Class 100 Gloucester RC&W 2-car DMUs

Operations - North Eastern Region

South Gosforth

In June 1967 seven sets went on loan from Hamilton to South Gosforth. They would not return to Scotland, being permanently transferred a few weeks later.

Initial use in Tyneside was as replacements for the South Tyneside electric system which was being dismantled at the time. Sets observed by Fred Kerr during 6th - 8th July working South Gosforth diagrams included 51108/56099, 51114/56313, 51115/56307, 51120/56303, 51125/56317.

The full list of vehicles were: 51108/14/5/8/20/1/5 and 56099/300/3/7/10/3/7 - all but one (56099) were second batch vehicles.

Other uses while they were based at Newcastle included the Alston branch and Newcastle - Carlisle services. On the latter E51114 was noted at Carlisle in blue livery working as part of a four-car set formed of Met-Camm and BRC&W vehicles in green.

The image shows DMBS E51125 working with a Met-Camm DTCL coming off the viaduct that crosses the River South Tyne at Lambley whilst heading to Alston in late June 1968. Michael Mensing.

Some of the vehicles, including 51115, 56099 and 56307, would be fitted with window bars.

In March 1969 four sets moved south to Cambridge - 51114/5/21/5 and 56300/7/13/7.

The three remaining sets would move to Norwich, first 51108 at the end of July 1969, two sets 51118/20 with 56303/10 in October 1970, and the final vehicle 56099 in November 1970.

Operations - Eastern Region

Cambridge

The Eastern Region received its first GRC&W twins when Cambridge received nine sets from the Scottish Region in May 1968. There were now sets on four different regions - LMR, ScR, NER and ER.

The first four sets were transferred on May 19th 1968, with 50344/6/7/116 and 56301/15/6/8 moving south from Leith Central. A week later a further five sets moved 50339/41/111/23/6 and 56094/6/8/100/1, initially on loan from Leith but soon transferred permanently.

Hybrid sets were soon seen, such as this Cravens DMBS / GRC&W DTC set.

The image shows a Class 101/100 formation departing from North Walsham station in August 1968. The DTC, which has window bars on the passenger doors suggesting it was one of the vehicles previously allocated to South Gosforth. Steve Davies Collection.

Cambridge would also receive four sets from South Gosforth in March 1969, bring its total to thirteen sets. Five would move to Norwich in June 1969, one (51126 + 56100) would returning in August, all would move to Norwich in May 1970.

The image shows two GRC&W units at Cambridge in 1970. Alf Yates.

Norwich

The first GRC&W sets at Norwich were five sets from Cambridge in June 1969, followed by power car 51108 from South Gosforth, which seems strange moving on its own and leaving a DTC behind (56099) which did not move until November 1970, but also transferred was Derby DTC 56203 which suggests the two may have been paired. Norwich received the remaining Cambridge vehicles in May 1970, meaning it had thirteen sets and an odd power car.

At the start of 1971 the Class was spread over three regions but only three depots - (eleven) LMR sets at Longsight, ScR sets at Leith Central, and sixteen sets on the ER at Norwich.

The image shows Set 68 (51118 & 56303) seen in Norwich back yard on the 1st July 1972. Tim Stubbs.

Three sets would be withdrawn from Norwich at the start of 1972, another in May and three more in October.

At the start of 1973 Norwich had just six sets, at the start of 1974 there were four power cars and seven trailers - hybrid sets were very common. By the start of 1977 the numbers were to eight power cars and just four trailers.

The image shows 50346 at Cromer Beach on the 7th June 1975. It had recently been re-instated, having been withdrawn in October 1972. David Faircloth.

At the dawn of the 1980s Norwich had four power cars and no trailers, these would move to Longsight in October 1980, meaning all remaining vehicles were now on the London Midland Region.

Neville Hill

Three vehicles would be listed as having been allocated to Neville Hill at Leeds while in passenger service, although their use there is unknown.

The first was trailer 56300, withdrawn from Norwich in October 1972. It was re-instated to Neville Hill in January 1973 and returned to Norwich the following month.

In May 1975 two power cars - 51122 and 51124 - moved from Hamilton to Neville Hill, and would remain until August 1976 when they moved to Norwich.

The image shows E51122 at Leeds on 17/8/75. Ian Francis.

Interestingly two of these three vehicles would return to Neville Hill in departmental use. 51122 and 56300 would be paired as 975664/975637 and be known as the 'Stourton Saloon'.