LMS Route: Berkswell to Kenilworth Junction

Kenilworth Junction: lnwrkj3781

A Park Royal two-car Diesel Multiple Unit set, on the 08:20am Leamington Spa to Nuneaton service, collects the token from Kenilworth Junction Signal Box on the 25th June 1964. A two-car set with 16 first class and 100 second class seats weighed just under 60 long tons, representing 1,150 lb a seat and had 5 hp per ton of empty weight or 4.35 horse power per ton when full. Later classified under TOPS as Class 103 Diesel Multiple Units, the twenty sets ordered in the first half of 1955 were built by Park Royal Vehicles at their Crossley Motors works in Stockport with diesel engines by British United Traction (BUT). The twenty sets consisted of a power car and a driving trailer fitted with standard BUT equipment, with 'A' type engines. Delivered in Brunswick green with cream lining, red bufferbeam and pale grey roof, the first sets were delivered without 'speed whiskers' (a decorative device on the front). Later they received a plain blue livery with yellow ends. The bodywork was to become troublesome in service resulting in many being withdrawn earlier than anticipated. By the end of 1972 there were only twelve power and fourteen trailers left in service. The last power car in service was withdrawn in December 1982 whilst the last trailer in service managed a few months more being withdrawn in February 1983.

This photograph is also available from the RCTS (Railway Correspondence and Travel Society), copies can be ordered directly from them using the link here. Please quote MM00253.

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