BR Class 105

The British Rail Class 105 diesel multiple units were built by Cravens Ltd. of Sheffield from 1956 to 1959. The class were built with a side profile identical to British Railways Mark 1 carriage stock, using the same doors and windows. None were selected for refurbishment. The last passenger car was withdrawn from service in 1988.

Accidents and Incidents

 * 15/10/1959 - Smedley Viaduct Signal Box, near Manchester, LMR.  Class 105 in collision with steam locomotive 45101. Car numbers not identified. 6 persons required hospital treatment. A power-twin Cravens unit travelling from Manchester Victoria to Rochdale came into head-on collision with 45101. The driver was fortunate to have been thrown out of the DMU by the impact, as the cab was destroyed and the underframe distorted. Interference with signalling equipment, probably by children, caused the signal passed by the DMU to display a yellow aspect, instead of a red one.
 * 16/07/61 - Singleton Bank (near Weeton), LMR Class 105 power-twin (leading) + 2 x Class 113 units (cars not identified) struck the rear of a stationary ballast train which had been carrying out track work. Seven persons killed and 116 injured. The first three cars were severely damaged.
 * 15/02/69 - Catholme Level Crossing, LMR A tractor drove into the path of a DMU.
 * 26/7/86 - Lockington Level Crossing, ER Collision of Class 105 + Class 114 with a Van on crossing. E54434-E51278 + E53016-E54034. 9 people killed and 59 people required hospital treatment. The van drove onto the crossing against flashing lights and was struck by the DMU. E54434 derailed and ran down the embankment, turning through 180 degrees before coming to rest on its side. All vehicles were badly damaged due to destruction of the track.

Preservation
Due to the use of asbestos in their construction, and extended usage by BR, the class has fared very badly in preservation. 51485 and 56121 were preserved by the West Somerset Railway but moved to the East Lancashire Railway in 1997 where they are being restored after asbestos stripping. 56456 is based on the Llangollen Railway, working with a Class 127. The National Railway Museum had intended to preserve 53812 - which had been stripped of asbestos but a lack of space prevented this car and the Class 100 coupled to it from being moved to York and they were vandalised beyond repair at Crewe.