Class 210

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Two Class 210 Diesel-Electric Multiple Units were built as prototypes by BREL, entering service in 1982.
The two units, one a 4-car set, the other 3-car set, spent most of their short careers based at Reading depot on the Western Region.

One of the units, 210 001 came north for a month of trial runs in Scotland in the Autumn of 1983.

DEMU 210001 arriving at Haymarket in November 1983 with a train from Dundee when it was undergoing trials in Scotland. Photo by Deepol01

Unit 210 001 comprised of vehicles:
60201 Driving Motor Brake Second
60401 Trailer Second
60450 Trailer Composite (with lavatories)
60300 Driving Trailer Second

The DMBS 60201 was powered by a Paxman 6RP200L engine rated at 1,125 hp, effectively half an HST Paxman Valenta unit.


Trial runs in Scotland, 1983

After arriving at Haymarket Depot in mid October 1983, the DEMU operated on the Edinburgh - Stirling - Perth diagram (normally operated by a 47/7 and Mk2 Push-Pull set) for two weeks from Monday 17th October.

For the next two weeks from 31st October the Class 210 unit ran on Edinburgh - Dundee services in place of one of the loco hauled trains.

On Monday 14th November, the DEMU ran ECS from Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street and then formed the 09.50 to Fort William and 14.15 return in place of the usual locomotive hauled set.

The following day it worked a special service from Glasgow Queen Street to Inverness, departing at 08.54 and returning to Glasgow at 16.05.

This completed its trials in Scotland and the prototype DEMU returned as ECS to Reading depot on 16th November.


A very similar looking Electric Multiple Unit, 317 335, was on display at Ayr Station in October 1983, during an open day.


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