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Description
No longer blue of course. In the late 1960s they were painted in this rather anaemic grey livery with blue window panels. However, when they were first introduced in 1960, it was in full Nanking Blue livery with Pullman crests everywhere and they were regarded as the last word in luxury. The initial service was between London St Pancras and Manchester Central ('The Midland Pullman') followed by their introduction on British Railways Western Region, becoming 'The Bristol Pullman', The Birmingham Pullman' and 'The South Wales Pullman'. When the Western Region Pullmans were out of action, their duties were covered by older wooden-bodied, loco-hauled Pullmans, known as the 'Wells Fargo Set'.

The first bastardisation of the original livery came in 1966 with the application of wrap-round yellow warning panels at each end, followed by the grey livery seen here. Sadly, the continental-type Schlieran bogies gave a poor ride on British track and this undoubtedly contributed to the Pullmans' demise in early May 1973. I remember seeing the midday departure of 'The South Wales Pullman' from Cardiff General Station on February 5, 1973, and three months later they were gone.

It was on a trip to Didcot that I just caught one of the retired units parked at Swindon on November 18, 1973. Our train was doing 75 mph and rocking and rolling so my little Konica C35 fixed-focus camera did its best. Probably of just as much interest is the late lamented Swindon works behind the Pullman, which is parked with an inspection saloon.

These diesel units were powered by NBL / MAN V12 supercharged engines with traction motors supplying power to the wheels. They are seen as the forerunners to the highly successful Inter City 125 HSTs.

Description
No longer blue of course. In the late 1960s they were painted in this rather anaemic grey livery with blue window panels. However, when they were first introduced in 1960, it was in full Nanking Blue livery with Pullman crests everywhere and they were regarded as the last word in luxury. The initial service was between London St Pancras and Manchester Central ('The Midland Pullman') followed by their introduction on British Railways Western Region, becoming 'The Bristol Pullman', The Birmingham Pullman' and 'The South Wales Pullman'. When the Western Region Pullmans were out of action, their duties were covered by older wooden-bodied, loco-hauled Pullmans, known as the 'Wells Fargo Set'.

The first bastardisation of the original livery came in 1966 with the application of wrap-round yellow warning panels at each end, followed by the grey livery seen here. Sadly, the continental-type Schlieran bogies gave a poor ride on British track and this undoubtedly contributed to the Pullmans' demise in early May 1973. I remember seeing the midday departure of 'The South Wales Pullman' from Cardiff General Station on February 5, 1973, and three months later they were gone.

It was on a trip to Didcot that I just caught one of the retired units parked at Swindon on November 18, 1973. Our train was doing 75 mph and rocking and rolling so my little Konica C35 fixed-focus camera did its best. Probably of just as much interest is the late lamented Swindon works behind the Pullman, which is parked with an inspection saloon.

These diesel units were powered by NBL / MAN V12 supercharged engines with traction motors supplying power to the wheels. They are seen as the forerunners to the highly successful Inter City 125 HSTs.