Description
Derby Lightweight 2-Car DMU BR Green (Early Emblem)
MODEL FEATURES:
• Bachmann Branchline OO Scale
• Era 4
• Pristine BR Green (Early Emblem) Livery
• 2-Car Unit comprising DMBS No. M79121 and DTCL No. M79642
• Destination Blinds for Coventry and Wolverhampton
• Accessory-pack
• Directional and interior lighting
History
The British Rail Derby Lightweight diesel multiple units, were the first such trains to be built en-masse for British Railways. The units were built at BR’s Derby Works from 1954 to 1955. The units were built in var-ious formations, including 12 power-twin 2-car units, 84 power-trailer 2-car units, and four 4-car units. The first units were introduced on ser-vices around the West Riding of Yorkshire, namely Leeds to Bradford and Harrogate services from 14 June 1954. Subsequent units were intro-duced onto services in West Cumbria, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Newcastle to Middlesbrough, Edinburgh to Glasgow and, later, Birmingham to Sut-ton Coldfield, Bletchley to Buckingham and Banbury, and East London lines services. They were also the last units to run on the Anglesey Cen-tral Railway which closed to public traffic in 1964.
These units were an outstanding success, helping to reduce the operat-ing costs of branchlines. Initially they also attracted many more pas-sengers. Between February and October 1956 on the London Midland, they carried 800,000 more passengers than steam in the same period of 1955. The largest increases were on the Buckingham-Banbury, Birming-ham-Lichfield, Bury-Bacup, Llandudno-Blaenau Ffestiniog and Manches-ter-Buxton routes. As such, British Railways ordered many more DMU vehicles from various builders over the next decade, thus helping to elim-inate steam locomotives. However, as these units were non-standard compared to other later DMU vehicles, they were subject to early retire-ment. The last units were withdrawn from normal traffic in 1969, having clocked-up 15 years front line service.
