The British Rail Class 101 diesel multiple unit was built by Metro-Cammell at Birmingham 1956 to 1959, following construction of a series of prototype units. This class proved to be the most successful and longest-lived of all BR's First Generation DMUs, with the final five units being withdrawn on 24th December 2003. The oldest set was, by then, just over 47 years old.
"Daisy" plied the coastal branchline in Wales where she fed, among others, the Talyllyn Railway, which the Rev W immortalised as the Skarloey Railway, and to which he travelled regularly as a volunteer. The first of these started working the rails in 1954. This example pictured is looking for a new owner.
From Tony Grigg's notes on “The Island of Sodor”: |
Daisy arrived in “Branch Line Engines” in 1961.
The Rev. Awdry's Model of Daisy: |
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| This is Daisy at Ffarquhar | ... and this is the Triang model used to make her |
The Reverend describes how he made Daisy - from the 1980 annual with thanks to Ryan Healy:
"DAISY was built while I was writing "Branch Line Engines". She was very easy to make. I bought a Triang twin-car diesel set, and all I had to do then was to cut off the driver's end from the trailer car and cement it to the square end of the power car. I fitted scale wheels to the power and trailing bogies and that was that. Daisy is a good reliable performer, and has given little trouble in her 14/15 years." |
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Collector's Corner:
| Classic ERTL model of Daisy | LC Wooden Daisy | LC take-along Daisy |
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Donald and Douglas<---- |
---->Stepney |