the first units ordered were for the london midland region, with the majority of the class for use in north west of england with sets also in tyneside (being made redundant by the opening of the tyne &amp; wear metro in 1980). in the mid-1980s a few units reallocated to scotland, with one unit being repainted in a unique maroon and white livery for services to oban - it became known as the "mexican bean". other vehicles spent time in london and the last vehicles could be found there in the early 1990s.