The Ulster Transport Authority
Multi-Purpose Diesel (UTA MPD) was a diesel powered railcar, used in
Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and it is situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It was developed by the
Ulster Transport AuthorityThe Ulster Transport Authority ran rail and bus transport in Northern Ireland from 1948 until 1966.The UTA was formed by the 1948 Transport Act , which merged the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board and the Belfast and County Down Railway...
(UTA) as a progression of the earlier
Multi-engined DieselThe Ulster Transport Authority Multi-Engined Diesel was an early diesel powered railcar, used in Northern Ireland. The 12-mile Belfast-Bangor railway line had a well used passenger service and, being devoid of goods traffic, was chosen as the testing ground for the diesel railcar era...
(MED). The MED concept, while suitable for short commuter links, was not considered so for the
Northern Counties CommitteeThe Northern Counties Committee was a railway that served the north-east of Ireland. Originally constructed to the Irish standard gauge of 5 ft 3 in , a number of 3 ft 0 in narrow gauge lines were acquired later...
section, with its main line from
BelfastBelfast is the capital of and the largest city in Northern Ireland, a constituent country of the United Kingdom. It is the seat of devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly. It is the largest urban area in the province of Ulster, and the second largest city on the island of...
to
DerryDerry or Londonderry often called the Maiden City, is a city in Northern Ireland. It is the second largest city in Northern Ireland and fourth largest city in the island of Ireland...
where speeds of up to 110 km/h (70 mph). were required. A new railcar development was needed, and the MED was superseded by the MPD).
The new railcars were to operate on the former ‘broad gauge’ lines of the NCC which not only covered suburban services in and around Belfast, but also the 152 kilometre (95 mile) long main line from that city to Derry.
The "new" trains, just as with the earlier MEDs, were converted from existing locomotive-hauled stock.
The Ulster Transport Authority
Multi-Purpose Diesel (UTA MPD) was a diesel powered railcar, used in
Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and it is situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It was developed by the
Ulster Transport AuthorityThe Ulster Transport Authority ran rail and bus transport in Northern Ireland from 1948 until 1966.The UTA was formed by the 1948 Transport Act , which merged the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board and the Belfast and County Down Railway...
(UTA) as a progression of the earlier
Multi-engined DieselThe Ulster Transport Authority Multi-Engined Diesel was an early diesel powered railcar, used in Northern Ireland. The 12-mile Belfast-Bangor railway line had a well used passenger service and, being devoid of goods traffic, was chosen as the testing ground for the diesel railcar era...
(MED). The MED concept, while suitable for short commuter links, was not considered so for the
Northern Counties CommitteeThe Northern Counties Committee was a railway that served the north-east of Ireland. Originally constructed to the Irish standard gauge of 5 ft 3 in , a number of 3 ft 0 in narrow gauge lines were acquired later...
section, with its main line from
BelfastBelfast is the capital of and the largest city in Northern Ireland, a constituent country of the United Kingdom. It is the seat of devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly. It is the largest urban area in the province of Ulster, and the second largest city on the island of...
to
DerryDerry or Londonderry often called the Maiden City, is a city in Northern Ireland. It is the second largest city in Northern Ireland and fourth largest city in the island of Ireland...
where speeds of up to 110 km/h (70 mph). were required. A new railcar development was needed, and the MED was superseded by the MPD).
History
The new railcars were to operate on the former ‘broad gauge’ lines of the NCC which not only covered suburban services in and around Belfast, but also the 152 kilometre (95 mile) long main line from that city to Derry.
The "new" trains, just as with the earlier MEDs, were converted from existing locomotive-hauled stock. These became known as Multi-purpose Diesel (MPD) railcars and were built between 1957 and 1962. The first 10 power cars being intended for the Derry line trains, with the others being for the Belfast local services. The power cars were originally fitted with a 275 h.p.
LeylandArticles beginning Leyland include:* LeylandAlliance* Leyland Band* Leyland Brothers* Leyland Cypress* Leyland * Leyland, Lancashire** Leyland police station** Leyland railway station* Leyland Motors Ltd** British Leyland Motor Corporation...
engine, mounted beneath the chassis and driving both axles on the rear bogie through a torque converter. However problems were encountered with these engines and, in the mid - 1960’s, it was decided to re - engine 12 cars with 260 h.p.
AECAEC was a United Kingdom based vehicle manufacturer which built buses and trucks from 1912 until 1979. The acronym stood for the Associated Equipment Company, but this name was hardly ever used; instead it traded under the AEC and ACLO brands.While famously associated with London's Routemaster...
engines and a further 17 with 275 h.p. engines from
Rolls RoyceRolls-Royce Limited was a British car and, from 1914, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904. In 1971, Rolls-Royce was crippled by the development of the advanced RB211 jet engine, resulting...
.
The Belfast - Derry express services, for which the first 10 MPDs were built, called for a high power / weight ratio and, on occasion, saw the five-coach train formation made up of four power cars with a restaurant car. On local services the power cars operated with trailers.
The loss of one of the power cars came about when No. 58 suffered a collision with a motor vehicle on a level crossing in July 1958, the MPD was written off, after just six weeks in service.
Numbering
The numbering sequence followed on from the MEDs, the single-cab power cars being numbered from 36 to 62 inclusive, (27 cars), those with a cab at both ends from 63 to 65 inclusive (3 cars),
The power cars numbered 46 to 53, inclusive, were originally non-gangwayed but were rebuilt on their works visits between 1968 and 1970. The last of the single-cab power cars was withdrawn in 1981, the double-cab vehicles lasting a little longer, Nos. 63 and 65 withdrawn in 1981, No.64 in 1983.
There were 18 trailer cars numbered between 529 and 550
529-534,540,541,542 gangwayed driving trailers with cab at one end
535-539 and 543 non gangwayed driving trailers with cab at one end
rebuilt as gangwayed non driving trailers 1968-1970
548 549 550 buffet cars
548 could also work with 70 class sets
550 was converted to a 70 class car in 1966