Longest through journeys for first generation DMU sets

[Western 52]

In the early days of the first generation DMUs there were some quite long through journeys. For example, Carmarthen to Birmingham with the first inter-city units. Later, there were still some long runs, such as the 1980s summer Saturday Leicester to Barry Island using Tyseley suburban units.

What were the longest runs though, particularly where the units used were perhaps not very suitable?

 

[Whistler40145]

Blackpool North to Carlisle via Blackburn and Hellifield on the Dalesrail service, must’ve been several sets cobbled together and don’t know how we reached Carlisle without failing

 

[Magdalia]

East Anglia in the 1970s was the land of long distance DMU travel. I have done Cambridge-Birmingham (137 miles) in a Cravens more times than I care to think. Norwich-Birmingham, with a reversal at Ely, was 175 miles. If the train went through to or from Yarmouth that goes up to 195 miles.

More recently, in the summer of 1988 there was a Manchester-Yarmouth booked for a pair of Buxton 3 car BRCW units. The route was via Retford then up the ECML! The total mileage was about 230. After a few weeks a rake of coaches was found so that the train could go loco hauled.

 

[30907]

Paddington-Minehead (originally InterCity sets) about 167m beats Liverpool-Hull which is a mere 125.
By journey time, Birmingham-Pwllheli (in a suburban unit!) would take some beating.

 

[jfollows]

More recently, in the summer of 1988 there was a Manchester-Yarmouth booked for a pair of Buxton 3 car BRCW units. The route was via Retford then up the ECML! The total mileage was about 230. After a few weeks a rake of coaches was found so that the train could go loco hauled.

My guess, from the working timetable, is that this would be 1L82 06:50 Manchester-Yarmouth via Stockport and the Dore curve .... D385 SO UNTIL 1 OCT in the 16/5/88-14/5/89 timetable, and presumably no stock available at the start of the timetable hence DMU as you say.

 

[Strathclyder]

Related to this, what would've been the longest journey on a 1st-gen DMU that could be done entirely within Scotland? I suspect I already know the answer (a Glasgow South Western, Far North or West Highland working of some description), but I'd still like to know for sure.

 

[delt1c]

Related to this, what would've been the longest journey on a 1st-gen DMU that could be done entirely within Scotland? I suspect I already know the answer (a Glasgow South Western, Far North or West Highland working of some description), but I'd still like to know for sure.

1 st Gen DMU's didnt operate the Far North line and the only scheduled for the West Highland in the 70's was the 08.35 Glasgow Queen St to Oban, done it a few times and always a 101, several times was the prototype refurbished unit. Glasgow Central to Carlisle was often a 126

 

[Magdalia]

My guess, from the working timetable, is that this would be 1L82 06:50 Manchester-Yarmouth via Stockport and the Dore curve .... D385 SO UNTIL 1 OCT in the 16/5/88-14/5/89 timetable, and presumably no stock available at the start of the timetable hence DMU as you say.

No, 1L82 was hauled throughout the summer. The train I'm referring to had reporting number 1L68.

 

[Strathclyder]

1 st Gen DMU's didnt operate the Far North line and the only scheduled for the West Highland in the 70's was the 08.35 Glasgow Queen St to Oban, done it a few times and always a 101, several times was the prototype refurbished unit. Glasgow Central to Carlisle was often a 126

Wasn't sure if they were ever regulars on the Far North tbh, I was just throwing random lines to the wall lol

The one I had in mind for the West Highland was the Mexican Bean 104 from the mid/late-80s, though IIRC that only ran during the summer between Crianlarich & Oban.

 

[jfollows]

No, 1L82 was hauled throughout the summer. The train I'm referring to had reporting number 1L68.

Thank you, yes, I hadn't thought there'd be more than one service to Yarmouth!
1L83 09:55 Manchester-Yarmouth D2 SO UNTIL 1 OCT via Stockport and Sheffield.

 

[Magdalia]

Related to this, what would've been the longest journey on a 1st-gen DMU that could be done entirely within Scotland? I suspect I already know the answer (a Glasgow South Western, Far North or West Highland working of some description), but I'd still like to know for sure.

A relatively long Scottish journey, that was DMU worked for a long time, was Aberdeen-Inverness.

Which trains on the Glasgow-Carlisle route were DMUs?

 

[Cheshire Scot]

If I can stray to a 1st generation EMU, some time in the eighties Stockport County made a couple of appearances at Wembley and several football specials were run.

I remember speeding past one on the fast line on LHCS whilst the special formed of cl304s trundled along the slows - I can't recall if it was 6 or 9 cars- and I assume it terminated at Wembley Central rather than Euston, but still something like 175 miles.

 

[Western 52]

I think the units at Inverness were used for the Aberdeen line mainly? There were 7 class 120 sets there plus maybe a few bubble cars.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

A relatively long Scottish journey, that was DMU worked for a long time, was Aberdeen-Inverness.

Which trains on the Glasgow-Carlisle route were DMUs?

In the days when most trains on GSW were long distance to London or in one case Leeds, there were two Glasgow to Carlisle DMus each day around 12.30 (4 car LMR units) and 17.30 (6 car ScR which dropped one set at Kilmarnock)

 

[Magdalia]

Thank you, yes, I hadn't thought there'd be more than one service to Yarmouth!
1L83 09:55 Manchester-Yarmouth D2 SO UNTIL 1 OCT via Stockport and Sheffield.

That's the one. Interesting that your source has 1L83 not 1L68.

 

[Killingworth]

4 hours on a DMU Glasgow - Whitley Bay, see start of this BBC video of Glasgow Fair Fortnight with Martin Young in July 1976 - how we were; https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/a-fair-fortnight/zmg7cqt

 

[Cheshire Scot]

I think the units at Inverness were used for the Aberdeen line mainly? There were 7 class 120 sets there plus maybe a few bubble cars.

Correct. Occasionally they conveyed a van as tail traffic - in the summer months one of the 120s migrated south to work the Glasgow to Oban dated DMU which in various years left at 09.35 or 11.35 before settling for a regular 10.35 slot, and 18.55 return, until replaced by the refurbished 101 for the final year or two. .

 

[jfollows]

That's the one. Interesting that your source has 1L83 not 1L68.

 

[Graham H]

Paddington-Minehead (originally InterCity sets) about 167m beats Liverpool-Hull which is a mere 125.
By journey time, Birmingham-Pwllheli (in a suburban unit!) would take some beating.

If by intercity units these refer to the class 123 type units then having travelled on them in their days of Oxford to London use then I would say they were equal to the comfort of normal loco hauled stock and were no hardship to ride in. Was there a specific range of DMU that fell under the intercity name like the 124 Transpennine or 126 in Scotland etc that were really a cut above the likes of the usual DMU we associate with secondary/suburban use ?
My own contribution to the long distance thread was on an excursion from Newbury (I believe it started there) to Margate and back in a 9 car 3 x 3 (dont think it was 12) of the usual western region DMU with 3 + 2 seating but fortunately these had toilets and within unit gangways (Class 116 perhaps ?)

 

[Western 52]

If by intercity units these refer to the class 123 type units then having travelled on them in their days of Oxford to London use then I would say they were equal to the comfort of normal loco hauled stock and were no hardship to ride in. Was there a specific range of DMU that fell under the intercity name like the 124 Transpennine or 126 in Scotland etc that were really a cut above the likes of the usual DMU we associate with secondary/suburban use ?
My own contribution to the long distance thread was on an excursion from Newbury (I believe it started there) to Margate and back in a 9 car 3 x 3 (dont think it was 12) of the usual western region DMU with 3 + 2 seating but fortunately these had toilets and inter unit gangways (Class 116 perhaps ?)

117 and 118 had toilets, 116 did not. Didn't stop them using 116 on some long trips though now and again. I once had one Cardiff to Birmingham due to a failed loco hauled set, and in the 80s they could be seen on Cardiff to West Wales runs - 3 hours with no toilets!

 

[matchmaker]

A relatively long Scottish journey, that was DMU worked for a long time, was Aberdeen-Inverness.

Which trains on the Glasgow-Carlisle route were DMUs?

Glasgow - Stranraer was DMU. About 90 miles?

 

[RT4038]

1 st Gen DMU's didnt operate the Far North line and the only scheduled for the West Highland in the 70's was the 08.35 Glasgow Queen St to Oban, done it a few times and always a 101, several times was the prototype refurbished unit. Glasgow Central to Carlisle was often a 126

Didn't they also operate the 'Six Lochs Land Cruise' (in up to 9-car formation) which I think travelled via Dunblane-Crianlarich-Craigendoran and vice-versa, including the Killin branch? There are photographs and some description in Trains Annual 1963.

 

[D6130]

Leeds-Carlisle and back from the mid-1980s until the early 1990s....113 miles each way.

 

[Western 52]

Cardiff to Crewe and Cardiff to Portsmouth Harbour were DMU in the early 70s, using mainly class 120 and 123. I remember the 123s on the Crewe line before class 25 locos took over. Nice units to travel on, especially in compartments.

 

[30907]

If by intercity units these refer to the class 123 type units then having travelled on them in their days of Oxford to London use then I would say they were equal to the comfort of normal loco hauled stock and were no hardship to ride in. Was there a specific range of DMU that fell under the intercity name like the 124 Transpennine or 126 in Scotland etc that were really a cut above the likes of the usual DMU we associate with secondary/suburban use ?

Yes - just those three.
Below them came the "Cross-Country" sets, 119 Gloucester/120 Swindon.

 

[Gloster]

On one occasion at the beginning of the 1980s when the Leeds-Paignton train was badly late, Birmingham put on a suburban DMU all the way to Paignton as a replacement. It made one, possibly two, toilet stops on the way.

 

[RT4038]

On one occasion at the beginning of the 1980s when the Leeds-Paignton train was badly late, Birmingham put on a suburban DMU all the way to Paignton as a replacement. It made one, possibly two, toilet stops on the way.

Although not quite so far, I travelled in similar circumstances on a Sunday afternoon in 1981 from Birmingham to York. (A three car suburban set + Bubble Car)

 

[Bevan Price]

On one occasion at the beginning of the 1980s when the Leeds-Paignton train was badly late, Birmingham put on a suburban DMU all the way to Paignton as a replacement. It made one, possibly two, toilet stops on the way.

After Class 25 disappeared, the summer saturday Nottingham - Llandudno service sank to a pair of 3 car suburban units; in later years it was cut back to just Derby - Llandudno.

 

[greyman42]

Hull to Liverpool.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Cleethorpes to Crewe via Nottingham and Derby was another long one around 1980, with Derby-based class 120s usually.