Class101 W51225 DMU Banbury Photo: Charles Moorhen |
In British Rail blue and white livery, Western Region L202 Class 101 W51225 Driving Motor Brake DMU, photographed on a sunny April day in 1989 about to depart Banbury station, Oxfordshire, England, for Oxford, forming the front unit of a 2-car formation.
W51225 was built in 1958 by Metropolitan-Cammell at Washwood Heath, Birmingham, England.
Commonly known as British Rail's First Generation DMUs, the Class 101 fleet contained a total of 527 units in service, many of which were in use until the final 101 was withdrawn in Dec 2003.
W51225 was scrapped by Gwent Demolition, Margam, Wales, though 22 others managed to escape this fate and are preserved on Heritage Railways at various locations in Britain.
The Class 101 has one enduring and endearing claim to fame; it was the basis for Daisy the Diesel Railcar in The Railway Series books written by the Rev. W.Awdry, then subsequently appearing in the television series, Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends where Daisy (YouTube video clip) appears as a single-car unit.
Daisy the Diesel Railcar |