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
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.
July 4th
Some new operation/timetable pages have been started: Firsby - Skegness; Crewe - Chester; Middlesbrough - Guisborough; Edinburgh - Bathgate; and Maerdy - Porth.
June 27th
New in the document archive are the Examination Schedules from Issue 3 of Standard Maintenance Instructions, the 1970s version of maintenance instructions.
Latest Images:
Two Rolls-Royce powered Derby suburban quad sets, location unknown, Luton on the destination blind, circa early 1960s. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Class 100/105 set 73 enters Wickham Market station with the 11:45 to Ipswich (the 10:50 from Lowestoft) one day in 1979. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Class 116 DMU set C316 (presumably 53909 + 59364 + 53856) approaching Barry station with the 17:35 Coryton - Barry Island service on 8 August 1986. Stuart Mackay Collection.
A Western Region diesel Pullman set, location unknown, sometime in the 1960s. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Two twins pass through Delamere Forest, Cheshire, with a Manchester bound service at 1428 on Friday 22 May 1967. A Blue Square Derby Lightweight set leads, DMBS M50947 closest, the rear set is a Blue Square Derby Lightweight DTCL (in blue with yellow panel) and BRC&W DMBS M50541 is on the rear. Stuart Mackay Collection.
On This Day:
Class 101 Set 830 (presumably 53333 + 59105 + 51190) with a Slough - Paddington service arrives at Ealing Broadway (at 1420) on Tuesday 18th August 1987. Colin Brooks.
55032 at Cardiff Queen St on August 18, 2009. Nigel Walls.
It has often baffled me as to how it took over 70 years to restore the link between Farringdon and Blackfriars. Having done so, look what it a success it has been! Before all this, a trio of Cravens DMU sets form the 18.27 to Hertford North, at Farringdon on 18 August 1976. Kevin Lane.
DMBS W50059 leads two Derby suburban triple DMUs out of Widney Manor station with the 4.05pm Wellington-Lapworth service on 18 August 1958. Michael Mensing.
A Class 108 2-car dmu, comprising vehicles 51916 + 51571 at Kettering to form a service for Corby (despite what s showing in the destination panel!) on 18 August 1987. As this was a south-facing bay at Kettering I assume the unit will shunt to one of the main line platforms before heading to Corby. Lewis Bevan.