British Rail Class 101

The British Rail Class 101 diesel multiple units were built by Metro-Cammell at Washwood Heath in Birmingham from 1956 to 1959, following construction of a series of prototype units. This class proved to be one of the most successful and longest-lived of BR's First Generation DMUs, second in age only to the Class 121, with the final five units being withdrawn on 24 December 2003. The oldest set was, by then, just over 47 years old.

Original TOPS classes
When TOPS was originally introduced only the Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) and the Driving Motor Composite (with Lavatory) (DMCL) were classified as Class 101 (AEC engines) or Class 102 (Leyland engines). The Driving Trailer Composite (with Lavatory) (DTCL) were either Class 144 or Class 147. The Trailer Seconds (with Lavatory) (TSL) were Class 162, the Trailer Brake Second (with Lavatory) (TBSL) were Class 168 and the Trailer Composite (with Lavatory) (TCL) were Class 171. Later all the cars were reclassified, becoming Class 101.

In fiction
In The Railway Series books by the Rev. W. Awdry, the character Daisy the Diesel Rail-Car, a Class 101 herself, was introduced to assist on the Branch Line when Thomas was away for repairs after crashing into a stationmaster's house.

Preservation
The Class 101 was one of the largest classes of first-generation DMUs and, partly thanks to their relatively late withdrawal from revenue-earning service, numerous vehicles have been preserved on heritage railways, for example the Great Central Railway and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. There are only two centre cars preserved. One is at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway and the other at the Mid-Norfolk Railway. One buffet car survived and is at the Great Central Railway. No Trailer Brake Seconds were saved.