Class 105/6 Cravens 2 & 3-car DMUs

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Operations - Scotland

The Scottish Region would receive twenty-two driving trailer sets in 1959, these being batch four vehicles formed of DMBSs 51473 - 94 and DTCs 56462 - 83. Initially these would be based in the Aberdeen and Glasgow areas, in the 1960s Dundee and Leith Central would have an allocation from time to time.

By the end of May 1968 they were all at Hamilton. In 1974 they would start to spread to Eastfield, Haymarket and also begin to drift south of the border. Inter-regional transfers and withdrawals saw the end of the DTCs from this batch in Scotland by 1977.

In February 1981 three power twins from Newton Heath and would spend six months at Haymarket working as three-car sets using Class 104 centre cars. These, and the remaining vehicles from the original allocation were all gone by the end of 1981.

At the end of 1982 the Region was struggling to keep enough servicable DMUs in traffic and Norwich sent five driving trailer sets to assist which were gradually withdrawn over the next 12 months.

The Class 107 crisis in June 1986 saw Norwich again send five power trailer sets, the last vehicle would be withdrawn in March 1987.

Deliveries

Beginning in February 1959 the ScR sets would be allocated new to Kittybrewster depot (61A), all except the final set. For many that allocation was on paper only, many sets would congregate in Eastfield depot and never reached Aberdeenshire, and would soon be noted in use in the Edinburgh / Glasgow areas.

The image shows one of the first uses of a Cravens set in Scotland working a management special on March 19th 1959. It is seen approaching Slateford from Craiglockhart using a new connection linking the Edinburgh suburban line with the Edinburgh Princes Street to Glasgow main line. Guests on the special included the British Transport Commission Chairman Sir Ian Bolton and the Scottish Area Board. British Railways.

On Easter Monday (March 30th) 1959 a 'Six Lochs Diesel Land Cruise' ran from Glasgow Buchanan St. via Callander, Killin and Crainlarich to Glasgow Queen St. Low Level. It was composed of four Cravens twins, and proved so popular that a relief had to be provided, comprised of a further two sets and a Met-Camm twin which had arrived at Buchanan Street on the 6.57am from Thornton; they ran the circuit in the opposite direction, via Balornock and Partick West, but did not call in at Killin.^[1]

In May 1959 a two-car set was chartered by the Hillington Park Church Woman's Guild for their annual 'day out'. The brand new set (Sc56479 and presumably Sc51490) left Cardonald at 10.06am, heading first to Helensburgh Central (where Sc56479 is pictured) for a two and a half hour break till 1.40pm. It then returned to Craigendoran Junction where it reversed and took the West Highland line as far as Crainlarch, then down the spur to connect with the Callander line, and Callander was the next stop for tea. The remainder of the journey was via Stirling. The 117 passengers carried were taken care of by Corkerhill, Eastfield, Stirling and Polmadie crews.^[2]

Twelve sets (51482-93 plus partners) were reallocated from Kittybrewster to Hamilton (66C) in the first week of June, the same time the final set was delivered. This meant there were nine sets in Aberdeen (51473-81) and thirteen at Hamilton (51482-94).

Introduction

Aberdeen

The sets were soon introduced to Aberdeen - Ballater services working opposite the Battery Multiple Unit.

The image shows a set operating the 6.08pm Aberdeen to Ballater service at Park station on the 19th May 1959. Hamish Stevenson.

The services on the former GNoSR Buchan lines - between Aberdeen, Peterhead & Fraserburgh, and Fraserburgh to St Combs, were dieselised on Monday 15th June 1959. The Cravens DMUs were mainly used on stopping services, there would also be diesel loco-hauled trains on the line. Services from Peterhead and Fraserburgh combined / split at Maud Junction for the section to Aberdeen, or a Peterhead service would connect at Maud Junction with the Fraserburgh trains.

Cowcatchers

The five mile Fraserburgh - St Combs section involved some legal challenges to overcome before the DMUs were introduced. It had been operating under the "Fraserburgh and St. Combes Light Railway Order, 1899" which specified that cowcatchers must be fitted to locomotives. This provision allowed the railway to save costs by obviating the need to provide trackside fencing, the cowcatchers dealing with anything stray that would venture onto the tracks. It also implemented a 25mph speed limit.

In seeking a discompensation from the Ministry of Transport & Civil Aviation, a letter from the Scottish Region General Manager in March 1959 noted that "To secure the most economical working it is desireable that no particular unit be allocated to the St. Combs Branch but that the working be overtaken in rotation by one of some 20 or so units based at Aberdeen." Since modifying all the vehicles would be a considerable expense, a waiver was sought based on the vehicles giving "the Driver an excellent view of the line ahead, of the control he can exercise with these vehicles, and the low speed limit applying on this Branch".^[3]

One thing of significance in this was the mention of "some 20 or so units based at Aberdeen", and could be the reason that almost all the sets were initially allocated to Kittybrewster then promptly moved to Hamilton. Were all 22 sets ordered for Aberdeen and last minute changes meant they would only get nine sets?

In September 1959 a three-car Met-Camm set (51458/59556/51528) arrived at Kittybrewster on loan from Leith Central to augment the Cravens sets. It returned south (to Dundee) in January 1960.

Six Lochs Diesel Land Cruise

On the 20th June 1959 the 'Six Lochs Diesel Land Cruise' was operated by four Cravens twins, running from Strathaven via Helensburgh.^[4]

The 'Six Lochs Diesel Land Cruise' actually ran every summer Sunday that year, normally running from Glasgow to Callander, Killin and Crainlarich. The fare of 10/- made it very popular, and even in bad weather two trains were required. the normal motive power was four twin sets for each train, supplied by Hamilton, the types used week to week could vary.

Glasgow (Hamilton)

On Monday 6th July 1959 the thirteen sets allocated to Hamilton (51482-94 and 56471-83) began their regular operations. At the start three formations were required for traffic made up of six or eight vehicles. They covered a number of commuter trains from the Hamilton area to and from Glasgow and also made runs to East Kilbride, the Cathcart Circle, Uplawmoor line etc.^[5] The only other diesel vehicles at the depot at this time were the two Bristol railbuses which also entered the same day. The following month other types of DMUs began arriving at the depot including Met-Camm and GRC&W sets which would share the services.

A diesel service operated to Kelvin Hall stations to augment the sparse regular service during the Scottish Industries Exhibition in September 1959. Hamilton depot provided a Craven twin set for this. The journey took four minutes and provided an immense contrast with the filth of the steam journey through the tunnels.

The service ran from Glasgow Central Low Level station, and upstairs in platform five and six in the main station there was a display of rolling stock in support of the Kelvin Hall exhibition.

The image shows a set arriving into Kelvin Hall station on the 19th September 1959. Stuart Mackay Collection.

An image of a Cravens set appeared on timetable for the special service. Scan courtesy of John Paton.

The Sixties

On Tuesday 19th January 1960 the 9.17am Fraserburgh to Aberdeen became blocked by a 10ft high snow drift in a cutting just north of Newmachar station during the worst blizzard conditions the area had seen for years. The 57 passengers were stranded for fifteen hours - thankfully heat and light was able to be maintained at all times. A railway district inspector managed to reach the train by road in a Land Rover, and contacted a bakery who were able to bring food to the passengers. Local helicopters had been contacted, although they could not fly on the 19th because of the weather and would have had to wait until daylight the following day. A steam relief train which managed to get to 1/4 mile from the Cravens DMU took the passengers off the set at 4am, this followed an engine and snowplough for the 12 miles to Aberdeen where it arrived at 6.30am^[6]. An image of the DMU stuck in the snow appeared in the March 1960 edition of 'The Railway Magazine'.

On Sunday 12th June 1960 a 'Six Lochs Diesel Land Cruise' ran from Ayr and stations to Dalry. It was composed of two Met-Camms and one Craven twin. This apparently was not to the liking of a few passengers who expected one of Ayr's Inter-City sets which mainly sat idle on a Sunday.

Around October 1960 the BMU was absent from the Ballater line for a period, it's workings were covered by a Cravens or a Gloucester (Leith Central would loan Kittybrewster two GRC&W sets from November till March 1961).

Paytrain operation was introduced to many of the stations on the Aberdeen to Fraserburgh / Peterhead / St Combs routes from November 7th 1960.

The image shows a Cravens / Met-Camm formation arriving into Cathcart station on May 13 1961 with the 9.00am Glasgow Central Inner Circle service which will end up back at Central. Sc56472 is at the front. Michael Mensing.

The first allocation changes since the vehicles were new came in June 1961 when two Hamilton sets (51490/56479 and 51493/56482) went on loan to Leith Central then almost immediately on loan to Kittybrewster.^[7] One of these (51493/56482) would spend a few weeks at Dundee in the Autumn of that year before returning to Kittybrewster.

The other 'on-loan' set (51490/56479) would return to Hamilton in January along with the first of the original nine to leave Kittybrewster (51481/56470). The same month Dundee again received 51493/56482, returning north in May, its allocation to Kittybrewster now seemed permanent as it would stay there until 1965. The allocation of Cravens sets at the depot remained at nine.

The colour image shows a set approaching Deer Abbey Halt, between Mintlaw and Maud Junction on the Peterhead branch, date unknown. Tony Grubb.

The Cathcart Circle was electrified from Monday May 28 1962.^[8] With EMUs now working these services the DMUs were released to work other services from Hamilton. Timetable scan courtesy of John Paton.

The image shows Sc51489 + Sc56471 in the rain at Yoker Ferry on 18/5/63, which they would reach using the Glasgow Low Level line. Hamish Stevenson.

At Lanark station on the 3rd August 1963 is a Cravens set with the 9.25am to Douglas West, led by SC56474, and a Met-Camm set on the 9.30am to Glasgow Central, led by SC56409. Hamish Stevenson.

The June to September 1963 Aberdeen - Ballater timetable only seemed to mention Diesel Trains, no mention of the Battery Multiple Unit:

A Cravens set was hired (at a cost of £2) for a private charter from Elgin to Lossiemouth in June 1964. The branch had closed in April.^[9]

The Glasgow Low Level line closed on October 3 1964.^[10] Another line the sets worked, the Muirkirk line on which they operated the Muirkirk - Lanark service, closed to passengers on 5 October 1964.

SC51473 was noted as the power car in the DMU operating the last day of services on the Kintore to Aberdeen line on 5 December 1964.^[11]

1965 - 1969

At the start of 1965, the Hamilton sets were 51481-92/4 + 56470-81/3, working the South Clyde locals from Glasgow Central, the remaining sets were still at Kittybrewster.

The image shows a Cravens set waits to depart Fraserburgh with the the 2:15pm to St Combs on the 24th April 1965. Hamish Stevenson.

The St Combs - Fraserburgh line closed on 3 May 1965.

A two-car set operated the Branch Line Society Aberdeenshire tour on 5th June 1965 starting from Aberdeen and taking in Turriff, Old Meldrum and Alford Branch lines.

The Fraserburgh / Peterhead branches were closed to passengers on October 4 1965. Other than the Ballater line, the main duties of the Aberdeen Cravens DMUs would now be on services to Elgin either via Craigellachie or on the coast route via Buckie, and to Inverurie.

The 'replacement' set at Kittybrewster that arrived in May 1962, 51493/56482, headed back to Hamilton in October 1965.

The Ballater line closed in February 1966. Soon after three Kittybrewster sets - 51478-80/56467-9 - moved to Leith Central. This left Kittybrewster with five Cravens set, all there since new, six Cross-Country sets and the BMU.

In April 1966 the only set that had not been delivered (on paper) to Kittybrewster (51494/56483 which had been delivered to Hamilton) - was allocated to Kittybrewster for the first time when 51491-4 and 56480-3 were moved from Hamilton. Their stay was brief, they moved to Dundee the same month, and the remaining five original sets at Kittybrewster, 51473-77 and 56462 made their first move being reallocated to Hamilton, replaced by another five sets from Hamilton, 51486-90/56475-9. Two of the three Leith sets (51479/80 with 56468/9) moved to Hamilton, leaving 64H with 51478/56468.

The Region would formally introduce set numbers in 1966, to the Glasgow Division in June and the Edinburgh Division (which included Dundee and Aberdeen) in November. They were:
43-54 - 12 sets at Hamilton (51473-7/9-85 with 56462-6/8-74)
56-60 - 5 sets at Kittybrewster (51486-90 with 56475-9)
61-64 - 4 sets at Dundee (51491-4 with 56480-3)
93 - 1 set at Leith Central (51478/56467)

It is unlikely that any of the Aberdeen Cravens had these set number applied, the earliest image I have seen of an Aberdeen area Cravens with a set number stencilled on the front is dated April 1968 (on p72 of the book 'BR in colour 1968-80' by John Glover) and would probably be one of the sets that had moved from Leith Central.

In January 1967 three of the Kittybrewster sets (51488-90/56477-9) moved to Leith Central, leaving just two sets at Aberdeen. Leith Central now had four sets.

The image shows a mixed formation of a Cravens and a Swindon Cross-Country unit (plus a van on the rear), pass through the ex-GNoSR Kennethmont station on 7 August 1967, working the 18.00 Aberdeen to Inverness. The front DMU vehicle is still in green, the others are in blue, the Swindon DMS with just a yellow panel on the cab. The grain wagons are probably for the nearby Ardmoor Distillery. Kevin Lane Collection.

The two remaining Kittybrewster sets (51486/7 + 56475/6) departed in September 1967 with the impending closure of the depot but stayed at Aberdeen now being allocated to Ferryhill depot (61B). Ferryhill gained a third set (51491/56483) from Dundee in early October 1967 and a fourth set the same month (51478/56467) from Leith Central.

Former Kittybrewster vehicle Sc51488 (now allocated to Leith Central) was back in the Aberdeen area in late 1967 for overhaul at Inverurie Works. During the repair work it caught fire, causing sufficient damage for it to be withdrawn in November.

In January 1968 Ferryhill received the remaining vehicles from Leith Central giving it a fifth and sixth set and an extra DTC (51489/90 and 56477-9), the odd DTC had been the partner of now withdrawn 51488.

The remaining branches on which the class were operating, such as to Buckie and Elgin via Craigellachie would close on 6 May 1968. The image shows the last passenger service that would run to Elgin via Craigellachie - its journey would take it over what is now the Keith and Dufftown Railway. The DTCL is unusual in having a full yellow end while still in a green livery. Tom Burnham.

All the Aberdeen Ferryhill vehicles moved to Hamilton in May 1968, ending the North-East's association with the Class.

The final image shows a Cravens set on the 6.18pm ex-Glasgow at Thorntonhall on July 31, 1968. Hamish Stevenson.

The Seventies

At the start of the 1970s, all sets were allocated Hamilton. There were 21 of the original 22 sets remaining (51488 being withdrawn). The paper set formations circa July 1970 were:

34  51473 56462
35  51474 56463
36  51475 56464
37  51476 56465
38  51477 56466
39  51478 56467
40  51479 56468
41  51480 56469
42  51481 56470
43  51482 56471
44  51483 56472
45  51484 56473
46  51485 56474
47  51486 56475
48  51487 56476
49  51489 56478
50  51490 56479
51  51491 56480
52  51492 56481
53  51493 56482
54  51494 56483

Withdrawn 51488's ex-partner DTC 56477 did not seem to be allocated to a set, and while the formations were noted as being fairly constant, at the time 51485 was running with 52018 (part of set 125).^[12]

Two Hamilton vehicles - 51494 + 56483 - which had been running as set 54, were both noted at the depot with severe cab damage at the end of 1970. The cause is unknown, they would be withdrawn in January 1971.

Hamilton was providing three-car formations for the local services between Glasgow and Edinburgh, on 26 February 1972 the 11:20 Edinburgh - Glasgow comprised 51453 + 59798 + 51487, a Met-Camm DMBS / Derby TSL / Cravens DMBS hybrid.^[13]

A Cravens and Derby formation is seen in the image arriving at Glasgow Central in 1972. The leading power car has a set number under the driver's window, possibly 34. John Law.

Haymarket

Leith Central had been the DMU depot for Edinburgh since dieselisation, but the depot was to close in April 1972 and most of the fleet moved to Haymarket. While some Cravens sets had been allocated to Leith, the last had departed in 1968.

As part of the transfer process between the two Edinburgh depots a training run was done between Haymarket and Gateshead and return, normally a GRC&W set, but on 15 March 1972 a two-car Cravens set was used, presumably borrowed from Hamilton.^[14]

The first Cravens DMUs allocated to Haymarket arrived from Hamilton in October 1972 when five sets comprising 51487/89-92 and 56476-80 were transferred. It was thought that the Cravens sets were to replace the Class 100s on the North Berwick service, and that further Cravens would move from Hamilton to allow other Haymarket 100s to be withdrawn once ex-Western Region Class 116 sets arrived at Hamilton.^[15] However for three of the power cars their stay at Haymarket was brief as 51487/89/90 moved to Eastfield in December. They would be noted running there with Met-Camm vehicles as three-car sets.^[16]

The two remaining Haymarket DMBSs (51491/2) moved back to Hamilton with DTC 56479 in February 1973, leaving Haymarket with four DTCs which would remain there until 1977.

By May 1973 all the ScR Gloucester driver trailers were out of use and some of the Class 100 power cars were used to create three-car sets using the Haymarket Cravens driver trailers as centre cars, such as 51110 + 56477 + 51122 noted on 6th May 1973.^[17]

In mid-1973 the Scottish set numbers were revised^[18]. The Hamilton sets were now:

10  51473 56462
11  51474 56463
12  51475 56464
13  51476 56465
14  51477 56466
15  51478 56467
16  51479 56468
17  51480 56469
18  51481 56470
19  51482 56471
20  51483 56472
21  51484 56473
22  51485 56474
23  51486 56475
24  spare power car 51492
25  51493 56482
171 51491 56479 51515 (51515 was a Met-Camm DMC)

Haymarket DMUs were noted as not carrying set numbers, the four Cravens DTCs allocated there were all were running as three-car sets in-between GRC&W power cars in mid-May:

50343 56476 51119
50340 56477 50342
51124 56478 51127
51117 56480 51122

Unaccounted for:

51487  51489  51490  51493  56481

The Haymarket formations were the beginning of the Scottish Region standardarising on three-car sets, and would lead to the phasing out of the driving trailers from the Region. With an imbalance of powered / non-powered vehicles, driving trailers would be placed in store, mainly the GRC&W type, the surplus power cars allowing three-car sets to be formed. An attempt was made to have the two power cars of the same type, and so rather than add a GRC&W power car to a Cravens two-car set, some Cravens sets would be broken up, the Cravens power car joining a Cravens set, the DTC used in between GRC&W power cars.

In the image set 171 departs from Edinburgh Waverley for Glasgow Central via Shotts in June 1973. Alan Rintoul.

This image shows one of the Haymarket DTCs working between a Class 122 DMBS and Class 101 DMBS in September 1973.

The fourth vehicle to be withdrawn from the Region was 56481 from Hamilton in late 1973. There were now 40 of the original 44 vehicles left.

1974

The saw big changes to to the Scottish Cravens fleet. The first change was a set (51478 + 56469) moving from Hamilton to Norwich in April 1974, the first set to move south. There were now 38 Cravens vehicles on the Region.

The electrification of the Hamilton Circle and the Lanark branch on May 6 1974 drastically reduced the need for DMUs at Hamilton. Haymarket gained ten power cars from Hamilton (51473-7/9-81/3/4) in May.

In June the three Eastfield power cars (51487/9/90) moved to Hamilton, but five Hamilton power cars (51485/6/91-3) and fifteen driving trailers were put into store. This left just thirteen power cars (ten at Haymarket and three at Hamilton) and four driving trailers (at Haymarket) in traffic.

This drastic reduction in the fleet was short lived, as in the first week of July 1974 five of the stored driving trailers returned to traffic, three to Haymarket and two to Hamilton. The following week six power cars and four driving trailers were reinstated to Hamilton.

The operating fleet now comprised ten power cars and seven trailers at Haymarket while Hamilton had nine power cars and six trailers.

The image shows the view from a Cravens unit heading north over the Forth Bridge on 3rd August 1974. Pete LG99.

Circa August 1974 the Hamilton sets comprised of the 105 DTCs between two DMBSs (100 or 105s) as Haymarket had done. Each three-car was given two set numbers, one for each brake vehicle. Class 116 50821 was operating in set 16/17 at the time in place of 51119:^[19]

14/15  50340 56484 50342
16/17  51110 56482 51119
18/19  51482 56463 51485
20/21  51486 56475 51487
22/23  51489 56467 51490
24/25  51492 56472 51493

In the image a Hamilton set departs from Clarkston & Stamperland (now just Clarkston) station on the East Kilbride line. Date unknown. Stuart Rankin.

Further allocation changes in 1974 saw two of the Haymarket trailers (56462/70) move to Hamilton circa the first week of October, another (56465) move in mid-October which allowed 56464 to be placed into store from Hamilton. Within a few weeks 56464 was borrowed by the CM&EE department at the Derby Research Centre for (unknown) departmental duties.

In December one of the stored DTCs was reinstated to Hamilton then immediately transferred to Finsbury Park.

1975

The year started with another driving trailer (56482) being placed in store at Hamilton. Of the original 22 Scottish trailers, eight were in traffic at Hamilton, six in store at Hamilton (with one on loan to the Technical Centre), four in traffic at Haymarket, two transferred to the Eastern Region and two withdrawn.

A set was seen at Aberdeen once more when on 22 March 1975 Haymarket's 51476 + 56477 were part of a larger DMU formation providing a Dundee - Aberdeen connection for a Kings Cross - Aberdeen service that terminated at Dundee because of engineering works.^[20]

Hamilton set 179 was noted as 51448 + 51110 + 56463 on March 31st 1975.^[21]

May saw sixteen vehicles transferred to English depots, fifteen to the Eastern and one to the London Midland Region. Hull Botanic Gardens would receive four sets, three of the DTCs coming from store. Norwich gained one operating set and an additional trailer reinstated from store. Lincoln gained an operating set, Neville Hill two trailers, Tyseley one trailer reinstated from store (56470).

One of these sixteen vehicles - DMBS 51490 - left Scotland for Norwich carrying set number 173. Three years later in September 1978 after subsequent transfers to Lincoln, South Gosforth and Tyseley it was still carrying that same set number stencilled under the drivers window.

In June 1975 56470 would be returned from Tyseley to Hamilton, 56475 was sent in its place along with 56482 reinstated from store. Hull would receive another trailer in July (56474) which was the last remaining vehicle in store at Hamilton.

With these changes Haymarket had fourteen vehicles (ten power cars and four trailers), Hamilton had just three power cars.

For the three Hamilton vehicles, 51493 was noted as running Class 107 set 141 taking the place of withdrawn 51995, while 51486/7 were made into a three-car with a Class 101 DTC in between.^[16]

Derby Research Centre

The vehicle on loan to Derby - 56464 - had been (on paper) returned to Hamilton then withdrawn. But after it's departmental duties was over it was used for paint tests at Derby for the refurbished livery. One side was painted in rail grey, the other side had two different undercoats and one topcoat giving the appearance that one half was a brilliant white and other other half an intermediate shade. Both sides had a blue band.^[22]. Allocations show the vehicle being reinstated to Hamilton briefly, but it went straight to Norwich from Derby, after a repaint into normal colours.

1976

One of the former ScR DTCs returned to Scotland in the Spring when 56470 was transferred from Newton Heath to Hamilton, along with DMBS 50766, the first 'new' Cravens to be allocated to Scotland. Hamilton now had five Cravens vehicles, the other three being power cars 51486/7/93.

Amongst the many hybrid combinations the Cravens were part of included a 105 DMBS working as part of a Class 116 set in July 1976.^[23]

The hybrid set in the image contains three brake vans, at the front is a Cravens DMBS, a Met-Camm TBSL, and a Met-Camm DMBS. Seen entering Dunfermline Lower with a southbound service in 1976. John Law.

Haymarket retained the same ten power cars and four driving trailers through the year. The DMBS in the Dunfermline image is carrying set number 21, which in theory should be Hamilton based 51487. Did this mean the Hamilton vehicles worked into Fife, normally the domain of the Haymarket vehicles?

1977

New arrivals at Hamilton in April 1977 (a Class 116 50841 + 59354 + 50899 from Stratford, four Class 101 power cars 51234/42/3/808 from Dundee and Class 122 55000 from Haymarket) allowed it to release its remaining Cravens vehicles. The depot said farewell to the class on 30th April 1977 when its last five vehicles, 50766, 51486/7/93 and 56470, were transferred to South Gosforth. To make four twin sets for the Newcastle depot three of the Haymarket DTCs (56476-8) also moved south.

That left just one Cravens driving trailer in Scotland (56480), but it left a few weeks later on 12th June with DMBS 51484 moving to Norwich.

The Scottish allocation now comprised just nine DMBSs (51473-7/9-81/3) based at Haymarket.

The image shows a hybrid set comprising two Craven DMBSs and a refurbished Met-Camm centre car passing through Princes Street Gardens, circa 1977. S Saunders.

Some sources have noted that 51477 was transferred to Eastfield in March, withdrawn in September and then reinstated by the end of the year. However this was a typo for Class 101 DMBS 51447 - also transferred to Eastfield were Class 101 vehicles 59560 + 51516, the three vehicles were refurbished as set 189. The 101 DMBS would be withdrawn in September after a fire at Cowlairs Carriage sidings.

1978

For three years - 1978, 1979 and 1980 - there would be no allocation changes to the Scottish Cravens fleet.

They would continue to work on the regular Haymarket diagrams such as locals to Glasgow Queen Street, into Fife / Dundee and to North Berwick. Set numbers in the 20x series would be applied to the vehicles.

Visitors

Class 105 DMUs would also visit Scotland from south of the Border, such as this Newcastle area set seen in Edinburgh Waverley in June 1978 with a return school special excursion from Saltburn. Graeme Phillips Collection.

1979

The first image shows a Cravens DMBS / Met-Camm DTCL / Met-Camm DMSL set depart Edinburgh Waverley for North Berwick during June 1979. Walter Burt.

The second images shows DMBS Sc51476 at Haymarket depot in July 1979. The Cravens vehicles were now appearing in blue/grey livery to match the vehicles they were working with, it was the only region to apply these colours. Alan Rintoul.

The Eighties

1980

In the first image a plain blue 105 DMBS / blue grey 101 centre car / blue grey 105 DMBS form a three-car unit working 2G61, the 13.22 Dundee to Edinburgh, approaching Markinch during March 1980. Bruce Galloway.

In the second image is set 202, formed 51474 + 59047 + 51480, seen at Grangemouth on the 12th July 1980 with the "Forth Valley Wanderer" railtour. This was organised by the Edinburgh City Transport Welfare Accociation visiting various lines around Edinburgh. Hamish Stevenson.

1981

The ScR introduced 'permanent' set formations on 1st February 1981, with the units being re-assembled from mid-January. Class number prefixes were allocated but not applied, at least initially, and the Class 105 sets were:^[24]

375  51473 59567 51477 (with a Class 101 TSL)
376  51474 59574 51481 (with a Class 111 TSLRB)
377  51476 59072 51480 (with a Class 101 TSL)
378  51479 59068 51483 (With a Class 101 TSL)
379  51475 59544 50748 (with a Class 101 TSL and DMSL)

February also saw some new Cravens vehicles arrive on the region, and for the first (and only) time this included DMSL vehicles. The three power twins were transferred from Newton Heath to Haymarket along with three reinstated Class 104 centre cars to allow three-car sets to be formed.

These new vehicles were to provide cover while other sets went to works for asbestos removal. One power twin returned to Newton Heath in March but another was sent in its place. The three sets were allocated numbers 372-4:

372  50770 59150 50803
373  50778 59161 50805
374  50782 59159 50789

The image shows the west end of Haymarket depot on 15th March 1981 with two hybrid class 105 triples. On the left, freshly-outshopped from St Rollox in blue/grey and complete with ScR six-figure unit number (105 37x), is 51481 + 59567 (Class 101) + 51477, while further back is a set from Newton Heath 50782 + 59159 (Class 104) + 50789. Leonard Rogers.

One of the low-points for these new arrivals was on the 25th April when a set containing 50778 failed in Edinburgh Waverley. The casualty was shunted by Deltic 55 002 after it arrived in the capital with the "North Briton" railtour.

For the ex-Newton Heath sets their time operating in Scotland was brief, some - or all? - being placed in store (unserviceable) at the start of June, and all six withdrawn at the end of that month. The ScR allocation was back to being nine of the original ScR DMBSs at Haymarket.

Another railtour the class worked was the 'Strathmore Berry Picker' on 25th July 1981, seen in the image at Forfar. Set 378 comprised two Class 105 DMBS vehicles in blue/grey, 51483 closest the other is presumably 51479. It has an unknown Met-Camm centre car inbetween, and bubble car 55011 on the rear. Mike Cooper.

The next image shows Sc51474, now in set 342 with 59553 + 50748, in Edinburgh Waverley on August 10, 1981. John Carter.

In August five of the nine remaining DMBS vehicles were stored unservicable at Millerhill.

The remaining four soldiered on until November, when they, and the five in store, were withdrawn. There were now no Cravens vehicles allocated to Scotland, although they would return, including some of the original allocation.

1982

The image show condemned DMBS 50770 in Millerhill Yard circa 1982, boarded up because of asbestos insulation. S Saunders.

At the end of 1982 Ayr depot was struggling to keep enough servicable DMUs in traffic after the majority of Class 126s were withdrawn. Norwich helped out by sending five driving trailer sets on November 21st. The five power cars were allocated set numbers 372-6 in numberic order. Three vehicles, a DMBS and two DTCs, were from the original Scottish batch.

One of the first recorded sightings of these new arrivals was on 2 December when when a set worked a Glasgow Central - Edinburgh via Shotts diagram which involved an overnight stay in Craigentinny depot. The Cravens set in the six-car formation was formed E56464 + E51301 + E50384, one end marked as set 105 375 and the other as 105 373. The same set was noted working the 17:20 Edinburgh - Glasgow Central in the days afterwards, it and the other ex-Norwich vehicles were still in plain blue which made them stand out from other Scottish DMUs which were now all blue and grey.^[25]

Two of the DTCs would be returned to Norwich in December, leaving five DMBSs and three DTCs at Ayr.

1983

The same set mentioned above, vehicles 56464 (closest) + 51301 + 50384, are seen in the image at Kilmacolm on January 8th, 1983. This was the last day of services on the line, and they are waiting to depart with the 14:01 to Glasgow Central. Hamish Stevenson.

Also noted on January 8th was 51493 working in place of a Class 107 power car with 59790 + 52004.^[26] Throughout the second week of January 50376/86 and 56441/64/9 were noted on the 07:13 Kilwinning - Glasgow and 06:30 Glasgow - Ayr services, usually in pairs with a Class 101 or 107 attached, while 56136 and 56437 were stored along with redundant Class 126s in Falkland Junction.^[27] On 11 January 52028 (Class 107) + 50386 + 56441 were on the 17:20 Edinburgh - Glasgow Central via Shotts^[28], a week later on the 18th the same service was worked by 50376 + 56469 + 52003 (the last a Class 107). ^[29] On the 20th DMBS 51493 was noted working with two Class 107 vehicles on the 17:15 Ayr - Glasgow.^[27]

On February 14th the formations working from Ayr depot included:
51301 + 56464
51493 + 59790 + 51806
50386 + 59793 + 51987
50376 + 56469 + 52020
while 56437 remained at Falkland Yard.^[30]

Set 105373 worked the Glasgow Central - East Kilbride on 24 February.^[31]

The Cravens became regulars on these Glasgow Central - Edinburgh Waverley via Shotts services, some recorded workings were 51301 (still with E prefix) + 59069 + 52028 (Class 101 TSL and Class 107 DMSL) on the 16:24 arrival into Edinburgh on 19 February, 50384 + 59791 + 51251 (107 TSL and Class 101 DMBS) on the 17:20 departure on 24 February, 50376 + 56464 + 51536 (Class 101 DMSL) on the 17:20 on 4 March. 56464 was noted as still displaying first class markings, although all ScR DMU services were now second class only.^[32]

E51301 was again noted on the 17:20 Edinburgh - Glasgow Central via Shotts on 23 March, still with Class 101 TSL 59069 but the Class 107 DMSL had changed to 52033.^[33]

Between March and May the eight vehicles were placed into store. On 11 May seven vehicles were noted stored at Falkland Junction sidings (50376/86, 51301, 51493, 56437/64/9) and one in Ayr depot with broken windows. ^[34] The image shows DMBS E51301 sitting vandalised in Falkland Yard, Ayr on 21 May 1983, with E50384 behind. Bob Woolnough.

All eight would be withdrawn from store, one in September, four in October and three in November.

Scotland was once more without Cravens DMUs on the operating fleet.

1986

In June 1986 all of the Class 107 DMUs were suddenly withdrawn due to a problem with the axles. Included in the many DMUs sent to Ayr from around the country were five Cravens driving trailer sets from the Eastern Region, from Norwich depot. Two had been earmarked for transfer to Cambridge for conversion to parcel vehicles which was cancelled.

Three of the driving trailers were immediately listed as put into store but in reality all were. The ScR had only asked for the DMBSs but they would "travel north with the Driving Trailers to assist operationally with their movement".^[35]

The image shows E53377 + E54447 at Haymarket depot shortly arriving into Scotland circa late June. S Saunders.

Two sets - 51269 + 54136 and 51294 + 54417 - were noted in Newcastle Central on 1 July en-route from Norwich to Scotland. Initial formations that included the new Cravens vehicle were set 454 (51268 + 59875 + 51584) and 455 (51294 + 59796 + 53598). ^[36]

With Ayr depot having vehicles in Strathclyde colours there were some colourful hybrid sets created such as set 454 (with the centre car switched since the initial formation) containing E51268 (Class 105 DMBS) in plain blue + SC59560 (Class 101 TSL) in Strathclyde Orange + M51584 (Class 120 DMSL) in Blue / Grey, noted on a Glasgow Central - Edinburgh via Shotts service. On 14th July the 19:45 arrival at Edinburgh Waverley from Glasgow Central from Shotts was formed of set 550 - 53377 (Class 105 DMBS) + 59805 (Class 107 TSL) + 53505 (Class 104 TSL).^[37]

The arrival of further 104s and 120s from the LMR saw some changes to set formations, such as set 532 which now contained 51294 + 59796 + 53669. ^[38]

In the image hybrid set 551 contains a Class 105 DMBS (53380) and two Class 120 vehicles when seen at Johnstone in 1986. Andrew McConnell.

53377 + 59805 + 53505 was noted on the 17:23 Glasgow Central - Edinburgh via Shotts on 12 September working with a 120/120/107 set.^[39] On the same day three of the trailer cars (54422/47/67) were noted in amongst other vehicles moved from Falkland Yard to Vic Berry's scrapyard at Leicester.^[40]

The Ayshire electrification in September meant there was less of a demand for DMUs, and the ten vehicles were withdrawn. However for one - DMBS 51269 - withdrawal would be cancelled, and two others (51268/94) were noted still in traffic until December.^[41] They remained at Ayr but this was no doubt due to the problems the cascaded first generation DMUs were having on the Edinburgh - Dundee service where they had replaced loco-hauled trains.

In late 1986 the Scottish Region nearly gained another Cravens vehicle when it considered the "Mobile Museum" (Class 100 DMBS 53355 and Class 105 DMSL 53812) as a replacement for the "Mexican Bean" on the Oban - Crainlarch shuttle.^[42] They appeared on transfer lists as transferred to AY (or other sources have HA) on 23rd November, but the move was cancelled after the ScR discovered 53812 lacked AWS and both vehicles only had one operational AEC engine.^[43]

1987

the images shows a tri-coloured unit, with a Cravens car at the buffers. Note the scrawled (or taped on?) unit number. Glasgow Central, circa late 1986 or early 1987. The vehicles are presumably 51269 (class 105) + 59793 (class 107) + 53647 (class 120). Ian Docwra.

As more and more Class 107s returned to traffic, it allowed 51269 to be withdrawn in March, ending the final era of Cravens DMUs in Scotland.

---

References

1. ^⋏ p171 May 1959 Railway Observer
2. ^⋏ British Railways Staff Magazine, Scottish Region edition, p217 August 1959
3. ^⋏ Letter Scottish Region General Manager to Ministry of Transport & Civil Aviation, March 1959
   National Archives - MT115/276 British Transport Commission Fraserburgh and St Combs Light Railway Order 1959: introduction of diesel multiple units and waiving of requirements for fitting of cowcatchers
4. ^⋏ p253 August 1959 Railway Observer
5. ^⋏ p254 August 1959 Railway Observer
6. ^⋏ Railway Magazine, March 1960, p213, Mortons Media Group
7. ^⋏ Locomotive Stock Alterations, p249 Britsh Railways Magazine, Scottish Region edition
8. ^⋏ Cathcart Cirle Lines - History, Wikipedia, accessed June 13 2020
9. ^⋏ Photo caption, Lossiemouth Station, www.gnsra.org, accessed 21 August 2020
10. ^⋏ Glasgow Central station - Low-level station - Closure, Wikipedia, accessed June 13 2020
11. ^⋏ p158 March 1965 Railway Magazine
12. ^⋏ p313 September 1970 Railway Observer
13. ^⋏ p150 April 1974 Railway Observer
14. ^⋏ p190 May 1972 Railway Observer
15. ^⋏ p365 October 1972 Railway Observer
16. ^{⋏ a b} Class 105 scot-rail.co.uk accessed May 19th 2020
17. ^⋏ p255 July 1973 Railway Observer
18. ^⋏ p288 August 1973 Railway Observer
19. ^⋏ p359 October 1974 Railway Observer
20. ^⋏ p157 May 1975 Railway Observer
21. ^⋏ p195 June 1975 Railway Observer
22. ^⋏ p413 December 1975 Railway Observer
23. ^⋏ Image on page 69, First Generation Scottish DMUs - Colin J. Howat, Amberley Publishing
24. ^⋏ p145 April 1981 Railway Observer
25. ^⋏ p68 February 1983 Railway Observer
26. ^⋏ p109 March 1983 Railway Observer
27. ^{⋏ a b} p58 April 1983 Rail magazine
28. ^⋏ p108 March 1983 Railway Observer
29. ^⋏ p144 April 1983 Railway Observer
30. ^⋏ p55 May 1983 Rail magazine
31. ^⋏ p57 June 1983 Rail magazine
32. ^⋏ p190 May 1983 Railway Observer
33. ^⋏ p226 June 1983 Railway Observer
34. ^⋏ p48 August 1983 Rail magazine
35. ^⋏ p23 September 1986 Rail magazine
36. ^⋏ p49 September 1986 Rail magazine
37. ^⋏ p460/1 October 1986 Railway Observer
38. ^⋏ p30 October 1986 Rail magazine
39. ^⋏ p507 November 1986 Railway Observer
40. ^⋏ p8 January 1987 Railway Observer
41. ^⋏ "Stocklist", p35 February 1987 Motive Power Monthly magazine
42. ^⋏ "Rolling Stock Newsreel", p15 February 1987 Motive Power Monthly magazine
43. ^⋏ "Rolling Stock Newsreel", p14 April 1987 Motive Power Monthly magazine

The Railway Observer is the journal of the Railway Correspondence and Travel Society