British Rail Class 101

From TrainSpottingWorld, for Rail fans everywhere
Class 101, no. 101692 (formed of vehicles 53170 + 53253) at Arley on the Severn Valley Railway on 15th October 2004, whilst taking part in the Railcar 50 event. This unit was specially repainted in Caledonian Blue livery in 1996 by ScotRail for the launch of a new Motherwell to Cumbernauld service. In 2000, it transferred to Manchester, where it became one of the final six in service with First North Western. It was withdrawn in October 2003, and is now preserved at the Midland Railway Butterley.
Class 960 departmental unit no. 960001 at Norwich on 31st January 2004. This unit was rebuilt as an Ultrasonic Test Train in 1986, and is pictured here in Railtrack blue/lime green livery.

The British Rail Class 101 diesel multiple units were built by Metro-Cammell at Washwood Heath in Birmingham from 1956 to 1959, following construction of a series of prototype units. This class proved to be the most successful and longest-lived of all BR's First Generation DMUs, with the final five units being withdrawn on 24 December 2003. The oldest set was, by then, just over 47 years old.

Original TOPS classes

When TOPS was originally introduced only the Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) and the Driving Motor Composite (with Lavatory) (DMC(L)) were classified as class 101 or class 102. The Driving Trailer Composite (with Lavatory) (DTC(L)) were either Class 144 or Class 147. The Trailer Standards (with Lavatory) (TS(L)) were Class 162, the Trailer Brake Second (with Lavatory) (TBS(L)) were Class 168 and the Trailer Composite (with Lavatory) (TC(L)) were Class 171.

Later all the cars were reclassified, becoming class 101.

In fiction

In The Railway Series books by Rev.W.Awdry, the character Daisy the Diesel Rail-Car was introduced to assist on the Branch Line when Thomas was away for repair.

Daisy is undoubtedly based on the Metro-Cammell DMUs, but is a one-off, being a single railcar (akin to the Class 121 'bubble cars'). Although normally considered to be a Class 101, Daisy is always depicted with the distinctive valances around the buffer beams that distinguishes the lightweight prototype units.

Preservation

Several vehicles have been preserved on heritage railways.

Vehicle numbers Set number Livery Location Comments
50321 - 51427 960993 BR Green Great Central Railway Previously sandite unit 977900+977899.
51187 - 51512 101684/687 Strathclyde Orange Cambrian Railway Trust -
51188 - - 101694 BR Blue Ecclesbourne Valley Railway -
51189 - 51803 101660/676 Regional Railways Keighley and Worth Valley Railway -
51205 - 56055 101676/662 BR Green Cambrian Railway Trust -
51210 59509 53746 101678 Regional Railways Wensleydale Railway One of final 5 units in service.
59509 is a Class 117 vehicle.
51213 - 56358 101659/653 BR Blue East Anglian Railway Museum -
51226 - 51499 101695 Strathclyde Orange Mid-Norfolk Railway -
51228 - 56062 101681 BR Blue North Norfolk Railway -
51247 59500 - 101687 Strathclyde Orange Wensleydale Railway 59500 is a Class 117 vehicle.
51434 59117 51503 L836 BR Blue/Grey Mid-Norfolk Railway -
51505 - 54365 101682/661 Regional Railways East Anglian Railway Museum -
51511 59539 50204 101680 BR Green North Yorkshire Moors Railway One of final 5 units in service.
53160 - 53164 101685 BR Green Elsecar Railway One of final 5 units in service.
53170 59303 53253 101692 Caledonian Blue Midland Railway Butterley Painted in special Caledonian Blue livery.
53193 - 53203 960992 BR Blue/Grey Great Central Railway Previously sandite unit 977898+977897.
53256 - 54343 101660 Regional Railways East Kent Railway -
53266 - - 101693 Strathclyde Orange Great Central Railway -
54342 - - - BR Blue/Grey Private site, Royston Previously internal user no. 042222.
54347 - - 101663 Regional Railways Bressingham Steam Museum -
54356 - - - LNER Green/Cream Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Rebuilt to observation saloon 6300.
54408 - - 101654 Regional Railways Spa Valley Railway -
51192 - 54352 101693/657 BR Green East Lancashire Railway Unit on long term loan from the National Railway Museum.

References

  • The Railcar Association
  • Motive Power Recognition: 3 DMUs. Colin J. Marsden
  • British Railway Pictorial: First Generation DMUs. Kevin Robertson
  • British Rail Fleet Survey 8: Diesel Multiple Units- The First Generation. Brian Haresnape
  • A Pictorial Record of British Railways Diesel Multiple Units. Brian Golding