Vehicle 50708 / 53708
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 30/11/57 | New to | 86C (Cardiff Canton) | |
| Jan-61 | Depot code change | 88A | |
| by Jun-62 | Transferred to | 84E (Tyseley) | |
| 10/09/62 | Transferred to | 88A (Cardiff Canton) | |
| Sep-63 | Depot code change | 86A | |
| Feb-65 | Transferred to | 82A (Bristol Bath Road) | |
| 4w/e 31/05/69 | Transferred to | 16C (Derby Etches Park) | |
| May-73 | Depot code change | DY | |
| 02/02/86 | Transferred to | AY (Ayr) | |
| 28/09/86 | Transferred to | HA (Haymarket) | |
| Aug-87 | Withdrawn from | HA (Haymarket) |
Notes
2nd April 1986 - Seen with first-class yellow band
The vehicle carried the following numbers:
50708 - original number
53708 - from 1983 (53xxx / 54xxx change)
Refurbished
At Swindon Works dated 25/11/1977 released in blue/grey liveryDisposal
Scrapped by Mayer Newman, Snailwell
Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:
| BL527 | 50708 | 59256 | 50650 | Noted circa Jun-67 - in blue and grey livery. | |||||
| BL500 | 50708 | 59286 | 50650 | Noted circa Mar-68 - in blue grey with full yellow ends | |||||
| EP481 | 50708 | 59256 | 50650 | Noted circa Jun-69 - ex-BL500 | |||||
| 50708 | 59280 | 50689 | Noted 17/09/71 - at Crewe1 | ||||||
| 50708 | 59280 | 50689 | Noted 18/09/1971 - at Crewe2 | ||||||
| 50708 | 59280 | 50689 | Noted 19/05/72 - at Crewe1 | ||||||
| 50708 | 59276 | 50652 | Noted 17/08/1973 - at Nottingham3 | ||||||
| 50708 | 59276 | 50689 | Noted 25/05/1974 - at Birmingham New Street2 | ||||||
| EP598 | 50708 | 59257 | 50692 | Noted 02/07/1975 - at Birmingham New Street3 | |||||
| EP597 | 50708 | 59289 | 50692 | Noted 10/11/75 - at Bury St Edmunds4 | |||||
| 50708 | 59289 | 50692 | Noted 12/06/76 - at Ely4 | ||||||
| EP485 | 50708 | 59289 | 50692 | Noted 16/10/76 - at Bury St Edmunds, 50692 had set number EP5984 | |||||
| 50708 | 59301 | 50692 | Noted 10/06/79 - at Norwich on a Long Eaton to Great Yarmouth excursion4 | ||||||
| 50708 | 59301 | 50692 | Noted 22/04/82 - at Norwich4 | ||||||
| EP506 | 50708 | 59301 | 50692 | Listed at DY - circa Jun-82 | |||||
| EP506 | 50708 | 59301 | 50692 | Noted circa 01/19835 | |||||
| 53708 | 59301 | 53692 | Noted 28/05/1983 - at Chester on a service to Derby with 53714, 59258 & 536703 | ||||||
| 53708 | 59301 | 53692 | Noted circa 03/19845 | ||||||
| 53708 | 59301 | 53692 | Noted 23rd May 1985 | ||||||
| 53708 | 59301 | 53692 | Noted 05/07/85 - at Norwich4 | ||||||
| 53708 | 59301 | 53692 | Noted 23/08/1985 - at Derby6 | ||||||
| 53708 | 59281 | 53654 | Noted 16/01/86 - on 21:20 Crewe - Grantham service7 | ||||||
| 53708 | 53654 | Listed at AY - Feb-86 | |||||||
| 506 | 53708 | 59281 | 53654 | Formed at AY Feb-86 | |||||
| 53708 | 59281 | 53654 | Noted 24/02/86 | ||||||
| 53708 | 59281 | 53654 | Noted 2nd April 1986 | ||||||
| 506 | 53708 | 59046 | 53749 | Noted 5th June 1986 | |||||
| 506 | 53708 | 59046 | 53749 | Listed at AY - August 1986 | |||||
| 506 | 53708 | 59297 | 53672 | Formation change - HA - September 1986 | |||||
| 506 | 53708 | 59297 | 53672 | Noted 06/12/19865 | |||||
| 506 | 53708 | 59297 | 53672 | Noted 11th December 1986 | |||||
| 506 | 53708 | 59297 | 53672 | Listed at HA - 23/03/87 |
Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Jeremy Goodyear
3: Peter Wallwork
4: Gerald Brown
5: Eddie Knorn
6: Robert Chilton
7: Martin Baumann
Images:
October 1957
A Swindon Works image (negative MT74) of completed Cross-Country power car W50708. The DMBC has a varnish date of 17 October 1957 in the solebar so this was probably taken soon afterwards. It was delivered to Cardiff Canton depot the following month. British Railways.
2nd September 1975
A Class 120 DMU at Narborough, M50708 leads with Birmingham on the destination blind, 2 September 1975. Phillip Malin.
circa October 1977
An official image (22 of 27, negative D5939/1) from a internal BR photo album titled "Part Refurbished Class 120 Prototype 1 and 'CIBA Giegy' Ceiling". This is the first image in the second half of the album (after a divider) and shows the CIBA Giegy ceiling (and two rows of fluorescent lights) fitted to an Etches Park set (in this image DMBC M50708) that was refurbished circa October 1977. This is the front first class saloon, looking to the rear of the vehicle. Other changes include the formica on the partition, seats recovered in orange, orange curtains, vinyl behind the luggage rack and new pelmets covering the curtain rails. British Rail.
circa October 1977
An official image (23 of 27, negative D5939/2) from a internal BR photo album titled "Part Refurbished Class 120 Prototype 1 and 'CIBA Giegy' Ceiling". This is the second image in the second half of the album (after a divider) and shows the CIBA Giegy ceiling (with two rows of fluorescent lights) fitted to an Etches Park set (in this image DMBC M50708) that was refurbished circa October 1977. This is the middle first class saloon, looking to the front of the vehicle. Other changes include the formica on the partition, seats recovered in orange, orange curtains, vinyl behind the luggage rack and new pelmets covering the curtain rails. British Rail.
circa October 1977
An official image (24 of 27, negative D5959/5) from a internal BR photo album titled "Part Refurbished Class 120 Prototype 1 and 'CIBA Giegy' Ceiling". This is the third image in the second half of the album (after a divider) and shows the CIBA Giegy ceiling (with two rows of fluorescent lights) fitted to an Etches Park set that was refurbished circa October 1977. This is thought to be the second class saloon in DMBC M50708, looking to the rear of the vehicle. British Rail.
1982
At Cambridge in 1982 is a 120 set with possibly a 114 and 105 behind. The leading car appears to be M50708. John Law.
14th July 1984
Abbey Junction (Nuneaton) is the venue for this Cross Country Class 120 DMU, 53708 leading, working a Leicester to Birmingham service on the 14th July 1984. Mike Dean.
circa 1987
Set number: 506
Swindon Cross-Country power car 53708 on Haymarket depot circa 1987. S Saunders.
1987
Set number: 506
The DMU sidings at Haymarket hold a variety of types in this circa 1987 view including 101, 107s and 120 set 506. S Saunders.
circa 1987
Set number: 506
Swindon Cross-Country set 506 on Haymarket depot circa 1987 with 53708 at the front. A Class 108 is on the left. S Saunders.
circa 1987
Set number: 506
Class 120 DMU set 506 (53708, the centre should be 59297, 53672 is at the far end) departs from Haymarket for the last 1 1/4 mile of its journey to Edinburgh Waverley. Circa 1987. Mike Bunker.
23rd May 1987
Set number: 506
Class 120 set 506 (53708 + 59297 + 53672) leaves Edinburgh Waverley station with the 11:03 Edinburgh - Cowdenbeath service on May 23, 1987. Hamish Stevenson.
13th December 1987
Set number: 506
On December 13, 1987 set 506 (53708 + 59297 + 53672) is seen stabled in Haymarket depot beside set 101302. Hamish Stevenson.
The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:
Date: 23rd May 1985
Swindon class 120 'Cross-Country' DMU Nos.M53692-M59301-M53708 forming a Lincoln service at Crewe on 23rd May 1985. Station pilot loco 08737 is in the adjacent platform. Gordon Edgar.
Date: circa 1987
Set number: 506
53672 at the front of DMU set 506 (presumably with 59297 + 53708) in Haymarket station circa 1987. A Strathclyde-liveried Class 107 departs from the adjacent platform. Mike Bunker.
Date: 26th April 1987
Set number: 506
53672 + 59297 + 53708 seen at Thornton Yard on the 26th April 1987. Hamish Stevenson.
Date: 23rd May 1987
Set number: 506
Class 120 Swindon Cross-Country set 506 (53672 + 59297 + 53708) about to enter Edinburgh Waverley station with the 10:06 from Cowdenbeath - on the 23rd May 1987. Hamish Stevenson.