British Rail Class 101

British Rail Class 101

London-based Class 101 no. 54405 (from set L220) in Network SouthEast livery
In service 1956–2003
Manufacturer Metropolitan Cammell
Order number
  • 30467 (DMBS, 51174-51253)
  • 30500 (DMBS, 51425-51470)
  • 30501 (DMCL, 51495-51539)
  • 30587 (DMCL, 51795-51801)
  • 30588 (DMCL, 51802-51808)
  • 30249 (DMCL, 53138-53150)
  • 30252 (DMBS, 53153-53157)
  • 30253 (DMCL, 53158-53163)
  • 30254 (DMBS, 53164-53166)
  • 30255 (DMCL, 53168-53171)
  • 30256 (DMCL, 53172-53197)
  • 30259 (DMBS, 53198-53208)
  • 30261 (DMBS, 53211-53233)
  • 30263 (DMCL, 53234-53245)
  • 30339 (DMBS, 53247-53248)
  • 30266 (DMBS, 53250-53259)
  • 30267 (DMCL, 53260-53269)
  • 30270 (DMBS, 53290-53296)
  • 39275 (DMBS, 53303-53320)
  • 30276 (DMCL, 53321-53338)
  • 30271 (DMCL, 53746-53751)
  • 30260 (DTCL, 54050-54092)
  • 30340 (DTCL, 54218-54220)
  • 30468 (DTCL, 54332-54409)
  • 30250 (TSL, 59042-59048)
  • 30251 (TBSL, 59049-59055)
  • 30257 (TSL, 59060-59072)
  • 30258 (TBSL, 59073-59085)
  • 30264 (TSL, 59086-59091)
  • 30265 (TBSL, 59092-59097)
  • 30269 (TSL, 59101-59107)
  • 30274 (TBSL, 59112-59113)
  • 30277 (TCL, 59114-59130)
  • 30273 (TS, 59302-59306)
  • 30502 (TCL, 59525-59568)
  • 30510 (TSL, 59569-59571)
  • 30589 (TCL, 59686-59692)[1]
Constructed 1956–1960
Number built Class 101: 527 (DMCL: 97, DMBS: 217, DTCL: 120, TSL: 41, TSLRB: 6, TCL: 18, TBSL: 28)
Class 102: 106 (DMCL: 53, TCL: 53)
Number preserved 41 cars
Formation 2-, 3-, or 4-car sets
Operator(s) British Rail
Depot(s)
Specifications
Car length 57 ft 0 in (17.37 m)
Width 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m)
Height 3.77 m (12 ft 4 in)
Maximum speed 70 mph (113 km/h)
Weight 32.5 tonnes (32.0 long tons; 35.8 short tons) (powered),
25 tonnes (25 long tons; 28 short tons) (unpowered)[2]
Prime mover(s) Two BUT (AEC or Leyland) 6-cylinder diesels
Power output 150 bhp (112 kW) each engine
Transmission Mechanical: 4-speed epicyclic gearbox
Coupling system Screw-link couplings, British Standard gangways
Multiple working ■ Blue Square
Track gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

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 one of the most successful and longest-lived of BR's First Generation DMUs, second in age only to the Class 121, with the final five units being withdrawn on 24 December 2003.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) (DMCL) were classified as Class 101 (AEC engines) or Class 102 (Leyland engines). The Driving Trailer Composite (with Lavatory) (DTCL) were either Class 144 or Class 147. The Trailer Seconds (with Lavatory) (TSL) were Class 162, the Trailer Brake Second (with Lavatory) (TBSL) were Class 168 and the Trailer Composite (with Lavatory) (TCL) were Class 171. Later all the cars were reclassified, becoming Class 101.

In fiction

In The Railway Series books by the Rev. W. Awdry, the character Daisy the Diesel Rail-Car, a Class 101 herself, was introduced to assist on the Branch Line when Thomas was away for repairs after crashing into a stationmaster's house.

Preservation

The Class 101 was one of the largest classes of first-generation DMUs and, partly thanks to their relatively late withdrawal from revenue-earning service, numerous vehicles have been preserved on heritage railways, for example the Great Central Railway and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. There are only two centre cars preserved. One is at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway and the other at the Mid-Norfolk Railway. One buffet car survived and is at the Great Central Railway. No Trailer Brake Seconds were saved.

Set number Vehicle numbers Livery Location Notes
DMBS TCL DMCL
101685 50164 59539 50160 BR Green North Yorkshire Moors Railway Operational
- 50203 - 50193 BR Blue and Grey Great Central Railway Stored
101680 50204 - 51511 BR Green North Yorkshire Moors Railway Operational
- 50253 59303 (TSL) 50170 BR Green Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Operational
- 50222 - 50338 BR Green Barry Island Railway Operational
- 50256 - 56343(DTCL) BR Blue East Kent Railway Operational
- 50321(DMCL) - 50266 Primer Great Central Railway Operational
- 51427 - BR Green Great Central Railway Operational
101678 51210 - 50746 BR Blue / BR Blue and Grey Wensleydale Railway Under restoration
- 51187 - 51512 BR Green Cambrian Heritage Railways Under Repair
- 51188 - 51505 BR Blue Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Operational
- 51189 - 51803 BR Green Keighley and Worth Valley Railway Under Restoration
- 51192 - 56352(DTCL) BR Green North Norfolk Railway Operational
- 51205 - 56055(DTCL) BR Green Cambrian Heritage Railways Under Repair
- 51213 - 56358(DTCL) BR Blue East Anglian Railway Museum Operational
- 51226 - 51499 BR Green Mid Norfolk Railway Operational
- 51228 - 56062(DTCL) BR Green North Norfolk Railway Under Overhaul
- 51434(DMBC) 59117 51503 BR Blue and Grey Mid Norfolk Railway Under Overhaul/Operational
- - - 56342(DTCL) BR Blue and Grey Midland Railway Stored
- - - 56347(DTCL) BR Green Foxfield Railway Operational
- - - 56356(DTCL) Non Standard Green and Cream Barry Island Railway Under restoration
- - - 56408(DTCL) SR Malachite Green Spa Valley Railway Operational
- 50211 - - Regional Railways Private Site Stored Cab Only
- - - 50269 Private Site Stored Cab Only
- 51177 - - BR Blue Private Site, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire Cab Only, used as a store room.

References

  1. 1 2 Fox 1987, pp. 8, 10-11, 15-16, 26, 28-33, 35-36.
  2. ↑ "CLASS 101, 102, 144, 147, 162, 164, 168, 171". The RailwayCentre.Com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009.

Sources

Media related to British Rail Class 101 at Wikimedia Commons

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