Midland Railway electric units (3 car variants)

[Kubsamboll]

Hi everyone,

I would like to ask about the electric units used by the Midland Railway since 1908 (or rather their three-carriage variants). I would really like to have this information or photos, because apart from my interest in railways, I am also interested in pixel art (so far, in almost 1.5 years I have drawn over 300 drawings related to railways, including British ones) and I try to keep as much detail in them as possible, so please help.

(I will add here a drawing of the two-car variant of this electric unit. I know it is not a masterpiece, but I tried to reproduce it as best as I could)

 

[etr221]

The Midland Railway electrics are distinctly mysterious, with few published images. My understanding is the MR built in 1908 three motor coaches, and four driving trailers, all with driving controls at both ends, and also converted some steam coaches to work with these. With all these being 'loose', and formed into trains of between one and three vehicles as required.

For more details I would suggest you try contacting the Midland Railway Society https://midlandrailwaysociety.org.uk/ and the Midland Railway Study Centre https://www.midlandrailwaystudycentre.org.uk/index.php, who I think have some photographs, and other information.

 

[Prime586]

There are some photos of the units in service on the Lancaster-Morecambe-Heysham branch here
You may also wish to purchase this book, which has some colour photographs.
Simon Dawson has also made 3D models of the DM and Trailer cars that he offered as 3D prints via Shapeways (the shop links are now broken following Shapeway's bankruptcy, when all the data was lost).

 

[LickeyIncliner]

There are some photos of the units in service on the Lancaster-Morecambe-Heysham branch here

I'm intrigued as by the destination blind in the 7th image (the solo coach inscribed "on loan to CM&EE Heysham Harbour"). Why would anyone have given these units blinds with "Earls Court" as a possible destination ?!

 

[Kubsamboll]

The Midland Railway electrics are distinctly mysterious, with few published images. My understanding is the MR built in 1908 three motor coaches, and four driving trailers, all with driving controls at both ends, and also converted some steam coaches to work with these. With all these being 'loose', and formed into trains of between one and three vehicles as required.

I did some research and found some strange drawings of three-car trainsets with pantographs similar to those on the LB&SCR South London Stock units. But now the question arises whether such a unit actually existed or is it just a concept?

 

[30907]

I'm intrigued as by the destination blind in the 7th image (the solo coach inscribed "on loan to CM&EE Heysham Harbour"). Why would anyone have given these units blinds with "Earls Court" as a possible destination ?!

All but one of the photos linked are of the ex LNWR "Watford" DC stock which was rebuilt for the experimental BR electrification of the line. Hence Earls Court, presumably!
The odd one (top right) shows an MR power car but with what looks like a steam stock trailer.

 

[D6130]

The odd one (top right) shows an MR power car but with what looks like a steam stock trailer.

I think it's the top centre photo (PBE 050) which shows an ex-Midland power car (modified with diamond frame pantograph) in platform 6 at Lancaster Castle.

 

[Gloster]

In PEB050 M28612 is one of the original Midland vehicles.

 

[30907]

I think it's the top centre photo (PBE 050) which shows an ex-Midland power car (modified with diamond frame pantograph) in platform 6 at Lancaster Castle.

Same photo, different location on my device.

In PEB050 M28612 is one of the original Midland vehicles.

Agreed. I note that it is still in LMS livery - not surprising as they were withdrawn in 1951.

 

[Kubsamboll]

I did some research and found some strange drawings of three-car trainsets with pantographs similar to those on the LB&SCR South London Stock units. But now the question arises whether such a unit actually existed or is it just a concept?

Nie wiem do końca czy tak on wyglądał, ale narysowałem tą tajemniczą jednostkę.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Jan 2025 ==

Nie wiem do końca czy tak on wyglądał, ale narysowałem tą tajemniczą jednostkę.

"I don't know exactly if this is what it looked like, but I drew this mysterious unit" (Sorry I accidentally wrote it in Polish.).

 

[30907]

"I don't know exactly if this is what it looked like, but I drew this mysterious unit"

The window layout of the motor car corresponds to the photo, except that the doors appear to have a single window not a double - but interestingly the same discrepancy applies to the Rue d-Etropal model - possibly they were altered at some stage?

 

[etr221]

Of the original 3 motor coaches, two had Siemens electric equipment, each with two bow collectors, the other Westinghouse equipment with a (diamond) pantograph. I don't know whether they (and the trailers) could all work in multiple together, or whether the two types of equipment had to be kept seperate, either initially or later.

 

[Springs Branch]

Maybe a bit difficult for the OP to access from Poland, but there is a photo of one of the elusive Midland driving trailers on p.88 of the book Electric Railways of Liverpool and Manchester by Graeme Gleaves.

There's also a photo of one of the motor coaches in original Midland Railway livery on p.87. Both images are obviously copyright, so I can't post any scans on here.

Until now I hadn't realised that these MR specimens were the first AC powered electric trains in Britain, predating the LBSCR operation in South London by a year or so.