Driving Motor Brake Second [DMBS] No. 51213 (originally numbered E51213), built September 1958.

Driving Motor Second Lavatory [DMSL] No. 51505 (originally numbered M51505), built February 1959.

Driving Trailer Composite Lavatory [DTCL] No. 54358 (originally numbered M56358), built January 1959.

The Metro Cammell DMUs were the first BR railcars to be ordered from an outside contractor. The three medium sized windows set in raked back front ends set the style that has become unmistakeably 'Metro-Cammell': they do not provide quite such a panoramic view ahead for passengers as in the Class 108 Derby Lightweight DMUs.

The Class 101 fleet was an amalgam of several batches of basically similar vehicles, ordered from Metro-Cammell over a period of some four years. Numerically they were the largest number of vehicles ordered to a single design with 637 vehicles having been constructed. The allocation as built was to the North Eastern, Eastern, London Midland and Scottish Regions: more recently they worked over Western and Southern Region lines as well. The units were formed of two, three or four cars according to area requirements, and some included buffet cars as well.

The bodyside was distinctive because of the use of alloy framed windows seated in black rubber surrounds  together with rain gutters only fitted above the drivers, saloon and guards doors. The bodywork was an integral construction of alloy and steel, with an alloy roof but steel body and ends, and steel underframes. They were constructed by Metropolitan Cammell RCW Ltd at its works in Saltley, Birmingham. They were constructed with low density seating, bearing in mind their planned use on branch lines as opposed to the busier suburban lines. A toilet was provided in each unit. They were gangwayed between the two vehicles (unlike many suburban DMUs), which enabled the guard to pass through the train collecting fares.

The Class 101 DMUs were to be found working throughout the Eastern, Midland and Scottish Regions of British Rail, working over non-electrified lines. The introduction of diesel multiple units proved to be the saviour for some branch lines, as it enabled the withdrawal of station staff (with the guards collecting the fares on the trains), which reduced the operating costs. In addition, there was no fireman required unlike steam locomotives, which again made a substantial economy. During the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s the type made regular appearances on the Marks Tey to Sudbury line and all local services around Norwich including services to Sheringham, Great Yarmouth and Ipswich. The vehicles were based at Norwich Crown Point Motive Power Depot, with those for the Marks Tey to Sudbury being kept at Colchester Motive Power Depot. To present a more modern image, the class 101 DMU’s were first refurbished in the mid 1970s. This refurbishment involved a new colour scheme (both interior and exterior), installation of strip lights, and recovering of the seats, although 54358 did not lose its tungsten lights until being refurbished in 1991. A further refurbishment programme took place in the mid to late 1980s for some of the units, particularly for those units allocated to the then newly created Network Southeast, this involved the exterior being painted into a red, white and blue colour scheme, as well as a further recovering of the seats. The last refurbishment for these vehicles in 1993 saw them repainted into the Regional Railways livery, which is still carried, by many vehicles in revenue service today. In 1994 Norwich lost its allocation of First Generation DMU’s: the surviving vehicles were all centralised around Manchester. Here the vehicles continued in daily use until being superseded by Second Generation DMU’s. There are six power twin sets still retained to cover these services, these are likely to be retained in traffic until 31^st December 2003. Withdrawal of Class 101 DMU’s started in 1990, as new Sprinter and Turbo DMUs gradually replaced them. At the moment only twenty vehicles of this class have passed into preservation as the majority of the vehicles were scrapped without being offered to preservationists due to the unknown asbestos content and prevailing legislation at the time.

Individual details of the recent histories – together with work scheduled to be done as part of the ongoing restoration - of the vehicles based at Chappel are as follows :

51213: known to have been based at Norwich in the mid 1970s and again at Norwich from 1988 to 1993 before moving to Manchester. It was withdrawn in July 2000 and sent for secure storage at MOD Shoeburyness before being purchased for preservation in September 2003. It arrived at Chappel on 9th October 2003. Both engines ran successfully 24 hours after arrival at Chappel. A missing free wheel drive shaft has been replaced and a broken engine shut down solenoid has been replaced. The Manchester Inner City Graffiti livery has been removed from the saloon glass and has been painted over on the bodyside. The interior has been swept and cleaned. Work completed to date includes the cab destination blind reinstated, replacement glass fitted in one vestibule partition, all saloon ceiling panels replaced, new lighting wiring loom installed, original pattern tungsten lighting installed, rubber panel covering removed above the luggage racks and replacement wood bump strips manufactured. The vehicle was repainted in March 2004 into the 1970s corporate blue livery. In October 2004 it took part in the Railcar 50 celebrations held at the Severn Valley Railway. Work over the coming months includes cleaning all interior aluminium trim, repainting the guard's compartment and restoration work to the saloon doors.

51505: known to have been based at South Gosforth in the 1970s, Bristol and Cardiff in the 1980’s before moving to Norwich via Tyseley in 1993. It was then moved to Manchester when Norwich lost its allocation of Class 101’s in 1994. It was withdrawn in June 2001 and sent for secure storage at MOD Shoeburyness before being purchased for preservation in September 2003. It arrived at Chappel on 8th October 2003, and both engines were run successfully four days after the vehicle's arrival. Work over the coming months will include replacing one exhauster, resealing roof vent cover plates and replacing a head gasket on No.2 engine. This vehicle is a long term source of spares for our other DMU vehicles.

54358: known to have been based at Chester in the mid 1970s, at Norwich in 1987 and 1988 before moving to Bletchley and once again at Norwich in 1993. It was then moved to Manchester when Norwich lost its allocation of Class 101’s in 1994. It was withdrawn in March 2001 and sent for secure storage at MOD Shoeburyness before being purchased for preservation in September 2003. It arrived at Chappel on 8th October 2003. The exterior was repainted in March 2004 into the 1970s corporate blue livery. In October 2004 it took part in the Railcar 50 celebrations held at the Severn Valley Railway. The original pattern tungsten lighting is in the process of being fitted in the saloons together with replacement ceiling panels. Work over the coming months will see the original Formica interior from E56365 being installed in the saloons to create internally the most original Class 101 in preservation.

If you have any information on the service history of any of these vehicles, we would like to hear from you! Please forward details, either by e-mail to dupa@earm.co.uk or by post to Diesel Unit Preservation Associates, East Anglian Railway Museum, Chappel & Wakes Colne Station, Colchester, Essex, CO6 2DS.

Another site of interest is that of The Railcar Association.