Longest through journeys for first generation DMU sets

[D6130]

I wonder how the steward washed their hands?

Presumably in the train toilet....for as long as the water lasted!

EDIT: I mean, of course, the wash hand basin in the train's toilet compartment....before the humorous pedants start!

 

[Whistler40145]

Birmingham New Street to Aberystwyth/Pwllheli would be quite a distance in a 1st generation DMU

 

[Laurencew]

Birmingham New Street to Aberystwyth/Pwllheli would be quite a distance in a 1st generation DMU

It's quite a distance for a 2nd generation DMU!
Faulty a/c anyone?

 

[nw1]

Birmingham New Street to Aberystwyth/Pwllheli would be quite a distance in a 1st generation DMU

Were there any DMU-operated through services at that time? I had the impression there were a few hauled through services and the DMUs started or ended at Shrewsbury. But I may be wrong.

 

[Taunton]

Were there any DMU-operated through services at that time? I had the impression there were a few hauled through services and the DMUs started or ended at Shrewsbury. But I may be wrong.

Yes, they went through in the summer. Tyseley-based sets, where at the time the Cambrian was mainly operated with Chester-based ones.

At least one report of a Tyseley 3+2 suburban-seated, toilet-less Class 116 set being sent to Pwllheli and back on a summer weekend.

 

[nw1]

Yes, they went through in the summer. Tyseley-based sets, where at the time the Cambrian was mainly operated with Chester-based ones.

At least one report of a Tyseley 3+2 suburban-seated, toilet-less Class 116 set being sent to Pwllheli and back on a summer weekend.

Ah right, interesting - thanks for that.

 

[Taunton]

Of course, none of the various coach hire companies in the West Midlands in those times, who might advertise a day excursion to Pwllheli - or Weston, or Weymouth, or wherever - had vehicles with toilets. Nor did the rail generation previous to the dmus, who would send steam-hauled non-corridor compartment carriages to Pwllheli as a matter of course.

 

[david1212]

Of course, none of the various coach hire companies in the West Midlands in those times, who might advertise a day excursion to Pwllheli - or Weston, or Weymouth, or wherever - had vehicles with toilets. Nor did the rail generation previous to the dmus, who would send steam-hauled non-corridor compartment carriages to Pwllheli as a matter of course.

True but they would have stops. There were numerous long closed business that catered for serving 50 or so coach passengers in a short time.
Different from a train unless a long stop at a station with large facilities.

 

[Zamracene749]

Unless my memory is utterly shot, there used to be a 1st gen worked Newcastle to Barrow service in the late 1980s? Perhaps not the longest in terms of mileage, but still a hell of a run!

 

[MadMac]

Unless my memory is utterly shot, there used to be a 1st gen worked Newcastle to Barrow service in the late 1980s? Perhaps not the longest in terms of mileage, but still a hell of a run!

Presumably reversed at Carlisle?

 

[Zamracene749]

Presumably reversed at Carlisle?

Yep, in the bay platform (2?) at Carlisle IIRC.

 

[ecmlthrash15]

It is well short of Norwich-Birmingham which was 175 miles and operated daily for 7 years.

I remember seeing these infrequent services. Class 31, normally 4 or 5 aged coaches. Sprinter units slashed a little more than an hour off journey times.

 

[hexagon789]

I remember seeing these infrequent services. Class 31, normally 4 or 5 aged coaches. Sprinter units slashed a little more than an hour off journey times.

Given linespeed went from 55 max over the central part of the route to 75mph, hardly surprising!

 

[Magdalia]

Given linespeed went from 55 max over the central part of the route to 75mph, hardly surprising!

I presume you mean Leicester-Peterborough?

I travelled this route a lot in the 1970s and 1980s, both on 1st Generation DMUs and the loco hauled trains introduced in 1977.

Syston Junction-Melton Mowbray was 60mph
Melton Mowbray-Manton Junction was 70mph (the old Midland route from Nottingham to London)
Manton Junction was 10mph
Manton Junction-Peterborough was 50mph with 35mph through Stamford

 

[hexagon789]

I presume you mean Leicester-Peterborough?

I travelled this route a lot in the 1970s and 1980s, both on 1st Generation DMUs and the loco hauled trains introduced in 1977.

Syston Junction-Melton Mowbray was 60mph
Melton Mowbray-Manton Junction was 70mph (the old Midland route from Nottingham to London)
Manton Junction was 10mph
Manton Junction-Peterborough was 50mph with 35mph through Stamford

Tbh, I'm not sure. I just recall reading about the improvements brought by Sprinterisation in the book - The Regional Railways Story.

 

[ecmlthrash15]

Given linespeed went from 55 max over the central part of the route to 75mph, hardly surprising!

I imagine the sprinters had faster acceleration also. They were so much better in service, just a bit dull after the loco hauled sets.

 

[Madge Wildfire]

At times in the 1960s, there was a SO summer service from the West Midlands to Skegness. Living in a house which had a garden overlooking the line between Sleaford and Boston, this was always an exciting train as it consisted of Met-Camm DMUs of various formations - but always ones where I had big gaps in my ABC.

I think the service mostly started at Walsall, but it may have come from Kings Norton in some years. My only problem was that if it passed at about 60mph, it was only possible to get two or three numbers of the 8 or 9 cars; but beggars can't be choosers. I would try and get more numbers from the return journey, but as sod's law applied they were nearly always the numbers I had noted in the morning.

 

[D6130]

IIRC, back in the late 1980s/early 1990s there was a Summer Saturday Birmingham-Scarborough or Bridlngton service, formed of three Tyseley 3 car class 117/118 units. I remember seeing it changing crews at Sheffield while I was changing trains there in the Summer of 1991, while en route from Aylesbury to Skipton.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

I friend of mine who is a fellow Charlton support, and has some knowledge of railways, recalls seeing a DMU bringing football supporters from Blackburn to Charlton in the late 1970s or early 1980s. That must have been a long haul down the West Coast Main Line and around London.

 

[Taunton]

I friend of mine who is a fellow Charlton support, and has some knowledge of railways, recalls seeing a DMU bringing football supporters from Blackburn to Charlton in the late 1970s or early 1980s. That must have been a long haul down the West Coast Main Line and around London.

That was a prominent combined football and railway enthusiast, who organised several such dmu trips from Blackburn, until in 1986 one was in a serious accident returning at Preston, when some decidedly improper aspects of these charters came to light, among these that the organiser liked to spend the whole trip in the dmu cab, and there were suspicions of how the controls came to be mis-arranged. Para 15 of the official accident report refers here :

https://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/DoT_Preston1986.pdf

 

[Forty29]

Towards their end a railtour with Hastings demus ran from Hastings, via Victoria, and to Carlisle via the S&C, and back via the WCML. I believe it took the best part of 24 hours, and must surely be the longest traditional diesel trip of all.

Was called the Long thin drag. Strangely only thinking about that tour a few days ago. The Hastings's DEMU's certainly got about during their final years.

 

[GordonT]

One-off occasion, substituting for loco-hauled or regularly performed by DMUs are all acceptable. Interested in the maximum mileage for any one journey contained within the public timetable of the day performed throughout by a 1st generation DMU.

 

[Cowley]

One-off occasion, substituting for loco-hauled or regularly performed by DMUs are all acceptable. Interested in the maximum mileage for any one journey contained within the public timetable of the day performed throughout by a 1st generation DMU.

I knew we’d had a thread on this before so I’ve added your post onto the end.

There’s plenty to get your teeth into on here.

 

[GordonT]

I knew we’d had a thread on this before so I’ve added your post onto the end.

There’s plenty to get your teeth into on here.

Thanks - I should have searched.

 

[RT4038]

Birmingham area Derby Lightweight units ran (in 8 car formation) excursion(s) from Birmingham to Bournemouth via Bath (Green Park) and the S&D - 165 miles each way. Possibly further if the excursion originated in Lichfield (say)?

 

[Brightonboy]

I remember seeing these infrequent services. Class 31, normally 4 or 5 aged coaches. Sprinter units slashed a little more than an hour off journey times.

In the summer/autumn of 1980 i travelled on these between Peterborough and Norwich most weekends (P - N Fri eve, N - P Sun PM) and well remember the plod across the Fens but at least the Mk 1 seats were well sprung...

 

[The exile]

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.

In similar vein (though not as far), at some time in 1985 (?) I had a Tyseley set attempting to keep to IC times from New Street to Taunton as destinations had been swapped flour to S&C diversions.

 

[MadMac]

I note that the question of gradients came up at one point. There was an evening peak Glasgow Central-Beattock normally formed of a suburban (116) set which would have struggled up to Beattock Summit.

Similar challenges would have been faced by services climbing from Uddingston to Bellshill and the climb to Benhar. I travelled to East Kilbride on many occasions which is more or less a continuous 1 in 70 from Thornliebank to Hairmyres.

 

[BeeBus]

In 1982 I travelled on a first-generation DMU on my only trip on the Central Wales line. Starting at Swansea going to Llanelli and reversing, then on to Shrewsbury and Crewe. Well, it was specifically noted as a through train to Crewe but wasn't in this instance as I had to change at Shrewsbury. I calculate the distance had it run as advertised as 153 miles. I haven't got a timetable to check the journey time, but I seem to recall it should have been five hours plus.

 

[33017]

A train I used regularly in early 1988 was the 17.18 Pembroke Dock - Bristol TM, which ran via Bristol Parkway. On the occasions I did it it was a Landore 108 power twin (7 times) or 3-car set (twice). That was just over 158 miles if you did it throughout.

Seem to recall there was an 07xx Swindon - Penzance around the same time that went from being loco-hauled to DMU, and that would’ve been 248 miles.