Diesel Multiple Units

Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs)

Diesel Multiple Units - all vehicles are owned by Diesel Unit Preservation Associates Ltd. Those listed below do not necessarily represent the full fleet which DUPA owns, only those based at the EARM.

Class 101 Driving Motor Brake Second No.51213
Class 101 Driving Trailer Composite Lavatory No. 54358
Class 108 Driving Motor Brake Second No.50599
Class 108 Driving Trailer Composite Lavatory No. 56223

The Metro Cammell Class 101 units were the first BR railcars to be ordered from an outside contractor, the class 101 fleet was an amalgam of several batches of similar vehicles, ordered from Metro Cammell over a period of four years, numerically they were the largest number of vehicles ordered to a single design with 637 vehicles having been constructed. The units were formed of two, three or four cars according the requirements of the area they were allocated to.

The bodyside was distinctive because of the use of alloy framed windows seated in black rubber surrounds. The bodywork was an integral combination of alloy and steel, with an alloy roof but steel body and ends, and steel under frames. They were constructed by Metropolitan Cammell RCW Ltd at its works in Saltley, Birmingham. They were constructed with low density seating as their planned use was on local branches and were gangwayed within the unit to allow the conductor guard to pass through collecting the fares.
Withdrawal from service began in 1990 as new Sprinter and Turbo units came into use, Norwich lost its allocation of 101s in 1994, with services being taken over by single car Class 153 and two car Class 156 units. The last 101 units were to be found in the Manchester area with what was First North Western, with six power twins being kept in traffic until 31st December 2003, around 40 vehicles have passed into preservation.

51213 Class 101 Power Car Class 101 Driving Motor Brake Second No.51213

Manufacturer: Metro Cammell
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Body: 57ft 0in x 9ft 3in
Weight: 32 tons
Engines: 2 British United Traction (Leyland) 6 cylinder 11.1 litre horizontal type of 150hp at 1800 rpm
Transmission: Fluid flywheel, freewheel Self-Changing Gears Ltd Type R14 4-speed epicyclic gearbox and BUT F239 Forward/Reverse Final Drive.

E51213 was known to have been based at Norwich in the late 196s to late 70s and again at Norwich from 1988 to 1993 before moving to Manchester. It was withdrawn from service in July 2000 after working for First North Western and was send to Shoeburyness MOD - Pigs Bay in Essex for secure storage. It was purchased for preservation in September 2003 and arrived at Chappel by road on 9th October of the same year.
It was repainted from Regional Railways Livery into BR corporate rail blue in February 2004. The unit was used for the first time in preservation on 14th March 2004, making it the first 101 vehicle which had been in storage at Shoeburyness to be used in this way. It has had work on the interior to take it back to the original style.

E51213 along with its original trailer car, E56371 was used on the M&GNJRS East Anglian Branch Line Farewell No3 railtour covering Cambridge - Kings Lynn - Hunstanton - Kings Lynn - Swaffham - Dereham - Wymondham, then via Norwich Wensum Curve to Cromer and Sheringham, then finally back to Norwich and to Ipswich via Lowestoft and the East Suffolk Line.

54358 Class 101 Trailer Car Class 101 Driving Trailer Composite Lavatory No. 54358

Coupling Code: Blue Square
Weight: 25 tons
Body: 57ft 0in x 9ft 3in

54358 was known to have been based at Chester in the mid 1970s, at Norwich 1978-88 before moving to Bletchley before moving back to Norwich in 1993-1994. Norwich lost its allocation of Class 101s in 1994 (with the units being replaced by >Class 153 and 156 Super Sprinters) and 54358 was moved to Manchester.
It was withdrawn from service with First North Western in March 2001 and sent for secure storage in the MOD base at Shoeburyness and purchased along with E51213 and E51505 (now at Ecclesbourne Valley Railway) and moved to Chappel on 8th October 2003. Along with E51213 was first used in preservation on 14th March 2004, it was then repainted from Regional Railways Livery in September 2004 into BR Rail Blue to match that of 51213.
It has had its original tungsten lighting reinstalled which had been replaced by strip lighting. The ceiling panels have all be replaced and work continues on restoring the interior back to the 1960s condition. The first class seating has been reinstalled - these were removed in 1994.
54358 along with 51213 represented Class 101 DMUs at the Severn Valley Railway in October 2004.

The two Class 108 units previously based at the Musem departed in Early 2010.

More information about 1st Generation Railcars can be found on the Railcar Website.