UTA MED - History

History

The prototype train was converted from conventional locomotive-hauled stock and consisted of two power cars with an intermediate, but non-powered trailer car. Each of the power cars was fitted with two under-floor AEC engines, and all the vehicles were substantially internally rebuilt, and fitted with power-operated sliding doors. The prototype Multi-engined Diesel (MED) trains went into revenue-earning service in March 1952.

To continue its plans for dieselisation the UTA, over the following two years, built another 14 three-car trains in three batches, and by the following Spring (1954) it was able to operate all its Bangor line services with railcars. One of the changes made from the prototype was in the power unit; the new batch, instead of A.E.C., were fitted with Leyland-Walker under-floor engines of 125 h.p. Passenger numbers increased and by 1956 with capacity found wanting, an additional trailer car was included in each set, the engine capacity being uprated to 165 h.p. to cope.

The UTA numbering sequence continued from earlier building, the powered cars being numbered from 8 to 35 inclusive (28 units). They were withdrawn from service between 1973 and 1978

The initial batch of trailers was 201 to 214 renumbered to 501 to 514 in 1958. The additional 1956 trailers initially retained their steam stock numbers before becoming 516 to 527 in 1958 515 was originally 215 built in 1953 for Ganz railcar 5. It became 515 in 1958 and was converted to MED operation in 1963

In a works visit in mid-1962, intermediate cars 526 and 527 were fitted so that they could run with either Multi-engined (MED) or Multi-purpose (MPD) railcar trains and were not just restricted to their own type. After withdrawal they were sent to Mageramorne to be scraped but as the scraping commenced it was discovered that they contained blue asbestos so they were send to Antrim and Ballymena till 1980 from 1980 onward they were dumped in Crosshill Quarry crumlin along with dozens of other railcars.