WR DMU formations 1971-1976

[D7666]

Can anyone help with or point me to WR based DMU actual formations ?

What I mean by this is the numbers** of the cars that made up each 3-car unit I refer to.

I am specifically after 4 types of 3-car DMU from 3 depots (using later three digit class numbers)

units :
120 3CC BR Swindon
119 3CC Gloucester RCW
118 3S Birmingham RCW
117 3S Pressed Steel

depots :
82A - BR - Bristol Bath Road
81D - RG Reading
84A - LA - Laira

These formations were from memory quite static for years in most cases, perhaps RG less than BR and LA, but nowhere near as loose as as some other region's depots (e.g. Tyseley).

I have looked through old mags (RM MR RW etc) and through RCTS stuff and what I seek is not there.

But ISTR someone (Dalescroft ???) did publish a DMU formation booklet in about 1974 ???

I am after this gen to compete haulage** my records, it is not for publication.

Thanks.


** as it is haulage actually just the pairs of motor coaches will do but if the trailers are known would make it complete

--
Nick

 

[Taunton]

From my recollection, the formations of the pairs of power cars were very much in the "correct" numerical order that they were in theory built as, particularly for the Bristol and Plymouth units, as you say more so than elsewhere in the country, and had been like this pretty much since they were built. There were a minority of exceptions, and these were quite permanent as well. I understood the whole set would go off to Swindon for periodic overhaul all together. Given that the sets, when new, had often replaced the old GWR "B-set" loco-hauled two coach local service sets, which also stayed together permanently, the approach was an traditional one.

I don't recall set numbers being in use until much later, sets seemed to be known by the number of the car with the brake accommodation.

The intermediate trailers were far less organised, and although they seemed to be marshalled permanently, they also seemed mixed up numerically compared to their power cars.

The WR always seemed to favour having some two-car units which were just without the intermediate trailers.

There had been a strange period in the mid-late 1960s after diesel units took over in the former Southern Region area east and west of Exeter and there were complaints about suburban units being allocated to some lengthy runs, when the middle trailers of some of Laira's cross-country units were exchanged with those of the suburban units, to give at least one vehicle in each set with toilets. The suburban units first assigned to the former Southern were generally the older Derby ones surplus from South Wales. This led to some most untidy and un-Western looking hash formations, CC/Sub/CC or Sub/CC/Sub, and put any corridor communication of the CC cars out of use. After a few years most of the Southern routes had been closed anyway, and the formations went back to how they were intended. I believe the impetus for this had come down from the BRB headquarters after pressure from local MPs, and the resulting scrambled formations looked like something Laira had come up with out of spite - there were even mixed blue and green cars in a set.

 

[euryalus]

Can anyone help with or point me to WR based DMU actual formations ?

On Saturday 14th February, 1970, the Locomotive Club of Great Britain ‘Isis’ railtour brought a three-car Swindon Cross Country unit onto the Witney Railway for the first (and last!) time. The unit concerned was formed of motor brake composite No.W50727, trailer buffet second No.W59291 and motor second No.W50679, all three vehicles being well tuned-out in BR blue and light grey ‘inter-city’ livery. I don't know what depot this unit came from.

 

[eastwestdivide]

The 1976 RTCS coaching stock book lists the DMU formations with set numbers. Separate section to the actual coach listings.
They were pretty static when I started spotting (76), although you did see a few substitutions, so if you're after 100% confirmation on a particular day, you'd be out of luck, unless someone has some notes taken on that day.

 

[Bevan Price]

Several Class 120s were reduced to 2 cars mainly for use on the Central Wales (Shrewsbury - Llanelli/Swansea) line.

 

[theblackwatch]

The book 'British Railways First Generation DMUs' by Hugh Longworth has WR formations from 1972 and 1976 listed in it. It's amazing how many of the 117s kept their original 'as built' formations (even into the 90s). If you want any specific sets checking, let me know as long as the list isn't too long!