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DMU MEMORIES

Discussion in 'Diesel & Electric Traction' started by 50044 Exeter, Jan 17, 2010.

  1. 50044 Exeter

    50044 Exeter New Member

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    In the 1980's, i have fond memories of saturday afternoons at Tile Hill station (near Coventry) of a parcels or mail working from Birmingham heading towards Coventry using a class 128 DMU. Can anyone tell me about this working, where it started it's journey and where it ended. Sadly no Class 128 DMU's were ever preserved.:spy:

    Also i remember Exeter St Davids , where DMU's Were constantly filled with Coolant, much to the annoyance of there drivers!
    :mad2:
     
    50044 Exeter, Jan 17, 2010
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  2. pcgenius9

    pcgenius9 Member

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    I think it was quiet common for the engines to gain coolant leaks from all sorts of places, especially in the later years and so they had to regularly top them up in service to prevent an engine from cutting out at high-speed and damaging the transmission. Some vehicles have a later (probably 1980's) modification on them which prevents the engine from starting if there isn't a good head of coolant in the tank by using a float switch.

    As for the 128's, not sure really. They were allocated to that region and may have done all sorts of diagrams and not necessarily on their own (they were Blue Square and could work with many other classes). It is a shame none were preserved though as they were pretty powerful having 2x 230hp Leyland Albion engines on just a single car and could have been brilliant on preserved lines as 'fast', but economical P-Way manrider trains.
     
    pcgenius9, Jan 19, 2010
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  3. M59137

    M59137 Well-Known Member

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    How about it for the first DMU Newbuild project?!? Class 115's appear pretty similar below floor level, donor vehicle with new body on top perhaps? :)

    Somehow I don't think It'd have quite the same "Tornado" effect!
     
    M59137, Jan 19, 2010
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  4. Western Dreamer

    Western Dreamer Member

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    On the subject of DMUs, when, roughly, were the liveries on the 121/2 bubblecar units changed from all blue to BR blue & grey? I'm thinking that this must have happened in the late 70s around the time the candy-stripe livery was introduced but perhaps it was a bit later.
     
    Western Dreamer, Jan 19, 2010
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  5. pcgenius9

    pcgenius9 Member

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    I think it was a gradual thing over a few year's but yes it was probably between 1978 and 1980.
     
    pcgenius9, Jan 19, 2010
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  6. Western Dreamer

    Western Dreamer Member

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    That feels about right. The change made them look a bit more like coaches than locos but they wore both well.
     
    Western Dreamer, Jan 19, 2010
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  7. pcgenius9

    pcgenius9 Member

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    I think they looked good like that too. Ours is in green but then again I do like the Devon one in Reggie Rail!!
     
    pcgenius9, Jan 19, 2010
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  8. buseng

    buseng Part of the furniture

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    buseng, Jan 19, 2010
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  9. pcgenius9

    pcgenius9 Member

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    Thats a shame actually. Sometimes it is nice to get a variety of liveries.
     
    pcgenius9, Jan 19, 2010
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