranraer.
The three-car Met-Camms (batches 4B and 5) would be delivered between May and December 1959 to Leith Central and Thornton Junction and be used on Edinburgh - Dundee service, some would soon be transferred to Dundee allowing some of the Met-Camm two-cars to move to Leith and Hamilton.
In November 1959 the seven Swindon Cross-Country sets began to be delivered. All were on paper to Kittybrewster for services to Inverness but soon after some would be based at Hamilton for South Glasgow services and summer excursions.
The final new sets for Scotland were the Derby triples (Class 107s), all delivered to Hamilton in 1960/1 for services in the south side of Glasgow.