The History of First Generation DMUs
The Railcar website provides information on the British Railways first generation DMUs (a.k.a. diesel multiple units / railcars) introduced in the 1950s.
The content of this website
The six key sections of the website are:
- Types - looks at each type of DMU in detail
- Topics - features articles on different aspects of the vehicles and personal recollections
- Technology - describes the technical details of how they work
- Data - various lists of numerical details
- Images - galleries featuring DMUs
- In Print - details the books and other printed materials made available over the years that have relevance
Details of railcars in preservation can be found on The Railcar Association website.
Date on DMUs
Vehicle / Set Data
To view details of a particular vehicle or set enter the number below:
DMU Images Wanted!
Do you have photos of First Generation DMUs? The more images we have the better we can tell the DMU story and make it more useful to visitors. Images can be loaded directly onto the site - just register as a user and upload! Alternatively if you have images on flickr or another website I can do the uploads for you - just let me know.
Scope
This website contains details about the First Generation DMUs. This includes the 4-wheel diesel railbuses, ACV / BUT railcars, the Battery Multiple Unit (BMU) and Blue Pullmans. It covers the period from their introduction to British Railways in the 1950s till their withdrawal and disposal from main-line use, but NOT preservation.
Because of the vast amount of data that this covers and the amount of information I have still to process I cannot include the DEMUs introduced on the Southern Region in the same era, nor Second Generation or later types.
Updates
November 7th
A Training / Fault Finding booklet has been added from the London Midland Region dated April 1967.
October 31st
Added to the headcode pages are the Scottish Region pages from June 1965.
October 24th
Two new operation/timetable pages have been started: Walsall - Dudley; and Glasgow - Ardrossan.
October 10th
Two documents on electrical systems have been added to the Training Manual section, one on Auxiliary Circuits (1.5mb PDF), and one on Alternators (3.3mb PDF).
October 3rd
Added to the headcode pages are four more sections from Western Region working timetables.
September 5th
Some new operation/timetable pages have been started: Sheffield - Doncaster; Birmingham New Street - Wolverhampton High Level; Leeds - Barnsley; Glasgow - Hamilton Circle; and Paignton - Exmouth.
August 29th
A look at the Rocket 150 DMU Shuttles for the 1980 event at Rainhill.
August 22nd
Added to the headcode pages are some of those used on the Western Region.
August 15th
Some new operation/timetable pages have been started: March - Wisbech - Kings Lynn; Liverpool - Gateacre; Leeds - Bradford Forster Square; Edinburgh - Dunbar; and West Drayton - Uxbridge.
August 8th
Added to the document archive is a 1964 Scottish Region Fault Finding booklet.
Latest Images:
Class 107 set 152 calls at Midcalder ( renamed Kirknewton in 1982 ) with an Edinburgh - Glasgow Central via Shotts working in May 1980 . John Clark.
Aberdovey, Cardigan Bay, on 23 July 1984, finds two Metro Cammell units passing en route to Barmouth. Note the road, railway, golf course and sea combination. Colin Kirkwood.
A Cross Country Class 120 DMU, with a Class 101 centre car, arriving at Aberdovey on a beautiful summer’s day on 23 July 1984. Colin Kirkwood.
A Derby triple DMU entering Elderslie at speed on 21 December 1963, probably heading for Largs. Still sporting whiskers! Colin Kirkwood.
A Derby Lightweight DMU is pictured at Keswick on 9 April 1955, while en route from Carlisle to Workington. Colin Kirkwood.
On This Day:
On November 10, 1973, the Western Region ran a ten-car DMU 'London Branch Lines Tour' from Paddington. It comprised a 4-car 117 set L464 with a 101 centre car (51407 + 59538 + 59517 + 51365), 3-car 117 (51398 + 59508 + 51356) and a 3-car Class 118 (51305 + 59472 + 51320). W51407 is seen at the front during the stop at Morris Cowley. Hamish Stevenson.
A Class 100 DMBS is standing in for a Met-Camm vehicle in set TS417 working the 13.03 Kidderminster to Lichfield taking a right turn at Stourbridge North Junction on 10 November 1977. Kevin Lane.
In BR days, a Class 101 DMU calls at Felling with a Newcastle-South Shields service Graeme Phillips Collection.
On November 10, 1973, the Western Region ran a ten-car DMU 'London Branch Lines Tour' from Paddington. It comprised a 3-car 118, 3-car 117 and 4-car 117 set L464 that contained 101 centre car 59538, seen here beside 51407 during the stop at Morris Cowley. Hamish Stevenson.
Class 104s 53518 (left) and 54179 at Vic Berry's on 10 November 1990. Dave Warby.