Sandites (London Midland Region)

Five former DTCs were converted for sandite use at Carlisle Currock in late 1981 / early 1982 and a sixth vehicle soon after. They were expected to last until 1987^[1].

These conversions, along with a Class 103 trailer (becoming 977047) were the first batch of DMU vehicles to be converted for this use. The gangways were removed and the doorway plated over, a window added into the former doorway with marker lights and a wiper. The inner end was painted yellow. The alterations can be seen on ADB977049 seen at Bestcot TMD on the 14th February 1987. S Gaskell.

977048 was to be based at Buxton, 977049 at Bescot, 977050 at Crewe, 977051 at Wigans Springs Branch (with the 103 977047), 977052 at Toton and 977114 at Newton Heath. Curiously for such a small batch all converted in the same place, was the different way in which they were marked for their new use. The most common was 'SANDITE VEHICLE' (in two lines) to be stencilled onto the centre of the vehicle bodysides . At least one - 977052 - seems to have just had this on one side. 977114 had the text in a single line. 977048 instead had 'SANDITE CAR' added above the number.

977050 was noted in Chester General station on October 29, 1982.^[2]

Notes on the above: 977051 / 977114 seem to have been withdrawn from CW following the end of the 1986 sandite season, 977052 may have survived at BY until the end of the 1989 sandite season, 977050 may have survived until after the 1987 season.

The image was taken inside 977048 at Great Rock sidings on 13/10/90, some time after withdrawal from sandite use. Although it has suffered some damage it shows some of the sandite equipment that was fitted. The middle saloon contains the stillage used to mix the sandite, some empty sandite powder buckets, and to the right, the air tanks that were used as air reservoirs to deposit the liquid sandite onto the rail head. Paul Moxon.

Driver Training / Route Learning (Eastern Region)

At the end of 1982 TDB 977123-6 had interior fittings, including doors and seats taken out. Based at Lincoln they were to be seen as far away as Sheffield and Leicester by March 1983. They vehicles later moved to Doncaster and were used for route learning for the York ECML diversion. By November/December their work was done and they spent most of the time stabled outside the works.

The vehicles seem to have kept the same formations: 977123 + 977125, and 977124 + 977126. The image shows the latter under Holgate Bridge, York on 10/5/86. The two sets were easily told apart as only 977126 carried 'Route Learning Saloon, Chief Operating Manager' on the sides. Paul Moxon.

A further set, 977453 + 977454 was converted in 1986. It only survived until May 1988, the original two sets survived until May 1990.

51261 and 54135

These two vehicles (set 65) were withdrawn from Norwich on April 1st 1984. They were photographed the following month in March Yard, a bracket was fitted across the lower cab front to locate the jumper cables, vacuum bags and air pipe, and the coupling had been removed. This kept these items clear of additional equipment under the bufferbeam, a large vertical block which seems to have been attached to the front of the bogie and a horizontal plate with fasteners on the bottom of the headstock.

The vehicles would move to Lincoln and were noted in use as a sandite set^[11] but sandite use seems unlikely. Photos of the pair at Lincoln (one, two, three, four) mentions this was used as a weedkiller train, with all the pipes / cables being held out of the way of the stray nozzles. There are what looks like tanks fitted under the headstock.

The Eastern Region had a dedicated weedkiller train at the time, the DMU would have a very limited capacity in comparison, perhaps it was used to get into harder to reach places such as sidings? Any further information on their use would be appreciated.

Whether the use, whether experimental or unsuccesfull, it was short lived, as the vehicles were scrapped at Snailwell in May 1985.

Miscellaneous

The MOD was apparently going to purchase 56462 for training use, but bought Class 100 56111 instead.