Class 111 Met-Camm sets 2/3-car DMUs

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Operations

London Midland Region sets

During their time on the LMR the four sets were allocated to Longsight, Buxton and Newton Heath, with two sets also spending a brief spell at Fleetwood. They were transferred to the NER in 1966. The LMR only published power car moves, it can be assumed that trailer cars moved with them.

All four power/trailer sets, 50134-7 and 56090-3, arrived on the LMR in April 1957, delivered to Longsight. They were intended for the Manchester area, but would also carry out trials on other parts of the Region.

The first two sets delivered 50134/56090 and 50135/56091 were noted working from Longsight (9A) on the 20th April 1957.

The British Industries Fair services in 1957 were worked by these sets. 50134/56090, 50136/56092 and 50137/56093 worked the Birmingham (New St.) to Castle Bromwich trains from the 6th to the 17th May. The image shows 56092 (with 50137 on the left, 50136 on the right) heading out of Birmingham New Street at 5.39pm on the 6th May 1957 - Michael Mensing. On the Saturday additional services were worked by 101s 50207/56059 and 50208 fresh from Saltley. The 111s were back in Manchester on the 19th.

In June 1957 one set (with power car M50136) was transferred to Buxton (9D). It lasted just over a year there before being returned to Longsight in October 1958. The depot again had all four sets.

The image shows M50134 at Stockport (Edgeley) on April 9th 1960. Shed code 9A painted on the lower cab front on both sides. Michael Mensing.

Buxton would see these Rolls-Royce sets again in June 1961, this time with three sets moving (50134/5/6).

The set remaining at Longsight (50137) moved to Fleetwood (24F) in the first week of November 1961, along with 50134 from Buxton. Their stay there was short, both sets moving to Buxton in January/February 1962. Buxton now had all four sets. Their use there included the Buxton-Millers Dale shuttle.

The four sets were swapped with four Class 108s (50962/3/4/79) from Newton Heath at the start of 1963, one set in January, one in February, and the final two in March.

In April 1966 they were all transferred to the North Eastern Region (55H Neville Hill). For the power cars it would be their last move, being withdrawn from there in 1987/8.

North Eastern Region sets

The second batch (50270-9 etc.) were for West Riding services, the first set (50270/59100/50280) arrived at Bradford Hammerton St on the 31st October 1957.

The delivery of the Rolls Royce resulted in at least eight 101 cars being transferred from Hammerton Street to Darlington on the 21st November. Their arrival also saw the trailers removed from 101 power twins such as 50155/61 and 50156/62, returning them to original formation.

These ten NER sets were introduced on the 3rd March 1958 to a new diesel service between Leeds and Barnsley. The timetable is courtesy of the Woodlesford Station website.

To inaugurate the new services a demonstration run was made with a special party of officials.

On the same day (3/3/58) many of the Leeds - Castleford and Wakefield - Bradford services were extended to Pontefract and Goole respectively. That date also saw a daily through DMU working between Bradford and Hull and Wakefield and Hull, and dieselisation of the Huddersfield - Wakefield Westgate connections with main-line trains to and from Kings Cross.

Third batch

The third batch were delivered to Hammerton Street from December 1959 to March 1960. The buffet cars were delivered to 50B in May 1960.

In mid-1960 all the third batch left Hammerton Street, 51541-4 (plus partners) to 51A (Darlington), 51546/50 to 50B and the others (51545/7/8/9) to 55F. All then went to the newly opened 55H (Neville Hill) by September 1960. The image shows 51556 + 51546 set breaking through some tape to officially open "Neville Hill Motive Power Depot, Diesel Multiple Unit Section" on June 17th 1960^[1].

Scotland

The four sets that arrived at Neville Hill from Darlington in September 1960 (51541-4 plus partners) were sent the same month on loan to Hamilton (66C). Carrying their 56G shedplates the sets were used on services from Glasgow Central helped reduce light engine movements during a major signalling upgrade at the station^[2]. They returned to the NER in December 1960. A set can be seen in this image on flickr still carrying a Scottish Region destination blind on its return with Balloch being displayed.

One set (50284 + 59105 + 50274) spent a month on loan to 40A in 1963.

The arrival of the LMR sets at Neville Hill in April 1966 was a trade for four Class 101 power trailers (50203/6/8/28 56055/8/60/80) which moved to Chester.

By the end of the 1960s all the batch two vehicles had also been transferred to Neville Hill.

Stratford

In December 1968 50281 + 59101 + 50271 were transferred to 30A, followed in May 1969 by 50280 + 59100 + 50270 and 50282 + 59102 + 50272, then 51541 + 59569 + 51551 in June.

Workings from Stratford included Wickford-Southminster, Romford-Upminster and Stratford to North Woolwich. Hybrid sets were not unknown.

Railtours took them into East Anglia. The M&GNJRS "East Anglian" on 7 March 1970 took a set (including power cars 50270 + 50280) as far north as Sheringham (pictured here at Felixstowe Town), and 50270 was also part of a set that worked a LCGB tour on 4 October 1970 which seemed to cover much of the same ground (pictured here at Harwich Town).

The sets were transferred from Stratford back to Neville Hill late 1970 / early 1971.

Buffets

The buffet cars initially work with the 1959/60 sets but later they were used in Class 101 sets, and both classes of TS would work with either class.

Decline

All power cars were withdrawn by 1989, the last unpowered car went in 2000.

Three vehicles saw early withdrawal. DMBS NE50285 went first in November 1966 due to accident damage. It was noted in April the following year at the back of Bradford Hammerton Street shed, without engines, transmission, windows or interior fittings, and its rear sheeted over to cover accident damage. TSL 59103 was withdrawn during the week ending September 6th, 1969. The third was DMBS E51547, withdrawn during the week ending July 25th, 1970.

Buffets and Scotland

The buffet cars were phased out early. 59575 was the first to go in July 1973 (entering preservation), then 59573/6 went in September 1975. The remainder (59574/7/8) moved to Scotland in 1978 spending brief spells at Dundee, Eastfield, Haymarket, Ayr and Inverness.

59574 was the one that went to Inverness, presumably as a replacement for Swindon Cross-Country buffet 59684 which spent some time out of use at Glasgow Works after an incident at Oyne. The transfer date was 23/7/78, the vehicle was noted in Glasgow Works on 14/9/78 painted into blue-and-grey with 'Buffet' on its sides (in Rail Alphabet)^[3].

The image shows ex-buffet SC59577 departing from Edinburgh Waverley in a set which also has bubble 55000. 28th August 1979. Basil Hancock.

The three ScR buffets were placed in store at Millerhill in August 1981 and withdrawn in November 1981.

Batch one

The four first batch power cars went in 1987, three going into non-passenger use. Their trailers were withdrawn one each in 1986/7/8 and one (56091/54091) surviving into 2000 working in Regional Railways set 101658. This is pictured in Manchester Piccadilly on October 13, 1994, the power car is 51175. Ian Buck.

Batch Two

For the second batch 50285 had been withdrawn in 1966 as already mentioned. The next power car to go was DMC 50270 in 1982 leaving an equal number of DMBS/DMC vehicles to converted to single engine cars. These were withdrawn in 1986 (1 pair), 1987 (3 pairs) and 1989 (5 pairs). One TSL had been withdrawn in 1968, another in 1979, the main withdrawals were between 1985 and 1995.

Batch Three

Similar to the batch two power cars, one batch three power car had been lost early (DMBS 51547) and a corresponding vehicle withdrawn at the time of the single engine conversions - DMC 51560 in 1982. The conversions went in 1986 (1 pair), 1987 (4 pairs) and 1989 (4 pairs). The TSL vehicles went one each in 1986/88/89/93.

This image shows E78713, which has reached the final stages of cutting, at Vic Berry's on May 11, 1990. Surface Stock.

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References

1. ^⋏ p220 July 1960 Railway Observer
2. ^⋏ p365 November 1960 Railway Observer
3. ^⋏ email Leonard Rogers to Stuart Mackay 9 January 2021

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