Class 116 Derby 3-car Suburban DMUs

Operations - Scotland

The 1960s

October 1966
from 84A on loan to 66C:
  50818 59326 50871 
  (59326 from 82A)
from 82A on loan to 66C:
  50820 59328 50873
from 86A on loan to 66C:
  50821 59329 50874

2w/e 12/11/66
move to 66C now permanent:
  50818 59326 50871 
  50820 59328 50873
  50821 59329 50874
from 86A to 64H:
  50822 59330 50875
  50823 59331 50876
  50825 59333 50878
from 82A to 66C:
  50826 59337 50879
from 84A to 66C:
  50829 59345 50882

Dec-66
66C to 64H then back to 66C:
  50826 59337 50879
  50829 59345 50882

4w/e 31/12/66
from 64H to 66C:
  50822 59330 50875
  50823 59331 50876
  50825 59333 50878

--------------------
End of 1966 count:
   66C  8 sets
Total:  8 sets
--------------------

Apr-68
BL/BMJ on loan to 64H:
  51137 59447 51150
Parcel set

5w/e 06/07/68
move to 64H now permanent:
  51137 59447 51150

--------------------
End of 1968 count:
  64H:  1 set (parcels)
  66C:  8 sets
Total:  9 sets
--------------------

May-69
86A to 66C:
  50852 59360 50905

Jul-69
64H to 82A:
  51137 59447 51150
(became the Railair set)

--------------------
End of 1969 count:
  66C:  9 sets
Total:  9 sets
--------------------

The first three sets arrived in Scotland in October 1966 from the Western Region where line closures had made them redundant. They were, as were almost all the future ScR sets, from the second batch. They were non-gangwayed, the WR keeping the gangwayed sets for Paytain operations. One set came from Plymouth Laira (84A), one from Bristol Bath Road (82A) and one from Cardiff Canton (86A).

All these were allocated to Hamilton depot to work on South Glasgow suburban services at a time when St Enoch station had just been closed with the suburban services transferred to Central and dieselised. Two sets were noted as arriving at Hamilton West depot on October 21st and a set working on services out of Central in run-down condition on the 25th.^[1]

Initially these were just on loan, in early November the moves were made permanent and two more sets arrived, one from Plymouth and one from Bristol. Three sets also moved from Cardiff to Leith Central. Just at this time the Edinburgh area DMUs were allocated set numbers, these were allocated set numbers 238 - 240.

In December two of the Hamilton sets moved to Leith, but by the end of the year all the Leith sets had moved to Hamilton, giving it eight sets.

While at Hamilton most services they would operate departures from Glasgow Central, reaching East Kilbride, Barrhead, Kilmarnock, Kilmacolm, Largs and Edinburgh via Shotts. They would also work the Hamilton Circle and Lanark services before those were electrified in 1974.

An interesting move in April 1968 saw a set from Bristol move to Leith, a set that had been converted for parcels use in 1966. It spent just over a year based in Edinburgh before moving back to Bristol and being converted to the "Railair" set.

Hamilton received it's ninth set in May 1969, the last ungangwayed set at Cardiff. To keep the set numbers for the class together, since the number range either side was already in use, an existing number was used with an A suffix added.

The 'paper' set formations for Hamilton circa 10/69 were:^[2]

A 3-car Class 116 set heading out of Busby station towards East Kilbride, probably late 1960s / early 1970s. The centre car still has a yellow stripe, most ScR cars soon lost this, but would retain the '1's on the doors. Stuart Rankin.

The 1970s

18/06/72
81D to 66C:
  50839 59347 50892 gw
  50845 59353 50898 gw
82A to 66C:
  50836 59344 50889 gw
  50844 59335 50897 gw
86A to 66C:
  50867 59375 50920 gw

--------------------
End of 1972 count:
  66C:  14 sets
Total:  14 sets
--------------------

July 1974
HN to stored U:
  50874 
Collison damage. Shown as 
reinstated w/e 18/01/75 (even 
though the front had a large 
section missing), then W 
16/02/76.

--------------------
End of 1976 count:
   HN:  14 sets (minus 1 DMBS)
Total:  14 sets (minus 1 DMBS)
--------------------

23/04/77
SF to HN:
  50841 59354 50899
HN to SF:
  50845 59353 50898 gw

26/06/77
HN to SF:
  50844 59335 50897 gw
  50867 59375 50920 gw
SF to HN:
  50846 59349 50881
  50853 59367 50894

--------------------
End of 1976 count:
   HN:  14 sets (minus 1 DMBS)
Total:  14 sets (minus 1 DMBS)
--------------------

w/e 18/02/78
HN to TS:
  50852 59328 50871

2w/e 29/04/78
HN to TS:
  50818 59326 50878
  50821 59333 50875
  50826 59360 50905

4w/e 11/11/78
TS to ED:
  50090 59374 50132 gw
TS to HN:
  50859 59027 50877
HN to ED:
  50836 59344 50889 gw

--------------------
End of 1978 count:
   HN:  11 sets (minus 1 DMBS)
   ED:   2 sets
Total:  13 sets (minus 1 DMBS)
--------------------

5w/e 12/05/79
ED to HN:
  50090 59374 50132 gw
  50836 59344 50889 gw

--------------------
End of 1979 count:
   HN:  13 sets (minus 1 DMBS)
Total:  13 sets (minus 1 DMBS)
--------------------

Most of the formations from 10/69 were still the same on paper in July 1970, although parts of 145 + 146 were noted working together, formed as 50821 + 59330 + 50875.^[3]

In the summer of 1972 a further five three-car sets arrived in Scotland, two from Reading, two from Bristol and one from Cardiff, reflecting the still contracting services for the class in the South Wales valleys and the West of England. These were the Scottish Region's first gangwayed 116s.

The 'paper' set formations for Hamilton in 1973 were:^[4]

The same sets formations seemed to have been retained until at least mid-1975.

The image shows a set arriving into Bridge of Weir station. Date unknown, but the fashions gives this away as being the early 1970s. John Law.

On the 11th June 1974 set 152, working a Glasgow Central - East Kilbride service, collided with a Class 311 EMU at Pollokshields East Junction. The right hand side of both leading vehicles was demolised and the DMU derailed. This resulted in Sc50874 being put in store, it sat at Hamilton depot for over a year. To make up the missing vehicle a GRC&W bubble car would often be noted in the formation.

1977 saw some exchanges of sets between Hamilton and Stratford, the Eastern Region taking three gangwayed sets in exchange for three non-gangwayed sets.

In February 1978 one set moved from Hamilton to Tyseley, followed by another three in April. All were non-gangwayed.

A view across the buffers inside Hamilton depot on the 2nd April 1978, with three 116s (including set 153) amongst 101/107s. Bob Woolnough.

Hamilton sets mid-1978:^[5]

A mixed livery Class 116 set numbered 141 arrives into Saltcoats station in 1979. John Law.

Other than the parcels set (batch three) which had spent a brief spell at Leith, all of Scotland's 116s had been from batch two. It would receive its first batch one vehicles when two (mixed batch one/three) sets were transferred from Tyseley at the end of 1978.

One of these was gangway fitted, and it went straight to Eastfield depot (the non-gangwayed one went to Hamilton) and would be noted working with a Met-Camm centre car, and Hamilton also sent one of it's gangwayed set to Eastield. The two sets would spend six months working services out of Queen Street before moving to Hamilton.

The 13:03 Kilmacolm - Glasgow service is seen near Kilmacolm on December 28, 1979. Note that the centre car has gangways fitted but the power cars do not! This illustrates that the listed set formations were not always kept. Hamish Stevenson.

The 1980s

p/e 28/11/81
HN to SF:
  50853 59367 50894 (395)

--------------------
End of 1981 count:
   HN: 12 sets (-1 DMBS)
Total: 12 sets (-1 DMBS)
--------------------

01/03/82
50820 HN to RG
59027 HN to HA

Jun-82
59027 stored

circa Aug-82
Hamilton closed
HN to ED:
50090 50822 50823 
50825 50829 50836 
50839 50841 50846 
50859 
-
50132 50873 50876 
50877 50879 50881 
50882 50889 50892 
50899
-
59329 59330 59331 
59337 59344 59345 
59347 59349 59354 
59374 
59027 HN(s) to ED(s)

27/11/82
50877 ED to Su

--------------------
End of 1982 count:
   ED: 10 sets (-1 DMS)
store: 1 DMS 1 TC
--------------------

27/01/83
50877 W ED(U)

circa Oct-83
ED to ED(U) to W:
50836 59347 50889 (391)

circa Nov-83
59027 ED(U) to W

--------------------
End of 1983 count:
   ED: 9 sets (-1 DMS)
--------------------

Nov 84
ED to AY:
53090 53822 53823 
53825 53829 53839 
53841 53846 53859 
-
53132 53873 53876 
53879 53881 53882 
53892 53899 
-
59329 59330 59331 
59337 59344 59345 
59349 59354 59374

--------------------
End of 1984 count:
   AY: 9 sets (-1 DMS)
--------------------

Class 116 vehicles 50873 59345 50841 at Hamilton depot on 22nd June 1980. It has set number 165 on a board in the left cab window. Jerry Glover.

The set with batch one power cars was noted on 7th January 1981 formed 50090 59344 50132. It carried set number 128 on the DMBS only.

The Scottish Region revised the set numbering in early 1981, the official listing for 1/2/81 was:

The first move of the 1980s was a non-gangwayed set (395) departing for Stratford in November 1981 (it had arrived from there in June 1977).

Hybrid set 386 was disbanded in March 1982, the DMBS moving to Reading, the centre car seems to have moved to Haymarket, but was soon put into store at Hamilton and Eastfield before it was withdrawn by the end of 1983.

The closure of Hamilton depot in August 1982 saw its ten 116s being reallocated to Eastfied. However it seems most of the sets continued to work services out of Glasgow Central with servicing done at Corkerhill depot.

Set 387 is seen with a northbound service on the Troon avoiding line, Lochgreen Jn. on 07-11-82, far from normal Eastfield workings. Note it has had all the original roof vent removed and an Airvac type fitted at each and of each vehicle. A. Wilson.

In November 1982 DMS 50877 was stored unserviceable and would be the first ScR Class 116 withdrawn in January 1983, set 393 continued as a hybrid, normally with a Class 101 vehicle filling the gap.

Image: 116 396 (presumably 50899 + 59349 + 50859) waits at Dunblane on 21/7/83. David Christie.

Gangway set 391 (53836 + 59347 + 53889) was returned from a works visit on the rear of an overnight parcels train. Passing Portobello (on the outskirts of Edinburgh on the ECML) in the early hours of August 3rd, 1983, it derailed and caught fire. They would be stored at Portobello and when withdrawn due to the asbestos contamination they were buried in Paterson’s Tip, Mount Vernon (in the south side of Glasgow), in July 1984, along with Park Royal railbus SC79971 which had for many years been a grounded body at Millerhill.

The class was a regular sight in Edinburgh, working on the Shotts line from Glasgow Central, but ventures into Fife seem more unusual. Here a set is seen heading south between Inverkeithing and North Queensferry, date unknown. Andrew McConnell.

A wholesale move happened again in November 1984 as the nine sets (minus a DMS) moved from Eastfield to Ayr depot.

1985

05/11/85
W from AY:
  53829 59337 53879 (390)
--------------------
End of 1985 count:
   AY: 8 sets (minus 1 DMS)
--------------------

The official listing for March 1985 was:

The image shows set 394 (53882 + 59345 + 53846) departing Glasgow Central, circa 12-10-85. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.

Set 390 was withdrawn from Ayr in November 1985. Remaining at the depot were eight sets, one of those listed as being a hybrid, however that set (393) had been noted in September running with DMS 53892 from gangwayed set 392; it's probable that set 392 had been disbanded by this time.

1986

Feb-86
AY to ED:
  53822 59330 53881 (387)
  53823 59354 53876 (388)
  53825 59329 53873 (389)
  53846 59345 53882 (394)

18/03/86
W from AY:
  53859 59349 53899 (396)

27/03/86
53839 W from AY

11/05/86
ED to AY:
  53822 59330 53881 (387)
  53825 59329 53873 (389)
  53846 59345 53882 (394)
53839 R to AY
SF to AY:
  53845 59375 53898 (397)

p/e 12/5/86
W from AY:
53841 59331 (393)

Jun-86
AY to store:
53825 53882 53892

--------------------
End of 1986 count:
   ED: 1 set
   AY: 5 sets (minus 1 DMS)
       1 extra TS
store: 1 DMBS 1 DMS
--------------------

Ayr lost a further four non-gangwayed sets (387/388/389/394) in February 1986 when these were transferred to Eastfield. These would work services from Glasgow / Edinburgh to Dunblane, where they were noted as causing both embarrasment and joy to passengers used to gangwayed sets; embarrasment from the lack of toilets; and joy that no fare would be collected in this era of open stations since the guard could not go through the train to issue tickets.^[6]

Ayr lost another set in March 1986 when set 396 was withdrawn. That left just three sets at Ayr (including both gangway sets), but near the end of the month gangwayed DMBS 53839 was also withdrawn.

In May 1986, when Ayr depot was starting to have axle problems with the Class 107 sets, three of the Eastfield sets (387/389/394) returned and 53839 was reinstated. Another arrival was a gangwayed set from Stratford formed of vehicles which had previously been at Hamilton from 1972 - 1977. It was listed as set 397, although the number was never carried, and the vehicles retained their E prefix. Hybrid set 394 was disbanded.

The two 116 vehicles from set 394 were withdrawn, they were noted in the scrap area in Glasgow Works along with set 390 on June 7th^[7]. A couple of days before, on June 5th, DMS 53892 was noted running with Class 101 centre car 59559 and Class 107 DMBS 51985.

Another Stratford set (50867 59372 50920, the power cars had also previously been allocated to the ScR 1972 - 1977) appeared on some sources as moving to Ayr at the same time but it went to Tyseley.

The official listing circa late May 1986 was:

The mass Class 107 withdrawal and the influx of sets from other regions resulted in some very temporary set formations, an example being Class 120 W51781 Class 107 59797 and Class 116 53132 forming a North Berwick service on 14th July 1986.

Sets 387 and 388 were regulars on the Commonwealth Games shuttles from Edinburgh Waverley to Meadowbank in July 1986. They are seen with SC53876 on the rear departing Waverley. S Saunders.

The official listing for August 1986 was:

The batch one power cars (by now they had both the roof vents removed and an airvac vent fitted above the cab, 53090 retained its top marked light, 53132 didn't) were now in different sets, a Class 120 replaced 53132 in set 385. It worked the Branch Line Society 'Clyde Forth' railtour on the 23rd August along with a Class 120/101 hybrid set. 53132 had been reformed into set 392, also a hybrid, containing a Met-Camm centre car. There were two other 116 centre cars at Ayr at the time, 59329 and 59344, they not listed in the formations.

1987

20/02/87
AY to TS:
  53822 59330 53881 (387)
  53839 53132 (392)
  53846 59345 53873 (394)
  53825 59344

24/02/87
AY to TS:
  53882 59329 50892

25/02/87
AY to TS:
  53845 59375 53898 (397)
  53090

26/03/87
ED to TS:
  50823 59345 50876 (388)

19/04/87
59374 AY to TS

--------------------
End of 1987 count: 0
--------------------

In January set 392 was noted as being back to a regular 116 set with centre car 59344 replacing Met-Camm 59121.

The electrification of the Glasgow - Ayr line meant a drastic reduction in the DMUs required at Ayr depot, and in February all the Ayr 116 vehicles except one were transferred to Tyseley. This included the three stored power cars, although it seems these didn't return to traffic once there.

The Eastfield set also moved to Tyseley in March, leaving just one centre car at Ayr, which had been running inbetween Class 107 power cars 52006 and 52035, thought to be the set in the image crossing Jamestown Viaduct (near Inverkeithing). Andrew McConnell. It is listed as moving to Tyseley in April.

Although this marked the end of the 116s on passenger trains in Scotland, some of the class would appear in the north again, as some were cut up at MC Metals in Springburn, such as 53083 in the image, taken in May 1993. Kevin Dowd.

References

1. ^⋏ p405 December 1966 Railway Observer
2. ^⋏ p386 November 1969 Railway Observer
3. ^⋏ p313 September 1970 Railway Observer
4. ^⋏ "Class 116" by Dysgraphyk, scot-rail.co.uk accessed 20 June 2018
5. ^⋏ p275 July 1978 Railway Observer
6. ^⋏ p286 June 1986 Railway Observer
7. ^⋏ p388 August 1986 Railway Observer

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