July 1960 – Diesel-electric Pullmans

The summer of 1960 saw the introduction of the first diesel-electric Pullmans, an effort by the British Transport Commission to lure wealthier travellers away from roads and domestic air travel and back onto trains via the luxurious confines of a Pullman carriage.

It turned out to be an ill-fated venture, but prior to its demise The Engineer’s reporter revealed that five trains were built by the Metropolitan-Cammell Carriage and Wagon Company to provide services on the London Midland and Western Regions of British Railways.

Two of the trains were six-car sets for the Manchester- Leicester- London route serving first class passengers only. The other three were eight-car formations with first-and second-class accommodation for Bristol- London and Wolverhampton- Birmingham- London services. The trains were supplied with 1000hp power cars at each end and included two kitchen/parlour cars to serve meals to passengers at their seats. All the stock was air-conditioned and a six-car train in working order weighed 299 tons, an eight-car train 364 tons.