1st Generation DMUs

[sheff'd victoria]

What was everyone's memory of the 1st Generation DMU's

I always remember the Cravens class 105 on a Sheffield Midland - Cleethorpes via Gainsborough service in the 1980's

Some of the units were allocated to a part of the UK and stayed there, some moved around

BR Derby 'Lightweight

Metro-Cammell 'Lightweight

Class 100 - Gloucester

Class 101 - Metro-Cammell

Class 103 - Park Royal

Class 104 - Birmingham

Class 105 - Cravens

Class 107 - BR Derby

Class 108 - BR Derby

Class 109 - Wickham

Class 110 - Birmingham

Class 111 - Metro-Cammell

Class 112 - Cravens

Class 113 - Cravens

Class 114 - BR Derby

Class 115 - BR Derby

Class 116 - BR Derby

Class 117 - Pressed Steel

Class 118 - Birmingham

Class 119 - Gloucester

Class 120 - BR Swindon

Class 121 - Pressed Steel

Class 122 - Gloucester

Class 123 - BR Swindon

Class 124 - BR Swindon

Class 125 - BR Derby

Class 126 - BR Swindon

Class 127 - BR Swindon

Class 128 - Gloucester

Class 129 - Cravens

 

[O L Leigh]

They were nice old trains. When I were a lad we used to try and sit behind one or other of the cabs and hope that the driver had left the blinds up so we could see out the front.

O L Leigh

 

[flymo]

Yup, remember doing that as well, the last time being the best trip ever. Newcastle - Carlisle, Carlisle - Barrow in Furness then Barrow - Lancaster all in one day and all from the right hand front seat so I could see out the front and see what the driver was up to as well. aah happy days, around mid/late 80's.

I was brought up on these 1st gen DMU's during the 70's on the Tyne loop. I remember all too well the queues at the old ticket office at the old P1 - P3 at Newcastle during a sunny summer then being crammed into a claustrophobic 2 car DMU. I'm glad that sort of thing never happens anymore.....:-P

 

[BlythPower]

Bonfire night 1985 - in a two car class 101 hauled by a Thornaby 47/3 from Sunderland to Newcastle to see the Mission and the Rose of Avalanche at Tiffanys.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Cravens for the rattliest train ever. Best trip was in the rearmost car of a Cravens tacked onto the back of a transpennine set from Manchester-Sheffield. Running late, so trying to make up time, bouncing about in the gloom, watching the track receding through the rear cab where the blinds were up.

 

[Oswyntail]

Can't recall the class number off the top of my head, but one of my summer treats was going from Habrough to Barton-on-Humber in the seat behind the cab, changing ends at New Holland, of course. Something fascinating about a very long, straight stretch of track.
IIRC, when these trains were first introduced one of their selling points was the view out of the front, and drivers were expected to keep the blinds up. There was quite a flurry of stories in the press about schoolboys being challenged incorrectly for sitting in First Class, when they had bought FC tickets so as to sit behind the driver.
One question that has long bugged me. The BRCW sets usually had a distinctive, angular front end - except for one batch, that used in the West Country IIRC, which had the "Standard" BR style. Any ideas why?

 

[GospelOak117]

I think my name says it all but i grew up with the 117's in their last years on the Gospel Oak-Barking line in northeast London in the mid 90's. Occasionally a pair of 121's did the honours.
I loved these trains for so many reasons, their view out of the front through the ripped blinds, their strong diesel stench, the array of old noises (in particular the accelerating bus noise and vacuum brakes), huge buffers and of course, slam doors. By this time they were very old and outdated, a real relic in the relatively modern electric london area.
The last unit i travelled on before their withdrawal in 1999 was L720 (the one with a transplanted class 116 front end).

 

[33056]

GospelOak117, do you remember the class 104s that worked the Barking line before the 117s came along? I had a bit of a soft spot for those for some reason, despite the fact they always appeared to break down a lot when I was in the area.

Going a bit further back, I can remember the Cardiff valleys units multi-ing up as 9 cars to the seaside at Barry Island on Saturdays in the 1970s.

 

[GospelOak117]

GospelOak117, do you remember the class 104s that worked the Barking line before the 117s came along? I had a bit of a soft spot for those for some reason, despite the fact they always appeared to break down a lot when I was in the area.

Going a bit further back, I can remember the Cardiff valleys units multi-ing up as 9 cars to the seaside at Barry Island on Saturdays in the 1970s.

Slightly before my time but i know the line was worked by a ragbag fleet of 101/104/108/115/117/118/121 hybrids until the 117 fleet was transferred from Paddington suburban/North Downs lines in around '92/93. Must have been my idea of heaven!!

I have a video which features the 104's in their final years on the Thames sector and Greenford branch in NSE livery. Very interesting units!

 

[driver9000]

I loved the 1st generation units, as others have said sitting behind the driver especially when he had left the blinds up loved sound of the O.680 engines and the gear changes, comfortable seating and the satisfying bang of the doors I seem to remember them having a different smell to other trains I travelled on, can only describe it as '1st gen DMU smell'

All very fond memories, especially remember 107s in SPTE orange at Edinburgh and going up into Fife on them when I was a child, I remember sitting behind the rear cab once when the blinds were up and was mesmerised by the tachometer rising and falling into the 'Change Up' and 'Change Down' ranges

 

[delt1c]

I was brought up with these in the 60's and 70's and had mixed views. I always loved the 101's even though they seemed to be everywhere always seemed to be one of the better classes.
favorites were 120's and had many a good run in them on the Aberdeen - Inverness service with operational buffet car and often hauling a fish van.
Worst had to be the cravens, they would shake the fillings out of your teeth and the noise from vibrating luggage racks etc was unbelievable.
For the ultimate roller coaster ride to sit in the front coach of a 105 with the speedo hitting 70mph and jointed track, you had to ride it to believe it, they made the Pacers feel smooth.
Other thing about the 1st generation units was the fumes, inside you always seemed have fumes from either the saloon heaters or the engines and you could feel a rough throat after a time, add to that the fumes from leaking diesel evaporing from the hot engine.
Yes I like to travel on them on heritage lines , would I want them back , no thanks they were a step forward in their day but were life expiered by the mid 70's hence the refurbishment. But even the refurb was done on the cheap. the origonal prototype refurb 101 was allocated to Dundee and I used it reguklarly. The quality of the refurb was a lot higher with new seats ets, 1st class had IC70 2 + 1 (reclining) seats.

 

[TrainBrain185]

Regular use, the 101 was my fave. For something a wee bit different, a run on a 110, just by virtue of listening to Rolls Royce diesel power...

 

[poshbakerloo]

I remember the 101s (just) sometimes they would fill in for the EMUs on the Macclesfield-Piccadilly route...

I once had the honour to get my hand trapped in the door when I was 7!

 

[pinkpanther]

101s Bishop Auckland - Darlington via Shildon tunnel (watch that grey blob in the distance grow!). Front seat all the way with the windows open.

Need I say more?

 

[theblackwatch]

Happy memories of many 'heritage DMUs'. Started following their fortunes in detail in the mid 80s and this continued right till their demise, with a trip in Daisy on the farewell railtour in 2003 which I did a feature on, and was out on the last day of them in service (which was coincidentally my birthday). My favourites were probably the 110s, which were local to me and were particularly powerful when they were reduced from 3 to 2 cars.

 

[Helvellyn]

I stumbled across this site a few months ago that has quite a lot on the first generation DMUs, including some of the short lived classes.

I grew up with Class 108s around Carlisle, but also remember the 107s in Scotland and the 116s in the Cardiff Valleys from holidays at Barry Island. It was that distinctive noise of the engines accommpanied by the rattle of the whole unit, particularly when stood at a station.

 

[Old Timer]

MetCams were by far the best in my opinion.

Had a wonderful journey on a six car set York to Norwich, via Selby, Doncaster, GN/GE Joint to Spalding then March, on to Norwich one lovely hot summer saturday in the early 70s.

It was not an advertised through working, being published separately something like York to Doncaster, then Doncaster to March then March to Norwich.

Norwich back to The Street was Mk1 with a Stratford Class 47/0 on the front.

Happy days, happy days the like of which are gone, never to return

 

[Spagnoletti]

The way the seat backs all vibrate when the vehicle is at rest and the engines are idling, then when the power goes on loads of other stuff starts vibrating in this mad symphony, to cap it all you get that fantastic rasp as the engine revs drop at gear changes or when the power is taken off.
I hadn't been on one for absolutely years until a while back at Llangollen and it blew me away, I was grinning like loon for the whole trip. As a kid pretty much every trip started with a 101 (?) ride from Spital to either Chester or Rock Ferry, really took me back.

 

[Class 33]

Rather than start a new thread for my query, I thought I'd post on here instead. Is there any chance atall that one of the old slammer DMU's could work a railtour in the near future? I know there's various 101's and 117's working the preserved railways, but maybe these could be leased out for a railtour or two? It would be great. If one of the old Hastings DEMU's can go out on tour regularly, then surely it would be possible for one of these classic DMU's?

As an idea for just a short tour, it could start at Paddington through to Banbury via Oxford. Then back down to Marylebone via High Wycombe. That would be a pleasant way of spending a few hours.

I rode on the Class 121 a short while back on the Cardiff Bay line. But it's just too darn short, at just four minutes each way! No sooner have you sat down, and it's then time to get off! The Aylesbury-Princes Risborough branch where they also run is a bit of an improvement at eighteen minutes journey time. I will do that pretty soon. But it would be great to get a good couple of hours journey on these, by means of a good railtour.

 

[Sun Chariot]

'80s memories....
Shaking, rattling and rolling on BRC&W's and Cravens, between Bletchley and Bedford; and on Derby's finest, down in Devon and Cornwall.
But a favourite early memory, of a trip from Leeds to Sheffield: looking out of the rear cab-windows of a 110; sat in the well-sprung (ex-1st class) seat; and, it seemed, being bodily "bounced" a foot into the air at every bend...
Back end of the '80's were mostly MetCam and Derby-flavoured From Fife to Falmouth - always preferred to a plastic BREL beast...

'90's memories....
Chiltern line - 8-bogies 115/108 combo's; driver giving it their all on the grade up to Saunderton.
Bicester-Oxford-Didcot. On a good day, getting a plush 119 Gloucester. Or paying for my sins in a BRC&W (there was one NSE set which sounded like a power-drill and which used to smoke more inside the carriage than outside...)

 

[Old Timer]

.....Or paying for my sins in a BRC&W (there was one NSE set which sounded like a power-drill and which used to smoke more inside the carriage than outside...)

Ah ! That would be the one that was in good working order then

 

[jayc]

Once or twice we took the train back around 1986/87 from Farnborough North to Reading or Guildford on the North Downs line. I was only about six but I remember being excited about going on a 'diesel' train which I understand now was probably a class 117 or 119. If I remember correctly there was a view forward thorough the driver's cab from the passenger area.

On one trip to Reading we missed the Farnborough North train but was able to get the faster train to North Camp (Gatwick service I guess).

I could be wrong, but didn't the North Downs stopping service continue to Tonbridge, before being cut back to Redhill (persumably when the Turbo's were introduced?)

 

[Solent&Wessex]

I grew up near Farnborough in the 80's, and remember the Conventional DMUs on the North Downs Line very well. Used to take trips into Reading or Guildford shopping with Mum after school, then meet up with my Dad who worked in London, and would catch the train to meet us wherever we were at. I used to love trying to sit behind the cab and see out, but used to be really peeved off when it was two sets together with the first class sections at both the outer ends. The rattling and vibrating, and that classic DMU smell are fond memories!

My Dad also used to take me on trips out at weekends and remember them also on Thames Branches, and also going up to Kings Lynn on one from Cambridge. I had a cab ride on a 101 on the Sheringham branch in 1987 aged 7, whilst on holiday in the area. I had broken my arm by falling off my bike and it was in plaster. We were sat behind the rear cab, and when the driver changed ends at Cromer we were at the front. I remember him asking me if I wanted to sit at the front, and we then set off with me on the 2nd mans seat, the cab door open and my Dad stood in the doorway talking to the driver. I was allowed to blow the horn! God, you couldn't get away with that nowadays!

Then of course there were the Mark 1 EMUs at nearby Farnborough Main and Frimley stations, with the DEMUs on the Reading - Basingstoke line, and also operating around Salisbury & Romsey where we had family we used to visit.

Moving up to Yorkshire in 1992, to a diet of 142s, 144s, 156s etc seemed like a different world!

When I went back to work in the South after leaving Uni in 2002, It was still pleasing to travel on the Mk 1 EMUs on the Southern. Whenever I go down there I still keep expecting to hear all those Mark 1 type sounds I grew up with - it just doesn't seem the same now. I took a trip from Redhill to Reading the other month, and sitting on a Turbo, wasn't quite the same as when I last did the trip on a Conventional DMU!

 

[Aictos]

I used to work on a 117 when I was training as a guard on the NVR, I no longer do so but that was my favourite traction down there for a number of reasons, pity it was allowed to get into a run down condition.
Must have been one of the few who actually liked the thing,

 

[ed1971]

On the subject of first generation DMUs. Does anyone know if the the Wilson R14 gearbox that was used in the majority of them was similar to the GB32 used in the London 'Routemaster' bus? The gearboxes on these sound very similar to first generation DMUs. http://www.rm1872.org.uk/GB32_Gearbox.html

However, don't confuse them with the refurbished 'Routemasters' that are still operating the two heritage routes in London. These have been rebuilt with Cummins B series engines and Allison automatic gearboxes. They are dubbed 'Dartmasters' as they sound like Dennis 'Darts'.

 

[RPM]

The Bristol based 117s and 118s were the staple of my childhood with a few 101s as well. My school was next to the Standish Junction - Swindon line and the sound of them rattling past at speed on jointed track will always be with me.
Incidentally, one class 117 vehicle I remember from my youth (51411) is due to be scrapped at Aylesbury tomorrow (26 Sept).

 

[sheff'd victoria]

I stumbled across this site a few months ago that has quite a lot on the first generation DMUs, including some of the short lived classes.

Great Site

 

[yorksrob]

Once or twice we took the train back around 1986/87 from Farnborough North to Reading or Guildford on the North Downs line. I was only about six but I remember being excited about going on a 'diesel' train which I understand now was probably a class 117 or 119. If I remember correctly there was a view forward thorough the driver's cab from the passenger area.

On one trip to Reading we missed the Farnborough North train but was able to get the faster train to North Camp (Gatwick service I guess).

I could be wrong, but didn't the North Downs stopping service continue to Tonbridge, before being cut back to Redhill (persumably when the Turbo's were introduced?)

Yes it did, I remember travelling on it on that line. I even saw it on the centre roads at Ashford once or twice but I assume that was empty to the sidings.

 

[chuffchuff]

The one at Ashford would have been going to Chart for fuel
Sorry about the quality, but here's one on a Tonbridge to
Reading service at platform 1

 

[turbo mick]

hi guys

when i started at Reading in 89 as a guard all we had was Dmu,s i really enjoyed 121,200.400,500,800 class sets i used to call them probably more comfortable than the turbos i drive today and thumpers and class33 +4tc on the basingstoke line could we go back in time

cheers

mick