The early DMU's were not exempt from accidents, seen here at York in May 1960 is E50554 after an apparently serious collision.
The following views are from my collection taken whilst travelling about the country as a spotter mostly between 1975 - 1981.
1975
During January M51629 suffered major fire damage whilst working a football special. It is seen here at the Derby C&W Open Day during September 1975.
1976
In a major accident at Luton on June 25th 1976 several of Cricklewood's Rolls Royce powered DMU's came to a rather violent end. Involved were 51602, 51632, 59618, 59624 - all withdrawn & 51617 - later repaired. Seen below at Derby C&W on August 14th 1976 is the heavily damaged 51602.
On New Year's Eve the 1G33 08.04 Perth - Edinburgh DMU caught fire at Bathgate Jct, SC51540 was completely gutted and later withdrawn. The damaged vehicles were shunted into the up loop at Bathgate Jct by 25072, which then took the remaining coach onto Edinburgh, arriving just over 100 minutes late. In the view below the gutted coach is seen at Millerhill on June 26th 1977, it was broken up here in March 1978.
1977
During a July camping tour a brief Sunday morning visit was made to the depot at Corkerhill, naturally it was full of DMU's including this rather unfortunate example. The unidentified coach on the left seems in a worse state!
1979
A visit to Newton Heath on September 16th found a number of grounded DMU's on some wasteground at the north side of the depot. In the left view below a battered M50495 awaits its fate, it had been withdrawn from Etches Park in March 1977 and would end its days at Vic Berry's Leicester in November 1979, the right view appears to show 50495 passing Derby en-route to Vic Berry's.The two other views show other grounded DMU's at Newton Heath on Septemer 16th 1979.
1980
On February 16th the 20.25 Euston - Manchester hauled by 87007 'City of Manchester' became derailed approaching Bushey & Oxhey station. The locomotive was the only part of the train to remain on the rails, coming to rest just north of the station. Four Mk3 SO's ended up on their sides minus their bogies. M12162 demolished an overhead wire gantry leading to the blocking of the slow lines. All services were immediately halted, southbound services turned round at Watford Junction whilst the usual diversionary routes were used including the Bletchley - Bedford line. The slow lines opened at 16.00 on the next day, the DC lines at 16.00 on 19th whilst it was not until the 25th that the fast lines were re-opened.
Despite the high speed involved there were no fatalities, testimony perhaps to the construction of the Mk3 stock.
For the Class 25 enthusiast there was much to report, 25222 & 25243 and 25130 & 25173 worked in on spoil trains, 25279 & 25256 arrived with the Finsbury Park breakdown crane, 25152 & 25189 arrived with the crane from Old Oak Common, track panels later arrived behind 25222 & 25243, the overhead wire train featured 25256 with 08243 bringing the tracklayer machine.
Three views taken on May 18th 1980 at Watford Junction show the damage sustained by M12039 & 12162, these coaches had been withdrawn in February.
Further south a visit to the yard at Micheldever on April 24th 1980 found a line of condemned stock awaiting movement to a scrapper, including damaged '4606'.
1981
Occasional trips around the London area would result in brief visits to Plumstead where stock was parked over the weekend and where several of the sidings hled damaged stock, in these two views vehicles from 7423 (Oct 1981) & 7840 (Mar 1981) were held with minor collision damage.
