Class 251/261 Blue Pullman (Metropolitan-Cammell 2,000hp Diesel-Electric)

The Blue Pullman was a luxury train which replaced steam locomotive hauled Pullman carriages. Five sets were built for services in BR's London Midland Region (the Midland Pullman) between London St Pancras and Manchester Central and Western Region services (Western Pullman) from London Paddington to the Midlands, South West and Wales. As a precursor to the High Speed Train in the 1970s, the Blue Pullman consisted of two power cars with coaches in between, though the two power cars at either end did have some passenger capacity unlike the later Class 43 HST power cars.

An LMR 6-car set [3]

Information
Number built:	36 (2 6-car and 3 8-car sets)
Built:	1959-60
Builder:	Metropolitan-Cammell
Motor:	2 NBL/MAN L12V18/21BS diesels
Power:	2, 000 hp (1, 500 kW)
Formation:	(6-car) DMBF (Driving Motor Brake First) + Motor First Kitchen (MFK) + TF (Trailer First) + MFK + DMBF (8-car) DMBF + MS (Motor Parlour Second) + TF + TF + Trailer First Kitchen (TFK) + MS + DMBF

The Blue Pullmans entered service in 1961. The trains were designed to be as luxurious as possible in the long-established (though somewhat old fashioned) Pullman tradition with sound proofing and air conditioning. However, a major problem with the trains was ride quality especially at the train's top speed of 90 mp/h (145 km/h) and engine reliability. One interesting feature of the trains was that only one bogie in the power car was powered, the bogie in the adjacent trailing carriage (an MFK or MS) also being powered.

With the electrification of the West Coast Main Line in the late 1960s the two LMR sets were transferred to augment the WR fleet. These two six-car sets had multiple-unit jumper cables added [1] so they could form a twelve-car train (some seating was converted to second class). The Blue Pullmans were withdrawn in 1973 due to being non-standard and always underpowered. One plan for the Blue Pullmans was to convert them to gas turbine operation in the late 1960s with new bogies but this came to nothing [2]. The power cars were TOPS classified as Class 251, the non-driving motor cars Class 261.

Two WR Pullmans at London Paddington, photo by M. Edwards [4]

Midland Pullman passes through Mill Hill, photo by J.A. Fleming [5]

Midland Pullman approaches London St Pancras, photo by M. Edwards [6]

[1] Brian Haresnape, High Speed Trains (Ian Allan, 1983) p. 30

[2] Ibid. p. 8

[3] Meccano Magazine Vol. XVLI No. 3 (March 1961) p. 76

[4] Meccano Magazine Vol. XLV No.12 (December 1960) p. 604

[5] Meccano Magazine Vol. XVLI No. 11 (November 1961) p. 404

[6] Meccano Magazine Vol. XLVI No. 11 (October 1961) p. 351