1st gen DMU movement

[504]

Saw a 1st gen DMU outside Leeds Station yesterday with a class 37 on the front of it . Seems it was moving from York to Carnforth?

 

[Jan Mayen]

On hire to Northern, perhaps?

 

[08221]

It was the NRM's class 108 unit - on its way to WCRC at Carnforth apparently.

 

[43096]

On hire to Northern, perhaps?

No chance.

 

[Russel]

It was the NRM's class 108 unit - on its way to WCRC at Carnforth apparently.

I read this on social media, Carnforth for repair/maintenance but I've not seen any more information than that, so I'm curious as to where it's final destination will be.

 

[Iskra]

I read this on social media, Carnforth for repair/maintenance but I've not seen any more information than that, so I'm curious as to where it's final destination will be.

My money would be on the NYMR, as even us lot on here identified a need for one on the relevant thread and it is fairly local to York.

 

[Russel]

My money would be on the NYMR, as even us lot on here identified a need for one on the relevant thread and it is fairly local to York.

Thought they had a 101?

 

[Iskra]

Thought they had a 101?

It’s unserviceable and quite possibly ‘too far gone’ to get back into service.

 

[Russel]

It’s unserviceable and quite possibly ‘too far gone’ to get back into service.

Let's hope they look after the 108 a bit better then.

 

[Sun Chariot]

I'm feeling old - as I remember when the class 108s at Leeds were as common as muck.
I've a photo of a 3-car 108 set with a Trailer Brake Second at Leeds; only time I saw a 108 TBS.

 

[m79900]

Could we see it as a mainline registered unit, for tours? It'd be nice to ride one at speed, these days they only get to potter around at 20mph!

 

[JonathanH]

Could we see it as a mainline registered unit, for tours? It'd be nice to ride one at speed, these days they only get to potter around at 20mph!

108s were withdrawn from mainline service in some haste in favour of 101s and 117s when it was realised that they weren't very robust, so I don't think a 108 is the type of vehicle to go mainline registered.

 

[37114]

108s were withdrawn from mainline service in some haste in favour of 101s and 117s when it was realised that they weren't very robust, so I don't think a 108 is the type of vehicle to go mainline registered.

108s aren't any less robust than a 101 or 117 to be honest, solid chassis frame with lightly constructed body which was prone to over-riding and being crushed by the chassis of whatever it hit. The solid chassis doesn't deform to absorb the energy from the impact which has to go somewhere hence the over-riding.

You are much better having a monocoque structure which deforms in strategic locations to protect passengers which is why you see modern cars with crumple zones that are write offs after an accident than something like my old Land Rover with a chassis and flimsy body (like a 1st Gen DMU) which is repairable but more likely to cause injuries to the occupants.

 

[D6130]

IiRC, the 108s were aluminium-bodied....and therefore much less resistant to collision damage than the steel-bodied 101s and 107s.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I thought it was the 107s which were hastily withdrawn due to structural issues (something to do with welds IIRC).

 

[Sun Chariot]

IiRC, the 108s were aluminium-bodied....and therefore much less resistant to collision damage than the steel-bodied 101s and 107s.

Spot on, @D6130 they were alloy bodies. This extract from Railcar:
"Their alloy construction contributed to a long life, with few withdrawals before 1990. There were plans for a further life extension refurbishment until an accident showed the brittle nature of aging alloy, this resulted in rapid withdrawals — the last vehicles surviving until 1993."

Class 108 DMU

The history of Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs / railcars) in Britain.

www.railcar.co.uk

 

[D6130]

I thought it was the 107s which were hastily withdrawn due to structural issues (something to do with welds IIRC).

The 107s were only used in Scotland and worked well into the 1980s. They partially - along with ex-LMR and WR 120s - replaced the 'Inter-City' class 126 units on the Glasgow-Ayr-Stranraer and Carlisle-Ayr-Sranraer routes, when it was discovered that the latter were riddled with blue asbestos.

 

[Mat17]

I thought it was the 107s which were hastily withdrawn due to structural issues (something to do with welds IIRC).

Yes 107s had structural concerns too, according to the Railcar website, there were fears that heavy braking would see structural failure leading to the body detaching from the underframe. I suspect the 108 issues were similar, albeit alloy degradation rather than steel. The Hyde Junction crash in c.1990 where two hybrid 101/108 sets collided at low speed head on brought it to light. All the 108 vehicles in the units were damaged to some degree, the 101 vehicle/s unharmed. So the 101s were refurbished instead.

Saw a 1st gen DMU outside Leeds Station yesterday with a class 37 on the front of it . Seems it was moving from York to Carnforth?

I would have loved to have seen that!

 

[Covshire1]

Found the move on YouTube. Credit to the original poster.

 

[Russel]

State of it...

Another example of how anything non steam just doesn't seem to mean a lot to the NRM.

 

[xotGD]

A Syphon dragging a dead unit. That brings back happy memories!

 

[Sun Chariot]

A Syphon dragging a dead unit. That brings back happy memories!

Oh yes. I took a 35mm photo of two Civil Engineer "Dutch" 37s hauling a failed 108 power-trailer set out Cardiff Central, for its intended service to Maesteg.

 

[50002Superb]

Great video.

Would have loved to have seen that in the flesh.

 

[Mat17]

That was refreshing. God how I miss first gen DMUs.

 

[Sun Chariot]

That was refreshing. God how I miss first gen DMUs.

Looking through the glazed cab bulkhead and watching the railway line ahead. A simple pleasure I'd taken for granted - until it wasn't there any more.

 

[David Underwod]

AFAIK the unit was moved from York to Carnforth for tyre turning, it will then return south to a well known location where it will be restored for use on a short line.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Spot on, @D6130 they were alloy bodies. This extract from Railcar:
"Their alloy construction contributed to a long life, with few withdrawals before 1990. There were plans for a further life extension refurbishment until an accident showed the brittle nature of aging alloy, this resulted in rapid withdrawals — the last vehicles surviving until 1993."

Class 108 DMU

The history of Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs / railcars) in Britain.

www.railcar.co.uk

Arent 101s an aluminium body mounted on a steel chassis?

Corrected - the bodies are steel apart from aluminium roofs.

 

[xotGD]

Looking through the glazed cab bulkhead and watching the railway line ahead. A simple pleasure I'd taken for granted - until it wasn't there any more.

I relived the experience on the 108 at Peak Rail at the diesel gala. Brought back plenty of memories.

 

[37405rfhdhdfj]

It’s gone for a tire flip

 

[skyhigh]

It’s gone for a tire flip

What is a "tyre flip"?