LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Lichfield

Chester Road Station: lnwrcr2337

A DMU is seen arriving at the down platform whilst at the head of a Lichfield to Birmingham New Street service in 1956. The station's up platform is on the left and the passenger waiting room is much smaller reflecting that the most passenger traffic was to Birmingham which is why the main office and other facilities were located on the down platform. The Derby Lightweight Diesel Multiple Units (DMU), were the first such trains to be built en-masse for British Railways. The units were built at British Railway's Derby works from 1954 to 1955. The units were built in various formations, including twelve power twin 2-car units, eighty-four power-trailer 2-car units, and four 4-car units. The two single car units were originally built as a two-car unit and then split two years later reflecting the demand for such vehicles.

The first DMU's were introduced on services around the West Riding of Yorkshire, namely Leeds to Bradford services. Subsequent units were introduced onto services in Cumberland, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Birmingham to Sutton Coldfield, Bletchley to Buckingham and Banbury, and East London lines services. These units were considered to be an outstanding success, helping to reduce the operating costs of branchlines. As such, British Railways ordered many more DMU vehicles from various builders over the next decade, thus helping to eliminate steam locomotives. However, as these units were non-standard compared to other later DMU vehicles, they were subject to early retirement so the last units were withdrawn from normal traffic in 1969.

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