Class 115 Derby 4-car DMUs
Manchester - Liverpool
Six sets were built for express services between Manchester Central and Liverpool Central on the CLC route.
Planning
The minutes of the Lightweight Diesel Trains Commitee gives us information about the planning for the introduction of these services. The first mention is in meeting 62 on the 18th February 1959 in a list of LMR DMU requirements for the 1960 building programme where six four-car were listed with a note that these should be build after the St Pancras sets and before and Marylebone sets, and anticipated delivery was January 1960. This would mean this batch would be built before the fifteen Marylebone scheme sets that were numerically lower and had been on the build programme since July 1958.
In the following meeting on 24th March 1959 it was noted that the sets would be the same as the Marylebone vehicles but without trip cocks, delivery would commence on 9/1/60 and be completed by 13/2/60. At the same meeting the scheme was listed in the 'Priority Schemes' that was under consideration but not yet submitted to the British Transport Committee with the intention that this should be a priority. To gain authority for introducing these new trains the Region had to do a detailed analysis of the costs of running the new trains vs. the current expenditure, and cover service improvements and anticipated revenue changes.
This analysis was noted as being underway at the next meeting on April 29, 1959, and was hoped to be completed by the end of June. The building of the vehicles was approved by the July 14, 1959 meeting. The same meeting also noted that the scheme submission was almost ready for costing, services would commence around March 1960, and publicity would be considered. In an appendix to the meeting it was also the first time the scheme was noted as the 'Manchester Part 8' scheme.
By the October 21st 1959 meeting the scheme submission had still not been made, despite the delivery of the vehicles beginning in just three months. This was due to a reassessment of the saving on steam locomotives having to be made. The scheme was approved by the Area Board before the December 30, 1959, meeting, at which time delivery was still on schedule for January / February 1960 and a start date for the vehicles on the service was noted as April 4th, 1960.
Deliveries
Delivery dates slipped by the February 2nd 1960 meeting from Jan/Feb to Feb/Mar. They were all delivered by the March 10th meeting, but as the scheme was still awaiting British Transport Commission approval the sets were temporarily working in the St Pancras scheme. For this the six sets were temporarily allocated to Cricklewood and were working with the Rolls-Royce quad sets. At the meeting the committee agreed that the next set built at Derby for the Marylebone scheme would go to Manchester to allow driver training to begin. This seems to have been 51651/2, the first of the Marylebone sets to be built, delivered to Trafford Park (9E) on 26 March 1960. In May another intended Marylebone set arrived (51655/6) along with two of the CLC sets (51849-52), all three from Cricklewood.
British Transport Commission approval was received by the April 29th 1960 meeting, and the following meeting on June 9th noted that an interim service to steam timings would begin on June 13th.
The other four CLC sets (power cars 51853-60) were transferred to Trafford Park from Cricklewood in June.
Services Begin
One of the first issues encountered was public complaints over bad riding. The problem concerned many types of DMU using the Derby design of bogie, but services where there was continuous running at high speeds were of greater concern and the Manchester - Liverpool services were highlighted as a priority to receive modifications at a cost of £250 per vehicle, and they were modified soon after.
Another future Marylebone set (power cars 51883/4) arrived at Trafford Park in October 1960, probably to allow sets to be out of traffic for these modifications.
The rough riding wasn't the only criticism the sets received. Soon after they started on the line there was a letter in a magazine from a reader who was already unhappy with DMUs where passengers must sit facing the wrong direction, was now fuming because in his opinion all the worst features of compartment stock were now combined with the disadvantages of open carriages. They had large windows, but the seat were placed so no passengers obtained any advantage from them. The doors in every section were felt unnecessary for the express service. Lack of gangways and access between saloons (except one coach in four), and lack of toilets for 2nd class smoking passengers were also grumbles.
All the Trafford Park sets move to Allerton depot in November 1960.
Bob Wells notes "When first introduced these units ran in pairs of 8 cars working the hourly express service between the two cities calling at Widnes North & Warrington Central.; There was a problem however, at Warrington Central where the platforms could only accomodate 6 cars. This meant that once passengers had alighted from the 6 cars in the platform, the train was signalled by the guard to move forward to allow access to the rear coaches. I could never understand why passengers for Warrington were not advised of the problem and sit in the front portion of the train."
Eric Stuart: "These sets also worked to and from Guide Bridge via the line (Manchester South District?) to connect with the electric line to Sheffield. This was included in the original electrification plans and some masts were erected, but it didn't happen and locos were changed at Guide Bridge on through trains or, latterly, DMU shuttles connected!".
In December 1961 one set (and five from Marylebone) were transferred to Toton to cover for their Cravens sets which had been taken out of service for axle exams. It would return home in February 1962.
The first image shows one of the Express CLC services leaving Liverpool Central for Manchester Central in early 1964. David Faircloth
In the second image the set number in the middle cab window seems to read AN610, captured arriving into the 9 platformed Manchester Central station, which was built by the Cheshire Lines Committiee, opening on the 1st July 1880 and closing on 5th May 1969. It has since been converted into an exhibition and conference centre, opening as G-MEX in 1986 and now renamed Manchester Central again. Andrew J Crowther.
Ian Fleming has recollections of an interesting Allerton Class 115 turn circa 1970, on a Sunday working from Liverpool to Hull via Manchester and Sheffield (suburban sets were very rare in Hull!). It was always 6 cars, sometimes 3x 108s, but usually just 1x 108 and a 115.
On 18 March 1973 Allerton set M51851 + M59718 + M59720 + M51856 worked the 11.50am Liverpool Lime Street - York attached to a five-car Trans-Pennine set.[1]
Circa 1975 there was a Sunday working which took a set from Liverpool to Sheffield via Warrington Central, Manchester Piccadilly and the Hope Valley line. Arrival at Sheffield was at 11:47 and it returned at 19:15. On Sunday 23/11/75 a set made it as far as Hull, possibly utilising the Sheffield set on its long layover. The vehicles were 51849/59717/59763/51853 - the TC being allocated to Marylebone.[2]
In the early 1980s, and until they left Allerton depot, they had a summer Saturday only turn taking one set from Liverpool Lime St. to Llandudno direct via the freight only line between Halton Junction and Frodsham Junction.
The final image shows one of the sets leaving Warrington Central, date unknown. Ian Francis.
Most of the vehicles remained at Allerton until 1986/7, and would be joined from time to time by Marylebone vehicles.