The British Railways Class 101 is a type of diesel multiple unit (DMU) which were built by Metro-Cammell at Washwood Heath Locomotive Works in Birmingham, England from 1956 to 1959, following construction of a series of prototype units.
The class 101 power cars featured Leyland 0.680 engines and SCG epicyclic gearboxes, standard UK bus/truck units of the time. The engines were horizontally mounted under the floors between the bogies.
This class proved to be the most successful and second longest-lived of all BR's First Generation DMUs, (the longest being the Class 121 in 2017) with the final five units being withdrawn on 24 December 2003. The oldest set was, by then, just over 47 years old.
Operations[]
Class 101 DMUs were used across much of the British Rail network (with the notable exceptions of the Southern Region and the Western Region - apart from some inter-regional workings). Notable concentration of services included:
- East of Scotland (to/from Edinburgh Waverley)
- West Midlands
- Teesside
- Tyneside
- West Yorkshire
In Popular Culture[]
The British Rail Class 101 is used as basis for Daisy the Diesel Railcar in Thomas & Friends.
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.
| Fleet numbers |
Type | Order | Seating | Weight | Lot No | Diagram | Formation (Original) | Year built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50138–50151 | DMC(L) | 101/1 | 12F 45S (2/2) | 32t | 30249 | BR 618 | 4-car | 1956 |
| 50152–50157 | DMBS | 101/2 | 52S | 32t | 30252 | BR 523 | Power-Twin | 1956/7 |
| 50158–50163 | DMC(L) | 101/1 | 12F 53S | 32t | 30253 | BR 620 | Power-Twin | 1956/7 |
| 50164–50167 | DMBS | 101/2 | 52S | 32t | 30254 | BR 523 | Power-Twin | 1956/7 |
| 50168–50171 | DMC(L) | 101/1 | 12F 53S | 32t | 30255 | BR 620 | Power-Twin | 1956/7 |
| 50172–50197 | DMC(L) | 101/1 | 12F 53S | 32t | 30256 | BR 620 | 4-car | 1957 |
| 50198–50209 | DMBS | 101/2 | 52s | 32t | 30259 | BR 523 | P/Trailer | 1957 |
| 50210–50233 | DMBS | 101/2 | 52s | 32t | 30261 | BR 523 | P/Trailer | 1957 |
| 50234–50245 | DMC(L) | 101/1 | 12F 45S | 32t | 30263 | BR 619 | 4-car | 1957 |
| 50246–50248 | DMBS | 101/2 | 52S | 32t | 30339 | BR 619 | P/Trailer | 1957 |
| 50250–50259 | DMBS | 101/2 | 52S | 32t | 30266 | BR 523 | Power-Twin | 1957 |
| 50260–50269 | DMC(L) | 101/1 | 12f 53S | 32t | 30267 | BR 621 | Power-Twin | 1957 |
| 50290–50292 | DMBS | 101/2 | 52S | 32t | 30270 | BR 523 | 3-car | 1957 |
| 50293–50296 | DMBS | 101/2 | 52S | 32t | 30270 | BR 523 | Power/Trailer 2-car | 1957 |
| 50303–50320 | DMBS | 101/2 | 52S | 32t | 30275 | BR 523 | 3-car | 1958 |
| 50321–50338 | DMC(L) | 101/1 | 12F + 53S | 32t | 30276 | BR 621 | 3-car | 1958 |
| 50745–50747 | DMC(L) | 101/1 | 12F + 53S | 32t | 30271 | BR 621 | 3-car | 1957 |
| 50748–50751 | DMC(L) | 101/1 | 12F + 53S | 32t | 30271 | BR 621 | 4-car | 1957 |
| 51174–51203 | DMBS | 101/1 | 52S | 32t | 30467 | BR 523 | Power/Trailer 2-car | 1958 |
| 51204–51223 | DMBS | 101/2 | 52S | 32t | 30467 | BR 523 | Power/Trailer 2-car | 1958 |
| 51224–51253 | DMBS | 101/2 | 52S | 32t | 30467 | BR 523 | Power/Trailer 2-car | 1958 |
| 51425–51434 | DMBS | 102/2 | 52S | 32t | 30500 | BR 523 | Power/Trailer 2-car | 1959 |
| 51435–51444 | DMBS | 102/2 | 52S | 32t | 30500 | BR 523 | 4-car | 1959 |
| 51445–51470 | DMBS | 102/2 | 52S | 32t | 30500 | BR 523 | 3-car | 1959 |
| 51495–51504 | DMC(L) | 102/1 | 12f+53S | 32t | 30501 | BR 621 | P/Twin | 1959 |
| 51505–51514 | DMC(L) | 102/1 | 12f+53S | 32t | 30501 | BR 621 | 4-car | 1959 |
| 51515–51540 | DMC(L) | 102/1 | 12f+53S | 32t | 30501 | BR 621 | 3-car | 1959 |
| 51795–51801 | DMBS | 102/2 | 52S | 32t | 30587 | BR 523 | 3-car | 1959 |
| 51802–51808 | DMC(L) | 102/1 | 12F+53S | 32t | 30588 | BR 621 | 3-car | 1959 |
| 56050–56061 | DTC(L) | 144 | 12F+53S | 25t | 30260 | BR 630 | Power/Trailer 2-car | 1957 |
| 56062–56085 | DTC(L) | 144 | 12F+53S | 25t | 30262 | BR 630 | Power/Trailer 2-car | 1957 |
| 56086–56089 | DTC(L) | 144 | 12F+52S | 25t | 30272 | BR 630 | Power/Trailer 2-car | 1957 |
| 56218–56220 | DTC(L) | 144 | 12F+45S | 25t | 30340 | BR 629 | Power/Trailer 2-car | 1957 |
| 56332–56361 | DTC(L) | 144 | 12F+53S | 25t | 30340 | BR 630 | Power/Trailer 2-car | 1957 |
| 56362–56381 | DTC(L) | 144 | 12F+53S | 25t | 30468 | BR 630 | Power/Trailer 2-car | 1957 |
| 56382–56411 | DTC(L) | 144 | 12F+53S | 25t | 30468 | BR 630 | Power/Trailer 2-car | 1957 |
| 59042–59048 | TS(L) | 162 | 61S | 25t | 30250 | BR 622 | 4-car | 1956 |
| 59049–59055 | TBS(L) | 168 | 45S | 25t | 30251 | BR 626 | 4-car | 1956 |
| 59060–59072 | TS(L) | 162 | 71S | 25t | 30257 | BR 623 | 4-car | 1957 |
| 59073–59085 | TBS(L) | 168 | 53S | 25t | 30258 | BR 627 | 4-car | 1957 |
| 59086–59091 | TS(L) | 162 | 61S | 25t | 30264 | BR 622 | 4-car | 1957 |
| 59092–59097 | TBS(L) | 168 | 45S | 25t | 30265 | BR 622 | 4-car | 1957 |
| 59112–59113 | TBS(L) | 168 | 53S | 25t | 30274 | BR 627 | 4-car | 1957 |
| 59114–59131 | TC(L) | 171 | 12F+53S | 25t | 30277 | BR 624 | 3-car | 1957 |
| 59302–59304 | TS(L) | 162 | 71S | 25t | 30273 | BR 623 | 3-car | 1957 |
| 59305–59306 | TC(L) | 171 | 71S | 25t | 30273 | BR 623 | 4-car | 1957 |
| 59523–59542 | TC(L) | 171 | 12F+53S | 25t | 30277 | BR 624 | 3-car | 1957 |
| 59543–59568 | TC(L) | 171 | 12F+53S | 25t | 30502 | BR 624 | 3-car | 1958 |
| 59685–59692 | TC(L) | 171 | 12F+53S | 25t | 30589 | BR 624 | 3-car | 1959 |
| 59569–59572 | TS(L) | 164 | 71S | 25t | 30510 | BR 623 | - | 1960 |
| 59573–59578 | TSB(L) | 165 | 71S | 25t | 30510 | BR 625 | - | 1960 |
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, including the Great Central Railway and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. There are only three centre cars preserved: at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, North Yorkshire Moors Railway and Mid-Norfolk Railway and none of the Trailer Brake Seconds were preserved.
| Set number | Vehicle numbers | Livery | Location | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMBS | TCL | DMCL | ||||
| 101685 | 50164 | 59539 | 50160 | BR Green | North Yorkshire Moors Railway | Last to be withdrawn, operational |
| 960992 | 50203 | - | 50193 | BR Blue and Grey | Great Central Railway | Under restoration |
| 101680 | 50204 | - | 51511 | BR Green | North Yorkshire Moors Railway | Stored |
| Iris 2 | 50222 | - | 50338 | BR Green | Barry Tourist Railway | Operational |
| 101692 | 50253 | 59303 (TSL) | 50170 | BR Green | Ecclesbourne Valley Railway | Operational |
| - | 50256 | - | 56343(DTCL) | BR Blue | Wensleydale Railway | Stored |
| - | 50266(DMCL) | - | - | BR Green | Great Central Railway | Operational |
| - | 51187 | - | 51512 | BR Green | Cambrian Heritage Railways | Under repair |
| - | 51188 | - | 51505 | BR Blue | Ecclesbourne Valley Railway | Operational (51188 on loan to North Norfolk Railway for 2018/19) |
| - | 51189 | - | 51803 | BR Green | Keighley and Worth Valley Railway | Operational |
| - | 51192 | - | 56352(DTCL) | BR Green | North Norfolk Railway | On loan from the National Railway Museum, operational |
| - | 51205 | - | 56055(DTCL) | BR Green | Cambrian Heritage Railways | Operational |
| 101678 | 51210 | - | 50746 | BR Blue / BR Blue and Grey | Wensleydale Railway | Last to be withdrawn, under restoration |
| - | 51213 | - | 56358(DTCL) | BR Blue and Grey / BR Blue | East Anglian Railway Museum | Operational |
| 101695 | 51226 | - | 51499 | BR Green | Mid Norfolk Railway | Operational |
| - | 51228 | - | 56062(DTCL) | BR Green | North Norfolk Railway | Operational |
| 960993 | 51427 | 59575 (Class 111) | 50321 | BR Green | Great Central Railway | Operational |
| L836 | 51434(DMBC) | 59117 | 51503 | BR Blue and Grey | Mid Norfolk Railway | Operational (Currently as 2-car only) |
| - | - | - | 56342(DTCL) | BR Blue and Grey | Great Central Railway | Under restoration |
| - | - | - | 56347(DTCL) | BR Green | Mid Norfolk Railway | Operational |
| - | - | - | 56356(DTCL) | Non Standard Green and Cream | Barry Island Railway | Stored |
| - | - | - | 56408(DTCL) | SR Malachite Green | Spa Valley Railway | Operational |
| - | 50211 | - | - | Regional Railways | Private Site | Stored, cab only |
| - | - | - | 50269 | Regional Railways | Private Site | Stored, cab only |
| - | 51177 | - | - | BR Blue | Private Site, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire | Cab only, used as a store room. |
Gallery[]
