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
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.
August 1st
Added to the headcode pages are three more summaries of those used on the Eastern Region from September 1962. Also a Leeds Neville Hill destination blind from circa mid-1960s.
July 25th
Some new operation/timetable pages have been started: Peterborough - Spalding; Nottingham - Sheffield; Darlington / Barnard Castle - Middleton-in-Teesdale; Fife Coast; and Brixham - Churston.
July 18th
New in the document archive are the Job Desciptions from Issue 3 of Standard Maintenance Instructions, the 1970s version of maintenance instructions.
July 11th
Added to the headcode pages are some of those used on the Eastern Region.
Latest Images:
On a very wet 03/01/1983 117 444 awaits departure from Kilmacolm with a train for Glasgow Central. This was the last week of services with the branch closing as from 10/01/1983. John Clark.
Despite what was displayed on the destination blind the 116 waiting at the then recently opened platform 3 at Gospel Oak on 03/06/1981 was about to form an all stations working to Barking. John Clark.
Class 120 DMSL W50649 in Llandrindod Wells station, circa early 1970. Image taken by Harry Hodgkinson. Stuart Mackay Collection.
A 119/103 hybrid DMU, thought to be Chester allocated 51057 and 56158, with a refurbished 108 on rear. Taken at Crewe circa 1977 or 1978. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Class 117 DMU set L423, W51403 leading, enters Staines station with the Staines West Rarewell special on 24 January 1981. Stuart Mackay Collection.
On This Day:
A Derby suburban set leaves Suckley station with the 9.38am Worcester Shrub Hill - Bromyard service on 5 October 1963. The station closed on 7 September 1964. Michael Mensing.
Derby suburban set 317 seen near Suckley on October 5th, 1963, led by DMBS W50068. Michael Mensing.
A class 104 DMU at Gospel Oak, viewed from Hastings DEMU no. 1035 on the London Junctions No. 2 railtour, 5th October 1985. Jonathan Hazan.
Class 121 "bubble car" DMU 55028 about to depart from Greenford to Ealing Broadway on 5th October 1985. Jonathan Hazan.
The Warwickshire Railway Society South Wales Railtour No.3, thought to be at Beynon Colliery, Blaina. The tour ran from Newport High Street on the 5th October 1968. DMS W50647 is closest. Stuart Mackay Collection.