British Rail Class 117 | |
---|---|
In service | 1959–2000; one unit used in departmental use until 2015 |
Manufacturer | Pressed Steel Company |
Family name | First generation |
Replaced | Steam locomotives and carriages |
Constructed | 1959–1961 |
Number built | 123 cars (42 DMBS, 42 DMS, 39 TCL) |
Number preserved | 35 cars (17 DMBS, 16 DMS, 23 TCL) |
Number scrapped | 88 cars (25 DMBS, 26 DMS, 16 TCL) |
Formation | DMBS-TCL-DMS |
Operators | British Rail ScotRail Silverlink |
Lines served | Western Region London Midland region Scottish region |
Specifications | |
Car body construction | Steel |
Car length | 64 ft 0 in (19.51 m) |
Width | 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) |
Height | 12 ft 8+1⁄2 in (3.87 m) |
Doors | Slam |
Maximum speed | 70 mph (113 km/h) |
Weight | Power cars: 36 long tons 0 cwt (80,600 lb or 36.6 t), Trailer cars: 30 long tons 0 cwt (67,200 lb or 30.5 t) |
Prime mover(s) | BUT (AEC) then BUT (Leyland), of 150 hp (110 kW), (both types), two per power car |
Power output | 600 hp (450 kW) per 3-car set |
Transmission | Mechanical |
HVAC | Oil burning air heater |
Braking system(s) | Vacuum |
Safety system(s) | AWS |
Coupling system | Screw |
Multiple working | ■ Blue Square |
Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
The British Rail Class 117 diesel multiple units (DMUs) were built by Pressed Steel from 1959 to 1961. It was a licence-built variant of the British Rail Class 116. [1]
A total of 123 Class 117 cars were built by Pressed Steel between 1959 and 1961, delivered as 39 three-car units plus three pairs of spare motor coaches. When first introduced in 1960, these three-car units were all based with the similar Class 121 single carriage (railcar) units on British Railways Western Region for suburban work out of London Paddington. The units were largely based at Reading and Southall depots. The units remained here for many years working these services. [2]
The type was used for a railtour from Paddington to the south west on 31 May 1969. [3]
In the 1980s, expiry of other DMUs facilitated moves for some units from the Western Region to Birmingham, as below, and Scotland, prior to the delivery of new units to replace them. They were given refurbishments.
The first shake up in ownership occurred in the late 1980s, when the Scottish, Welsh, Cornish and Birmingham based units were transferred to Provincial Services, later Regional Railways, in the sectorisation of British Rail, while the Southall-based units transferred to Network SouthEast.
They were replaced on the lines out of Paddington when the Class 165/1 'Network Turbo' units came into service by 28 November 1992. [4]
They soldiered on in the former Western Region until replaced by Class 150 and Class 153 DMUs by 21 May 1993, although the type could be found running Penzance - Looe services until 1997. An attempt was made to remove them from Cornish work using Class 142 "Skipper/Pacer" railcars, but these fixed wheelbase units proved to be a liability on the tight Cornish branchline curves, increasing rail and wheel wear, and were transferred to the North of England instead. The 117s were finally replaced with the advent of more Class 150s and Class 153s freed up from other areas. [5]
The type was used in Scotland between Edinburgh - Perth, Cowdenbeath and Markinch using the Forth Bridge and continued to work in Scotland until 12 January 1998, where they were replaced with Class 156s.[ citation needed ] The final day of 117s running in Scotland was 27 November 1999. [6]
In 2000, Class 150 Sprinter units replaced the Class 117 units on Silverlink, finally bringing to an end decades of service on Britain's rail network in front line service. [7]
Lot No. | Type | Diagram | Qty | Fleet numbers | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
30546 | Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) | 534 | 42 | 51332–51373 | |
30547 | Trailer Composite with lavatory (TCL) | 601 | 39 | 59484–59522 | |
30548 | Driving Motor Second (DMS) | 535 | 42 | 51374–51415 | |
Due to the type's longevity, 12 units have been preserved on heritage railways.
Set number | Vehicle numbers | Livery | Location | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DMBS | TCL | DMS | ||||
L721 | 51363 | 59510 | 51405 | BR Green | Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway | Fully operational, owned by Cotswold Diesel Railcar Ltd Archived 13 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine . |
117204 | 51365 | - | 51407 | BR Green | Plym Valley Railway | |
117301 | 51353 | - | - | ScotRail | Wensleydale Railway | Bought by a local community group. [8] 51395 Scrapped March 2013 |
117310 | - | - | 51381 | Regional Railways | Mangapps Railway Museum | - |
117311 | 51352 | - | 51376 | Yellow DMBS, Green with whiskers DMS | South Devon Railway | Currently Under Restoration to run with W55000. [9] |
- | 51371 | - | 51413 | BR Green | MOD Long Marston | Preserved June 2015 [10] |
117313 | 51339 | 59506 | 51382 | BR Green | Colne Valley Railway | Moved from East Lancashire Railway in 2021 |
L702 | 51356 | 59492 | 51392 | BR Green | Swanage Railway | 51356 restored to main line standard. [11] |
- | 51342 | - | 51384 | BR Green | Epping Ongar Railway | Repainted into BR green from EOR dark blue livery |
- | 51346 | 59486 | 51388 | BR Green | Swanage Railway | Overhauled & Mainline Registered. |
117444 | 51360 | BR Blue | Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway | Has recently been refloored inside, expected to return to BR green in due course. | ||
- | 51347 | 59508 | 51401 | BR Green | Gwili Railway | |
- | 51367 | 59511 | 51402 | BR Green | Strathspey Railway | 51402 and 51367 both now repainted, 59511 being restored |
L432 | 51370 | 59520 | 51412 | BR Blue | Mid-Norfolk Railway | - |
- | 51372 | - | - | BR Blue | Private site; Titley junction station [12] | - |
- | - | 59509 | 51400 | BR Green | Wensleydale Railway | Main-line certificated by RESCO |
- | 51351 | - | 51397 | Green | Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway | |
L720 | 51354 | - | 51396 | BR Green | Peak Rail | |
- | - | - | 51375 | BR Green | Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway | Rebuilt as an intermediate car by Chiltern Railways for use as a water jetting van. Sold in 2015 to its current owner |
- | - | 59488 | - | Green and Cream | Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway | |
- | 59493 | - | BR Green | West Somerset Railway | ||
- | - | 59494 | - | Green and Cream | Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway | |
- | - | 59500 | - | Green and Cream | Wensleydale Railway | |
- | - | 59501 | - | BR Green | Great Central Railway | |
- | - | 59503 | - | Chocolate and Cream | Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway | |
- | - | 59507 | - | Chocolate and Cream | Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway | |
- | - | 59513 | - | Chocolate and Cream | Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway | |
- | - | 59514 | - | BR Green | Swindon and Cricklade Railway | |
- | - | 59515 | - | Blood and Custard | Yeovil Railway Centre | |
- | - | 59517 | - | Chocolate and Cream | Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway | |
- | - | 59521 | - | Scotrail | Helston Railway | |
- | - | 59522 | - | BR Blue and Grey | Chasewater Railway | |
- | - | 59511 | - | BR Green | Strathspey Railway | |
- | 51366 | - | - | - | - | parts survive [13] |
- | - | 59505 | - | BR Green | Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway | Under restoration, owned by Cotswold Diesel Railcar Ltd Archived 13 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine . [14] |
The British Rail Class 108 diesel multiple units were built by BR Derby from 1958 to 1961, with a final production quantity of 333 vehicles.
The British Rail Class 121 is a single-car double-ended diesel multiple unit. 16 driving motor vehicles were built from 1960, numbered 55020–55035. These were supplemented by ten single-ended trailer vehicles, numbered 56280–56289. They have a top speed of 70 mph (113 km/h), with slam-doors, and vacuum brakes. The driving motor vehicles were nicknamed "Bubble Cars" by some enthusiasts.
The British Rail Class 122 diesel mechanical multiple units were built by Gloucester RC&W in 1958. Twenty single-car, double-ended driving motor vehicles, nicknamed "Bubble Cars", were built, numbered 55000–55019. These were supplemented by nine single-ended trailer vehicles, numbered 56291–56299.
The British Rail Class 116 diesel multiple units were built by BR Derby from 1957 to 1961. Introduced as part of the British Railways Modernisation Plan in the mid 1950s, as with other first generation DMUs the 116 was intended to replace steam trains and reduce costs across the rail network. Alongside Metro-Cammell, BR Derby had prior experience with DMUs, having developed a Lightweight Unit, and so was awarded a contract for a new design.
The British Rail Class 104 diesel multiple units were built by Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company from 1957 to 1959.
The British Rail Classes 101 and 102 diesel-mechanical multiple units were built by Metro-Cammell at Washwood Heath in Birmingham, England, from 1956 to 1959, following construction of a series of prototype units. These classes proved to be some of the most successful and longest-lived of BR's First Generation DMUs, second in longevity 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.
The British Rail Class 50 is a class of diesel locomotives designed to haul express passenger trains at 100 mph (160 km/h). Built by English Electric at the Vulcan Foundry in Newton-le-Willows between 1967 and 1968, the Class 50s were initially on a 10-year lease from English Electric Leasing, and were employed hauling express passenger trains on the then non-electrified section of the West Coast Main Line between Crewe and Scotland. Initially numbered D400–D449 and known as English Electric Type 4s, the locomotives were purchased outright by British Rail (BR) at the end of the lease and became Class 50 in the TOPS renumbering of 1973.
The British Rail Class 118 diesel multiple units were built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (BRCW) and introduced from 1960. It was a licence-built version of the British Rail Class 116.
The British Rail Class 103 diesel multiple units were built by Park Royal Vehicles with diesel engines by British United Traction (BUT). Ordered in the first half of 1955, 20 of these sets were built by Park Royal at the Crossley Motors works in Stockport of the ACV Group. They consisted of a power car and a driving trailer. Standard BUT equipment was fitted, with 'A' type engines.
The British Rail Class 155 is a diesel multiple unit passenger train. These DMUs were built by Leyland Bus at Workington between 1987 and 1988 as part of BR's replacement of its ageing first-generation diesel fleet. 42 units were originally built, of which only 7 remain; the other 35 units were converted to Class 153 railcars.
The British Rail Class 27 is a diesel locomotive built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (BRCW) during 1961 and 1962. They were a development of the earlier Class 26; both were originally classified as the BRCW Type 2. The Class 27s were numbered D5347-D5415.
The British Rail Classes 105 and 106 diesel multiple units were built by Cravens Ltd. of Sheffield from 1956 to 1959. The class were built with a side profile identical to British Railways Mark 1 carriage stock, using the same doors and windows. None were selected for refurbishment. The last passenger car was withdrawn from service in 1988.
The British Rail Class 107 diesel multiple units were built by the Derby Works of British Railways and were introduced in 1960. The class looked similar to the later Class 108 units, but were heavier, being built from steel.
The Class 112 and Class 113 DMUs used the standard Cravens body used on Class 105s but had a single Rolls-Royce C8NFLH engine rated at 238 hp (177 kW) per car, all of which formed into 'power twins' – two car sets with both vehicles powered.
The British Rail Class 115 diesel multiple units were 41 high-density sets which operated the outer-suburban services from Marylebone usually to destinations such as High Wycombe, Aylesbury and Banbury which are on the Chiltern Main Line and Great Central Main Line. Sometimes, these sets used to operate 8- or 12-car-long expresses to Nottingham Victoria in the final years of the GCML. Coincidentally, Class 115 units operated services under Table 115 in the British Rail timetable.
The British Rail Class 210 was a type of diesel-electric multiple unit (DEMU) passenger train designed and constructed by British Rail Engineering Limited's Derby Litchurch Lane Works.
The British Rail Class 140 was the prototype of the Pacer diesel multiple unit.
The British Rail Class 124 diesel multiple units were built by BR Swindon Works in 1960.
The British Rail Class 128 was a class of diesel multiple unit, built for British Rail. Introduced in 1959, ten of the class were built by Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company, each with two 230 hp British United Traction - Albion engines. The class was built specifically for parcels, fitted out with parcel racks and bike storage at each end, and did not feature any passenger accommodation. The last members of the class were withdrawn in 1990 and broken up the following year, and none were preserved.
The British Rail Class 125 was a design of three car Diesel Multiple Unit built by BR Derby at Derby Works in 1958. They were almost identical in appearance to the Class 116.