British Rail Class 103
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The British Rail Class 103 diesel multiple units were built by Park Royal.
Contents |
[edit] Preservation
Only four Class 103 vehicles survived into preservation. 50413 and 56169 are currently being restored by the Helston Railway Diesel Group for use on the Helston branch line, and the other two vehicles are now safe. An email list set up for people interested in Class 103 (see website).
| Number | Type | Location | Owner | Condition | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50397 | DMBS | Private site, Swansea | Park Royal Vehicles Ltd | Very poor. Contains asbestos in gangway fabric, air intakes and heating ducts | To move to Amman Valley Railway | |
| 50413 | DMBS | Gwinear Road | HRDG | Stripped part-restored, work continuing | ||
| 56160 | DTCL | Privately site, Bodfari | Privately owned | Stored | Possible move to Amman Valley Railway | |
| 56169 | DTCL | Gwinear Road | HRDG | In process of restoration, near complete |
[edit] Introduction
Ordered in the first half of 1955, 20 of these sets were built by Park Royal at the Crossley Motors works in Stockport of the ACV Group. They consisted of a power car and driving trailer. Standard BUT equipment was fitted, with 'A' type engines.
A two car set with 16 first class and 100 second class seats weighed just under 60 tons, representing 1,150 lb (520 kg) a seat and had 5 hp per ton of empty weight or 4.35 hp per ton when full.
They operated on the LMR and latterly some on the WR. The last vehicle was withdrawn in 1983.
[edit] Description
When the design was being considered, it was established that the use of orthodox body & underframe construction would produce an unfavourable power-weight ratio, bearing in mind the nature of the intended operation of the cars and the resultant need for good acceleration. So, to achieve the required strength of structure with the necessary weight reduction, an integral steel design was evolved.
This was based on a frame, not self-supporting. Two 8 in x 3 in channel section longitudinals of standard rolled section threaded through folded channel transverse members (a patented feature) which tapered up to the 5/16 in m.s. fabricated two section solebars. When the body sides were erected, an additional 5/16 in thick m.s. angle was welded the full length of the solebar bringing it up to a depth of 15 in with interval stiffening beneath each doorway opening. Drawgear and buffing loads were distributed throughout each end of the frame by diagonal members and plating, taking the main component of these loads to the bolster, a fabricated assembly based on two boxed transverse members. The complete frame was welded in one jig following setting up and incorporation of the required camber.
The bodyside structure used 14g m.s. top hat section pillars welded on the inner face to the angle solebar extrusion members, and these, together with "top hat" and Z-section longitudinal members were jig welded in units before panelling. To minimise distortion, the exterior 16 s.w.g. exterior panelling was welded into bodyside units, clamped to the bodyside framing units in a welding fixture and welded to the pillars through vertical slots in the pillar faces.
To achieve the necessary distribution of stress concentrations in the body side and underframe shown up in the stress diagram, a deep cantrail was essential and was achieved by the use of a 15 inch deep 10 s.w.g. exterior core panel in one piece running the full length of the body. The roofsticks were two aluminium alloy angles spaced by 1/8 inch alloy connecting plates. They were connected to gussets welded to the Z section longitudinal member at the top of the roof stress panels. The roof panels were 16 s.w.g. aluminium alloy, riveted to the roof sticks and overlapped and riveted to the stress panels. The exterior cove panel, combined with the double angle roof sticks and a connecting channel lower cant to pick up the pillars, resulted in a structure of great stiffness, particularly in the longitudinal stress concentrations.
During static load testing a maximum deflection on the frame line of 1/8 in was recorded with 200% overload, with consistent return to zero on overloading. The main body sides were welded to the set up underframe and the solebar extrusion angle, which formed the body side bottom member, was welded the full length of the solebar. The front and end frames, also jig built units, were then mounted and the complete roof, again a jig built unit, was secured at cant level. Until this stage the underframe remained supported throughout its length with the necessary camber, and only when the complete shell was assembled was the unit self-supporting.
Light alloy Oleo pneumatic buffers and standard screw couplings were used. Two of the channel section cross-members were positioned at the bogie pivot positions, spaced by 5/16 in m.s. plate welded above and below. The bogie design followed the BR standard steel design for railcars, except using folded steel sections on place of rolled members. Standard BR pattern 3ft diameter wheels and axles were used with SKF self-aligning roller bearing axleboxes, and standard pattern BR brake blocks and carriers. The underframe and bogie frames were supplied by John Thompson (Motor Pressings) Ltd, with wheels and axles from Owen & Dyson Ltd. Laminated springs were by Willford & Co Ltd and coil springs by Turton Bros & Matthews Ltd.
Electrical equipment was powered by an engine driven Stones generator and control panel. On the trailer car the generator was bogie mounted and axle driven, and incorporated a reversible drive. Batteries (BR type BR A 2) were lead acid of 440 A·h. Saloon lighting could be either switched to full or half, and was controlled from either cab or the guards compartment. The main wiring for the lighting, control and heater control circuits was carried in trunking at floor level. The standard DMU heating system of two Smiths combustion heaters was used, ducted to outlets throughout the saloons.
Braking was originally by two 22 inch vacuum cylinders in the power car (later changed to the new standard 21" rolling ring type) and two 18 inch cylinders in the trailers. The cylinders were controlled by the Gresham & Craven quick release brake system. Rotary exhausters were driven of each engine via v-belts connected to the gearbox input shaft. Two engine mounted Westinghouse compressors supplied the air for engine, gearbox and final drive control units, as well as the horn.
Interior
Limpet blue asbestos supplied by J. W. Robertson Limited was sprayed on the inside of all exterior panelling. The flooring, which was bolted to the main crossmembers and to the intermediate supports, was 7/8 inch thick Douglas fir ply, with 1/2 inch thick insulation on top.
The second class seating was "bus" type tubular frame seats, with a polished top handrail, in 2 + 3 formation. These lower back seats were promoted as giving better visibility and an aid to reducing travel sickness. All seats had Dunlopillo cushions and Hairlock squabs. The first class, also formed from tubular framing, were higher backed, with armrests in a 2 + 2 style. The original moquette used was blue and grey in first and maroon and grey in second. The interior walls were unusual in that they were leathercloth covered lining panels up to cantrail level, in colours matching the seats. Ceiling panels were Laconite. Rubber filled aluminium mouldings were fitted to protect the enamel of the roof covering behind the anodised aluminium tubular luggage racks. These were supplied by Deans & Son (Yorkshire) Ltd who also supplied the seat frames. There were flush-fitting coir fibre door mats in a sunken pan at each door way. The floors had 3/16 inch thick linoleum, covered with carpets in first class.
The vestibules were formed by glazed partitions trimmed to match the saloon, and first class was separated by a sliding door.
Beclawat full-drop balanced windows were fitted to exterior doors, and the main side windows were glazed in a wide aluminium pan which formed the drain trough, supplied by Hallam, Sleigh & Cheston Ltd. Standard sliding window ventilators were fitted, with Airvac extraction ventilators in the roof. The toilets were finished in ivory enamel with black mouldings.
The drivers desk, with orthodox control layout, was faced with black formica.
In later years the DTCs were declassified to second class only. The two figure headcode panels were latterly plated over.
[edit] Operations
They were allocated new to the LMR, spending most of their time at Chester. The first deliveries went to traffic in the Llandudno area, allocated to Llandudno Jct. The last four sets were transferred to the WR, and worked in the Cardiff and Reading areas. Although considered non-standard, their use of standard BUT equipment and blue square coupling code allowed them to operate with other classes.
They spent some time in the Watford area, working the St Albans and Belmont branches after the demise of the ACV/BUT railcars.
On the 8th May 1972 an oil train 'ran away' and crashed in Chester General station. M50407 and M56154 were in an adjacent platform and damaged beyond repair.
[edit] Liveries
They were delivered in Brunswick green with cream lining, red bufferbeam and pale grey roof. The first sets were delivered without speed whiskers. Plain blue with yellow ends was later applied, initially with just a small yellow panel.
[edit] Decline
The bodywork became troublesome in service, seeing many withdrawn early. By the end of 1972 there were only 12 power and 14 trailers left in service. The last power car was withdrawn in December 1982, and the last trailer in February 1983.
[edit] References
- The Railcar Association
- Motive Power Recognition: 3 DMUs. Colin J. Marsden
- British Railway Pictorial: First Generation DMUs. Kevin Robertson
- British Rail Fleet Survey 8: Diesel Multiple Units- The First Generation. Brian Haresnape
- A Pictorial Record of British Railways Diesel Multiple Units. Brian Golding
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