Help Identifying a DMU

[ISW]

In the book "Railways of Burton" by H.N.Twells I found a photo of a DMU backing into the bay platform at the south end of the station. The caption says "... A Derby built DMU ...". However, I can't find any suitable Derby built DMU that fits with the photo. I suppose it could be a Park Royal Class 103?

 

Can anyone identify the DMU please?

 

Ian

[08221]

Definitely a class 103 Park Royal unit.

 

https://www.railcar.co.uk/type/class-103/

[MidlandRed]

B7 in this context is Wolverhampton to Burton via Walsall, usually operated by Park Royal two car DMUs (later class 103), allocated to Ryecroft (Walsall) depot. 

[ISW]

Thanks @MidlandRed and @08221. Clearly the book has the wrong caption. Pity that, as there are RTR Derby DMUs in 00-scale but no Park Royal ones.

 

At least the books caption got the right service, to Wolverhampton.

 

@MidlandRed do you happen to know what other DMUs would have worked that service in the late 1960s?

 

Ian

[slilley]

Looks like a Park Royal Class 103 to me. They were similar in style to the early Derby 79XXX units.

 

Simon

 

 

[MidlandRed]

13 hours ago, ISW said:

Thanks @MidlandRed and @08221. Clearly the book has the wrong caption. Pity that, as there are RTR Derby DMUs in 00-scale but no Park Royal ones.

 

At least the books caption got the right service, to Wolverhampton.

 

@MidlandRed do you happen to know what other DMUs would have worked that service in the late 1960s?

 

Ian

The passenger services over the old South Staffordshire Railway ceased in January 1965 (Wolverhampton to Burton via Walsall, Brownhills and Lichfield) and the Walsall to Dudley via Wednesbury service ceased at this time. Around this time the New Street to Rugeley Trent Valley services were cut back to New Street to Walsall. 
 

I’ve only ever seen photos of the Park Royal DMUs on the Wolverhampton/ Walsall/Brownhills/Burton services but it’s feasible some of the other DMUs allocated to Ryecroft could have been used on it. 
 

The allocation of passenger units were two car units and included (eventually) all 20 of the Park Royal units (the last few of the batch were transferred in from Watford in the mid 60s after being displaced from the St Albans branch and closure of the Belmont branch). Also GRCW 50348-57 and trailers (50358 with non-standard auto gearbox never appeared). Some BRCW in the 50534-41 plus trailers were also allocated. 

 

Met Camm units 51174-51192 and trailers were fixtures on the B’ham LMR lines until Jan/Feb 1965 when reallocated to the north west. The last few (according to Railcar.co.uk) were allocated to Ryecroft and the remainder at Monument Lane - however members of the whole batch were used, generally in pairs or more (6 or 8 cars at times) on the Rugeley services until they were curtailed (the route passed Ryecroft).  These two car units were also used on Nuneaton to Leamington services until closure. 

 

As well as this, three class 108 DMUs were allocated new to Ryecroft for a few months in 1959 and there is a photo of one at Dudley Port Low Level on a Walsall to Dudley train (MIAC site I think). 
 

It’s feasible any of the Met Camm or class 108s could have got to Burton I guess. (The 108s were 50942-4; 56225-7. The 101 2 cars at Ryecroft in the 60s were 51189-92; 56347-50). 

Edited April 2, 2022 by MidlandRed

[ISW]

@MidlandRed that's a superb piece of information. Many thanks. I now have a few DMUs I can select from to use on my layout that would be 'in keeping' with my timeframes.

 

Ian

[MidlandRed]

Some other thoughts on DMUs at Burton. The Birmingham to Derby stopping services used DMUs - there were two types:-

 

Cravens 3 car units (50752-70: 50785-803; 59307-25);

BRCW 3 car units, some of which were allocated to the E Midlands, in the ranges 50428-79; 50480-531; 59132-187 (note that the many Manchester and Buxton allocated sets would not appear). The BRCW would also be the mainstay of the Derby-Stoke-Crewe services (some were allocated to the Stoke area). 

 

Finally, in the late 60s there was a substantial influx of ex WR Swindon 3 car cross country units at Etches Park and appeared on these services (IIRC they replaced the Cravens sets which went to the north west, and via a cascade of stock, it helped facilitate the withdrawal of the Accrington based 2 car Cravens DMUs with torque converter transmissions). 

Edited April 3, 2022 by MidlandRed

[wombatofludham]

I've seen a photo of a Met-Cam unit at Lichfield TV High Level on a Burton to Wolverhampton service by Geoff Dowling on Flickr..  I was fascinated to see the shelter on the to Birmingham/Wolverhampton platform was a Modernisation Plan "Mod-X" design as used on a number of stations rebuilt for electrification.

Flickr link to photo

[ISW]

2 hours ago, MidlandRed said:

Some other thoughts on DMUs at Burton.

You're a real mine of information. Many thanks.

 

2 hours ago, MidlandRed said:

Cravens 3 car units (50752-70: 50785-803; 59307-25);

I have a Bachmann 2-car Class 105, so it looks like I'll be trying to find the centre car. Wonder if they are on TheBay?

 

2 hours ago, MidlandRed said:

BRCW 3 car units, some of which were allocated to the E Midlands,

Hmm, suppose I'd better start keeping an eye out for the new Heljan Class 104 (due ~2023). Better start saving up now as I expect it'll be expensive.

 

2 hours ago, MidlandRed said:

Finally, in the late 60s there was a substantial influx of ex WR Swindon 3 car cross country units at Etches Park

Now these are what I remember from my childhood days trainspotting in the 1970s. At the time I hated them, and now I wish someone would make an RTR model of them!

 

Ian

[ISW]

41 minutes ago, wombatofludham said:

I've seen a photo of a Met-Cam unit at Lichfield TV High Level on a Burton to Wolverhampton service

Thanks for link. Good the know that I have the option to use my Lima 2-car Class 101.

 

Ian

[MidlandRed]

2 hours ago, ISW said:

You're a real mine of information. Many thanks.

 

I have a Bachmann 2-car Class 105, so it looks like I'll be trying to find the centre car. Wonder if they are on TheBay?

 

Hmm, suppose I'd better start keeping an eye out for the new Heljan Class 104 (due ~2023). Better start saving up now as I expect it'll be expensive.

 

Now these are what I remember from my childhood days trainspotting in the 1970s. At the time I hated them, and now I wish someone would make an RTR model of them!

 

Ian

The West Midlands was my local spotting area from the very early 60s, and unlike many, I took note of the DMU’s and their activities!! Of course, excellent resources like railcar.co.uk and this forum, along with the multitude of books available also fill the gaps in knowledge!! 
 

I, apparently like a number of others, am awaiting a class 116 DMU from one of the manufacturers to offload a lot of money - however the class 104 sounds very good (as does the 117 if you’re modelling WR London Division or the very end of 1st generation DMUs elsewhere). 
 

That Met Camm unit at Lichfield TV high level is most likely one of the Ryecroft twin units - I wonder whether the parcels trolley has come up in the lift from the WCML platform. One of the main reasons for the separate parcels car services was to avoid delaying passenger services by having to load and offload quantities at each station (and I guess to avoid exceeding permitted capacities of guards vans on DMUs - there’s a lot on that trolley! M55998 (class 129 parcels car) was allocated to Ryecroft in the early 60s - not sure if there was a parcels service on this line but that volume on the trolley would certainly cause delays and test the guard’s van capacity!! 

 

The New St to Sutton Coldfield/Four Oaks/Lichfield City, New St to Barnt Green/Redditch services were also run by Met Camm units, but 3 car units based at Monument Lane (50303 to 50320; 50321 to 50338; 59114 to 59131) - I’m not sure if any of these ran beyond Lichfield City to Burton but I don’t recall them doing so - they had replaced Derby lightweight twin units, as a service upgrade, which themselves had replaced as an upgrade to a much less intensive type of a steam operation. 

Edited April 3, 2022 by MidlandRed

[TheSignalEngineer]

8 hours ago, wombatofludham said:

I was fascinated to see the shelter on the to Birmingham/Wolverhampton platform was a Modernisation Plan "Mod-X" design as used on a number of stations rebuilt for electrification.

The bridge and platforms were rebuilt for the electrification of the low level line