British Rail Class 118
| British Rail Class 118 | |
|---|---|
|
BR class 118 DMU Nos. 51302+59469+51317 in British Telecom advertising livery | |
| In service | 1960-1994 |
| Manufacturer | Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company |
| Number built | 15 sets (45 cars) |
| Number preserved | 1 car (DMS 51321) |
| Formation | 3-car sets: DMBS-TCL-DMS |
| Capacity |
DMBS: 65 second TCL: 24 first, 50 second DMS: 89 second |
| Operator(s) | British Rail |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 64 ft 6 in (19.66 m) |
| Width | 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) |
| Maximum speed | 70 mph (113 km/h) |
| Weight |
Power cars: 36 long tons 0 cwt (80,600 lb or 36.6 t), Trailer cars: 30 long tons 0 cwt (67,200 lb or 30.5 t) |
| Prime mover(s) | Two BUT engines per power car |
| Power output | 150 hp (112 kW) per engine |
| Safety system(s) | AWS |
| Multiple working | ■ Blue Square |
The British Rail Class 118 diesel multiple units were built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company (BRCW) and introduced from 1960.
Originally allocated to the Western Region, the final vehicles were allocated to Tyseley depot in Birmingham, and were all withdrawn by 1994. Like most first generation DMUs they were originally BR Green, then plain blue, and finally blue and grey, with a few receiving Network SouthEast livery. One set was painted in all over yellow with advertisements for British Telecom.
A normal formation was three vehicles- a Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) which had two BUT engines (Later fitted with Leyland), a driving compartment(cab), 65 second class seats, guards accommodation and luggage/parcels space, a Trailer Composite Lavatory (TCL) which had no engines or driving compartment, but had 22 first class seats, 48 second class seats and a lavatory, and a Driving Motor Second (DMS), which like the DMBS had two engines and a driver's cab, and contained 89 second class seats. Having the 'blue square' multiple working system allowed them to run in formations containing up to 12 cars with most of BR's other DMUs.
Two vehicles were converted to sandite use.
Orders
| Lot No. | Type | Diagram | Qty | Fleet Numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30543 | Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) | 850 | 15 | 51302–51316 | |
| 30544 | Trailer Composite with lavatory (TCL) | 851 | 15 | 59469–59483 | |
| 30545 | Driving Motor Second (DMS) | 852 | 15 | 51317–51331 | |
Preservation
Only one Class 118, Number 51321, entered preservation and is at the Battlefield Line. This unit is working on the railway being paired with class 122 based on the railway.
References
- 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