Present your case

If there’s a prototype that you think needs to be offered ready-to-run, here’s the place to voice your opinion…

Locomotive: Class 100 two-car DMU

Scale: ‘N’ and ‘OO’

Proposed by: James Darwin

What is it?

Built in 1957-58 by Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (GRCW), the initial request was for 20 two-car sets, but a follow-on order meant another 20 twin-car sets were produced. Featuring a lightweight body construction and boasting good acceleration, the diesel multiple units were intended to breathe new life into secondary passenger services in the Birmingham and Manchester areas. Sets were also allocated to the Scottish region primarily for workings out of Edinburgh.

Each two-car set was formed from a DMBS (Driving Motor Brake Second) and DTCL (Driving Trailer Composite with Lavatory), with only one of the cars powered by a pair of AEC six-cylinder diesel engines and mechanical transmission.

As BR began refurbishing its DMU fleet in the early 1970s, the Class 100s were not included in the programme. Withdrawals began in 1972. Early casualties were the unpowered cars which, by this time, had lost their First class accommodation, being reclassified as Driving Trailer Second (Lavatory) vehicles. As a result of these withdrawals, several ‘power twin’ sets were formed using pairs of DMBS cars.

Over their lifetime, the Class 100s operated across a fairly wide area, including southern Scotland, North West England, North Wales, the Midlands and East Anglia, with the last examples finally withdrawn from BR passenger use in 1988. Two sets entered Departmental service, operating as inspection trains on the Eastern Region until the early 1990s, while a single DTS(L) also enjoyed a Departmental career at Crewe, surviving in store until 2000.

What would make it viable?

My wish for a Class 100 is primarily for my

‘N’ gauge layout based in East Anglia during the 1970s, but I imagine that it would be a hit in ‘OO’ too, thanks to the geographical coverage and long period of operation. It also looks sufficiently different to other existing DMU types in both scales.

After a burst of activity with its Derby Lightweight, Cravens Class 105 and Derby-built Class 108 and 117, Bachmann and Farish have been quiet on the DMU front in recent years. I hear that producing DMU models is an expensive business, but that hasn’t deterred Heljan and Revolution Trains from launching a variety of units with two or more cars.

The tooling could reflect changes to the cab ends, as two-character headcode displays were rendered obsolete and two or three headlamps were installed. In terms of liveries, numerous versions of BR green were carried, while the application of BR’S ‘corporate’ Rail blue also differed over the years. There are also the Departmental versions, plus the single DTS car modified as a driving car for the Fison’s weedkilling train.

Can I see a real one?

Yes. A total of six cars were preserved, but only three survive. A two-car set is at the Midland Railway – Butterley and a DTCL is at the Mid-norfolk Railway.

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