Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

providing a capacity of 103 all second class. Each car had its own 238-horsepower engine. They were paired together as is shown in the following table. The number prefix ‘M’ referred only to the fact that they were Midland Division units. There were two styles of body on these early units. Those with the large head-code boxes set centrally above the front windscreens were fitted with torque converters. The earlier sets had conventional gearboxes with the large head-code boxes positioned below the windscreens, and small destination boxes positioned centrally over the cabs. This is an example of one of the earlier sets. Although delivered in the sets as shown, it was necessary to exchange cars due to mechanical and other considerations, which was why they were not always withdrawn in the original pairings and scrapped at different locations. Clas s DMBS – DMCL New Withdrawn Scrapped by 112 M51697 – M51722 October 1959 Nov. 1969 Bird, Long Marston 112 M51698 – M51723 October 1959 Nov. 1968 King, Wymondham 112 M51699 – M51724 October 1959 Nov. 1968 King, Wymondham 112 M51700 – M51725 October 1959 Nov. 1969 Bird, Long Marston 112 M51701 – M51726 October 1959 Nov. 1969 Bird, Long Marston 112 M51702 – M51727 October 1959 Nov. 1969 Bird, Long Marston 112 M51703 – M51728 October 1959 Nov. 1969 Bird, Long Marston 112 M51704 – M51729 October 1959 Nov. 1968 King, Wymondham 112 M51705 – M51730 November 1959 Dec. 1967/ Nov. 1969 Spring Vale & Bird 113 M51731 – M51756 November 1959 July 1969/Apr. 1969 Milton Metals, Briton Ferry & King 113 M51732 – M51757 November 1959 July 1969 Milton Metals, Briton Ferry 113 M51733 – M51758 November 1959 Feb. 1969/July 1969 King, Wymondham & Milton Metals 113 M51734 – M51759 November 1959 Apr. 1969/July 1969 King, Wymondham & Milton Metals 113 M51735 – M51760 December 1959 July 1969 Milton Metals, Briton Ferry 113 M51736 – M51761 February 1960 Apr. 1969/May 1969 King & Thompson, Stockton. 113 M51737 – M51762 December 1959 July 1969 Milton Metals, Briton Ferry 113 M51738 – M51763* December 1959 July 1969/Dec. 1966 Milton Metals & Carlisle, Currock 113 M51739 – M51764 December 1959 May 1969/July 1969 Armytage, Sheepsbridge & Milton 113 M51740 – M51765 January 1960 July 1969 Milton Metals, Briton Ferry 113 M51741 – M51766 January 1960 Apr. 1969/July 1969 King, Wymondham & Milton Metals 113 M51742 – M51767 January 1960 July 1969 Milton Metals, Briton Ferry 113 M51743 – M51768 January 1960 Apr. 1969/Feb. 1969 King & Thompson, Stockton 113 M51744 – M51769 January 1960 May 1969 Armytage & Thompson, Stockton 113 M51745 – M51770* January 1960 July 1969/June 1964 Milton Metals & Doncaster Works 113 M51746 – M51771 February 1960 July 1969 Milton Metals, Briton Ferry 113 M51747 – M51772 February 1960 July 1969/Apr. 1969 Milton Metals & King, Norwich 113 M51748 – M51773 February 1960 Apr. 1969/July 1969 King, Wymondham & Milton Metals 113 M51749 – M51774 February 1960 July 1969 Milton Metals, Briton Ferry 113 M51750 – M51775 March 1960 July 1969 Milton Metals, Briton Ferry 113 M51751 – M51776 March 1960 July 1969 Milton Metals, Briton Ferry 113 M51752 – M51777 March 1960 July 1969 Milton Metals, Briton Ferry 113 M51753 – M51778 April 1960 July 1969/Mar. 1969 Milton Metals & King Wymondham 113 M51754 – M51779 May 1960 Apr 1969/July 1969 King, Wymondham & Milton Metals 113 M51755 – M51780* July 1960 July 1969/Feb. 1962* Milton Metals & Derby C&W works Car numbers M51780* (1962), M51770* (1964) and M51763* (1966) were withdrawn prematurely. Car M51770 was burnt out at Shoe Mill whilst ascending Baxenden incline in March, 1964, the car to which it was coupled ( M51745 ) was safely detached by the driver and was not damaged. M51770 was originally allocated to 26A Newton Heath shed from new. There were several changes to this allocation after 1961 to the complete closing of ACCRINGTON depot. During 1962 the following cars were reallocated to 26A Newton Heath sheds, Manchester, 51697 to 51705 , 51722 , 51724 to 51727 and 51729 , (15 cars equal to 7½ sets).

256