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British Railways First Generation DMUs


robertcwp
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British Railways First Generation DMUs by Hugh Longworth, published by Ian Allan under the OPC imprint, £24.99. 272 pages large format hardback. Goes through all classes with diagrams, numbers, built, withdrawn and scrapped dates, allocations when new and in 1960 and 10-yearly intervals thereafter. Looks to be a thorough work with no obvious howlers at first glance. Not a vast number photos I haven't seen before but, in contrast with some other recent IA books, they are reproduced well.

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I have now had a more extensive look and it is a useful reference source. The annual totals of vehicles of each class in stock highlight something - the largest classes in terms of vehicle numbers for which there have been no RTR 00 models appear to be:

 

116: 320 vehicles (Derby 3-car suburban)

104: 302 vehicles (BRCW 2- 3- and 4-car sets)

120: 194 vehicles (Swindon Cross-country)

 

The combined total for the Derby 4-car suburban Classes 115 and 127 is 284 vehicles.

 

The book includes small versions of the BR diagrams from the diagram book. In consequence, they carry over the errors in the official diagrams, notably they cannot be relied upon for the guard's door arrangement for Metro-Cammell vehicles, which appears to have changed between the original lightweight yellow diamond vehicles and the first blue square vehicles, then changed again for later blue square ones. Similarly, the end variations on some DMU classes may match the diagram book but not necessarily what was built. Seems to be very little to quibble about though, and looks much more thorough and accurate than the notoriously error-strewn Brian Morrison book of a few years ago (though that one was much better for photos).

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Can only agree with previous posters.

 

i didn't know about this book until last night when it's owner left it on the "porn" desk in the office. Had a good shufty through it and was very impressed.

 

I've only recently discovered that a small handful of Derby class 108s were allocated new to 3C Ryecroft (Walsall) only remaining there a short while before moving on. This book does mention them.

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  • 8 years later...

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