Class 118 BRC&W 3-car DMUs
Operations
Delivered at a rate of four units per month between April and July 1960, vehicles were initially allocated to Plymouth Laira (thirteen sets) for services in Devon and Cornwall, West of Newton Abbott, and Bristol (two sets) for Taunton area services.
A brand new BRC&W suburban set at Truro circa mid-1960. The crew huddled around the engine are possibly undergoing training. Walter Burt.
The first deliveries were soon put into use on crew training, with one set based at Newton Abbot and two at Plymouth in early April where they would run daily trials to Truro. At the same time 'Stop' signs for the different formation lengths were noted as appearing on suburban stations in the Plymouth area.[1]
While it is assumed all sets were delivered in their original formations, three centre cars (59478-81) would depart Laira very soon after in the Autumn of 1960 and for many many years they would be used in Pressed Steel sets (which were built with three less centre cars than the equivalent power cars). It seems they initially went to Reading[2] but at least two had moved to Southall by the end of the year. In mid-1961 a fourth centre car moved to London, 59481, at Reading it was used between Class 116 power cars 51128/41[3]. Around the same time the two Bristol sets also moved to Reading.
The image shows a set at Dawlish heading for Exeter. It is one of the first four sets (no marker lights) and it looks fairly new so circa late 1960. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Laira had nine triple sets (51302-10 + 59469-77 + 51317-25) which were sets LA300-8 and these operated Exeter and Newton Abbot service. There were four twin sets LA400-3 (51311-4 + 51326-9) which were used on Saltash services.[4]
In 1962 seven Swindon cross-country sets and seven Derby suburban triples arrived at Laira which released seven of the BRC&W suburban triples (sets LA302-8) to move to Reading. This left just two triple sets (LA300/1) and the four twins (LA400-3) at Laira.
W51315 in Newbury station, working as part of a two-car set. Graham Clark.
In London the sets were working alongside the very similar Pressed Steel suburban sets (later Class 117) at Reading, and some sets also spent some time at Southall in the 1960s.
Cardiff
In September 1964 five of the Reading sets moved to Cardiff Canton, as did the two other sets (one Derby one Pressed Steel) with 118 centre cars. They were the first suburban units allocated to Canton, so far it had only an allocation of Cross-Country and Inter-City sets. In November 1964 all the Cathays sets (all 116s) remaining at Cathays were transferred to Canton (and some to Laira). The 118 sets at Canton would move on to Laira in 1965, thought to be in May but certainly by October. The Pressed Steel set with 118 centre car (59479) moved to Southall, the Derby set with 118 centre car (59481) went to Laira, by 1968 it was re-united with its original power cars 51314/29.
The image shows two-car set LA402 forming the 13.00 to Paignton at Kingswear on 25 September 1969. Tom Burnham.
1970s
On the 1st January 1970 Laira had nine sets — six triples and three twins — and Reading six triples and three centre cars running in Pressed Steel sets.
One of the Laira twins (51313/28) was noted running with a Pressed Steel centre car (59498) on the LGCB / PRC / RCTS Exmoor Belle railtour on 3rd October 1970.
The arrival of two Park Royal sets at Laira in January 1972 to take over Kingswear-Paignton duties released one of the 118 twins to move to Cardiff Canton and then onto Reading in April. It would gain a Pressed Steel centre car — 59509 — which was available after original partner 51357 was withdrawn with fire damage. They would stay together until at least 1980.
In 1972 there was a renumbering of the Western Region sets to bring them all into a single series. Amongst the changes were the two Laira twin sets 400/1 becoming 480/1 (51311/2 and 51326/7).
The image shows set L473 arriving at Bedwyn, with Newbury on the blind. W51315 is leading, taken in March 1975. Robert Frise Collection.
In 1976 one of the Laira twins, (P480, 51311/26) became a triple (469). The remaining twin P481 (51312/27) would be renumbered as P480.
By the start of 1977 nine sets were at Bristol Bath Road and the other six at Laira. Three centre cars remained at Reading.
1980s
At the start of the decade Bristol had eight sets, Laira six and Reading one.
The image shows B465 with a up Weymouth to Bristol approaching Witham (later East Somerset Jct), on 27th October 1980. Neil Cannon.
By the start of 1985 Laira had thirteen sets and Bristol just two, although there were twelve centre cars at Laira and three at Bristol (none now at Reading).
The first withdrawal occurred with W51304 in 1985.
The Class worked many railtours over the years, some taking then to unusual locations. On May 3rd, 1986 the Branch Line Society's 'The Mayflower' tour took the British Telecom liveried set to Moorswater.
The image shows a well packed C480 (51327 / 51312) at Tondu on September 13, 1986. Steve Davies Collection.
During the late 1980s, the surviving sets were allocated to Cardiff Canton (CF) and Birmingham Tyseley (TS), a handful moved to Heaton (HT) for a brief spell, and some to Newton Heath.
1990s
At the beginning of the 1990 Tyseley had six power cars (51306/14/6/21/9/31) and three centre cars (59473/81/3) while just five vehicles remained on the Western Region, four power cars at Cardiff (C472 51315/30 and C480 51312/27) and one at Old Oak Common. The latter, 51319, had been used as a spare then was paired with Class 116 DMBS 53820. It became the only member of the class to carry Network South East livery.
In mid-1992 the last of the Western Region vehicles was withdrawn, just six vehicles remained at Tyseley.
The image shows the 13:18 Lichfield TV - Redditch at Barnt Green on 18/4/92 formed of T317 with 51329 closest, presumably with 59481 + 51314. Gazza Prescott.
The last vehicles left passenger service from Tyseley in 1994.
References
- ⋏ June 1960, p187 Railway Observer
- ⋏ February 1961, p255 Railway Observer
- ⋏ August 1961, p266 Railway Observer
- ⋏ July 1962, p232 Railway Observer
The Railway Observer is the journal of the Railway Correspondence and Travel Society