Vehicle 50703 / 53703
Class 120
Builder: BR Swindon Works
Layout: Cross Country
Length: 64ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: BR Standard
Engines: AEC 150hp
Transmission: Mechanical
Lot Number: 30335
Diagram: 587
Allocations
| 4w/e 02/11/57 | New to | 86C (Cardiff Canton) | |
| Jan-61 | Depot code change | 88A | |
| by Jun-62 | Transferred to | 84E (Tyseley) | |
| 30/07/62 | Transferred to | 88A (Cardiff Canton) | |
| Sep-63 | Depot code change | 86A | |
| 4w/e 31/05/69 | Transferred to | 16C (Derby Etches Park) | |
| May-73 | Depot code change | DY | |
| Jan-86 | Withdrawn from | DY (Derby Etches Park) | |
| Feb-86 | Reinstated | DY (Derby Etches Park) | |
| 23/02/86 | To Parcels Sector at | CH (Chester) | |
| 12/06/88 | Withdrawn from | CH (Chester) |
Notes
23rd October 1957 - Seen in experimental livery (light beige above waistline, blue grey below) at Swindon Carriage Works.
5th February 1988 - In parcels use
The vehicle carried the following numbers:
50703 - original number
53703 - from Jun-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)
Modifications
circa Dec-72 - WR AWS removed
Aug-74 - AWS fitted
Disposal
Scrapped by Vic Berry, Leicester
Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:
| EP486 | 50703 | 59301 | 50654 | Noted circa Jun-69 | |||||
| 50703 | 59301 | 50654 | Noted 20/11/69 - at Derby1 | ||||||
| 50703 | 59301 | 50652 | Noted 15/08/19702 | ||||||
| CTN506 | 50703 | 59282 | 50659 | Listed at Canton - circa Feb-71 | |||||
| 50703 | 59289 | 50650 | Noted 07/1971 - at Water Orton2 | ||||||
| 50703 | 59289 | 50650 | Noted 21/08/71 - at Derby1 | ||||||
| 50703 | 59289 | 50680 | Noted 07/11/71 - in Birmingham New Street1 | ||||||
| 50703 | 59289 | 50680 | Noted 13/11/71 - in Birmingham New Street1 | ||||||
| 50703 | 59289 | 50663 | Noted 30/04/72 - in Birmingham New Street1 | ||||||
| 50703 | 59289 | 50663 | Noted 05/08/72 - at Thetford3 | ||||||
| 50703 | 59289 | 50663 | Noted 03/11/72 - in Birmingham New Street1 | ||||||
| 50703 | 59300 | 50663 | Noted 04/04/73 - on 1150 Birmingham New Street-York | ||||||
| 50703 | 59258 | 50678 | Noted 03/09/73 - at Crewe3 | ||||||
| 50703 | 59293 | 50671 | Noted 17/10/74 - at Bury St Edmunds3 | ||||||
| 50703 | 59257 | 50654 | Noted 25/01/1976 - on 16:20 Crewe to Derby2 | ||||||
| EP581 | 50703 | 59257 | 50654 | Noted 30/04/76 - at Peterborough3 | |||||
| 50703 | 59257 | 50654 | Noted 20/08/76 - on 1255 Norwich-Birmingham New Street with 50560 + 59227 + 50585 | ||||||
| 50703 | 59257 | 50654 | Noted 18/12/76 - at Bury St Edmunds3 | ||||||
| 50703 | 59256 | 50685 | Noted 10/09/1977 - Charter from Congleton to Llandudno4 | ||||||
| EP527 | 50703 | 59281 | 50685 | Listed at DY - circa Jun-82 | |||||
| EP527 | 53703 | 59281 | 53685 | Noted circa 06/1983 - Also labelled EP5884 | |||||
| 53703 | 59300 | 53665 | Noted circa 12/19834 | ||||||
| 53703 | 59300 | 53665 | Noted circa 11/19844 | ||||||
| 53703 | 59300 | 53665 | Noted 18/01/85 - at Norwich3 | ||||||
| EP527 | 53703 | 59300 | 53665 | Noted 29/06/85 - at Norwich, 53665 carried set number EP5113 | |||||
| 53703 | 59300 | 53665 | Noted circa 10/19854 | ||||||
| 53703 | 59300 | 53665 | Noted 10/01/86 | ||||||
| 53703 | 53704 | Noted circa 02/19864 | |||||||
| 53703 | 53704 | Formation change - CH - circa Mar-86 - Parcels | |||||||
| 53051 | 53703 | Formation change - CH - 2w/e 14/05/86 - Parcels | |||||||
| 53051 | 53703 | Listed at Chester - Summer 1986 - Parcels | |||||||
| CH301 | 53703 | 53713 | Listed at CH - May 1988 | ||||||
| 53703 | 53713 | Noted 5th February 1988 | |||||||
| 53703 | 53713 | Noted 5th August 1988 - Based at Machynlleth shed while in use for P. Way work and storage | |||||||
| 301 | 53703 | 53713 | Noted circa 12/1988 - Parcels set. Both cabs also show EP527 set.4 |
Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Peter Wallwork
3: Gerald Brown
4: Eddie Knorn
Images:
9th June 1979
A Swindon built Class 120 Cross-Country three-car DMU with Driving Motor Brake Composite (DMBC) M50703 leading, was stood in the South facing bay at Crewe with a service to Lincoln via Derby on June 9th 1979. The livery on the side of the car appears to have been suffering with the effects of wash plant chemicals. The well-worn but comfortable Class 120's dominated these workings during this period. Martyn Hilbert.
22nd December 1981
A Class 120 set races towards the camera through the snow at Duffield on 22/12/81, headed by 50703. Chris Lings.
Unknown date
Class 120 DMBC M50703 seen at Nottingham, date unknown. Paul Redmond.
6th June 1986
At Dewsbury on the 6th June 1986. The parcels set (53703 + 53704) is coupled to a 2-car Class 110 service train. Malcolm Clements.
30th November 1986
Set number: EP527
Downgraded to Parcels & Mail work, a Swindon Cross-Country Class 120 Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) M53703 was the filling on a Class 142 sandwich, stabled in Croft Street Sidings at Preston on November 30th 1986. The 120 had formerly been part of Derby Etches Park Depot set EP527, but had been converted for parcels/mail duties in the Summer of 1986. M53703 was withdrawn from service at Chester in June 1988 and scrapped by Berry's of Leicester in 1989. To the left of this view was Provincial liveried 142035 whilst just visible on the right was 142055. Martyn Hilbert.
1987
Set number: EP527
Parcels DMU M53703 + M53713 at Chester depot circa 1987. Nicholas Youngman Collection.
circa January 1987
Class 120 Swindon 2-car DMU 53703+53704 in Express Parcels service, Chester Jan-Feb 1987. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.
circa January 1987
Class 120 Swindon 2-car DMU 53703+53704 in Express Parcels service, Chester Jan-Feb 1987. Both DMBCs converted for parcels use 23/3/86, 53703 withdrawn 12/5/88, 53704 withdrawn 12/4/87. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.
August 1987
Set number: EP527
M53703 in parcel use at Crewe in August 1987. Still carrying its former Etches Park set number, it was now part of Chester set 301. Walter Burt.
5th March 1988
Set number: EP527
M53703, a Chester allocated Swindon Cross-Country Class 120 DMU of set EP527, now converted to parcels use, at Crewe on the 5th March 1988. The Red Star parcels branding can just be seen down the side. Andrew J Crowther.
18th December 1988
Set number: EP527
M53703 + M53713 Vic Berrys, Leicester 18-12-88. Kevin Dowd.
18th February 1989
Set number: EP527
M53703 at Vic Berry's on 18.02.89, still with Etches Park set number, but also small set number 301 under the drivers window. Nicholas Youngman.
The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:
Date: 1st June 1983
A three-car Swindon / Met-Camm hybrid DMU at Leicester in 1 June 1983. Closest is M50703, possibly with 59102 and 53647. Walter Burt.
Date: 6th June 1986
Class 120 parcel vehicles 53704 + 53703 attached to the rear of a Class 110 on a service train, seen at Dewsbury, 6/6/86. Malcolm Clements.
Date: 6th June 1986
A close up of the Red Star branding carried on 53703 when seen at Dewsbury on 6/6/86. Malcolm Clements.
Date: 13th December 1986
Class 120 53713 is seen departing Crewe coupled with 53703 on 13.12.1986. Andy Cole.
Date: 25th March 1988
A Class 120 set in Chester station on March 25, 1988. It is formed of two brake vehicles, meaning that it is parcels use, the only set remaining on this date was 53713 and 53703. Hamish Stevenson.
Date: 2nd April 1988
Set number: 510
Chester allocated Swindon Cross-Country Class 120 DMU set 510 comprising of cars M53713 & M53703 at Crewe on the 2nd April 1988. Now converted to parcels use, the Red Star parcels branding can just be seen down the side. By this time these units were thin on the ground and all had been withdrawn before the year was out. The new generation of DMU in the shape of 150 124 can be seen along side on a Derby service. Andrew J Crowther.