Vehicle 50739 / 53739
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 27/12/58 | New to | BL (Bristol Marsh Junction) | |
| May-64 | On loan to | 81D (Reading) | |
| Jun-64 | Ex-loan back to | 82A (Bristol Bath Road) | |
| Jun-64 | Transferred to | 84A (Laira) | |
| Feb-65 | Transferred to | 82A (Bristol Bath Road) | |
| 06/05/73 | Depot code change | BR | |
| 5w/e 02/02/74 | Transferred to | CF (Cardiff Canton) | |
| w/e 22/10/77 | Transferred to | CH (Chester) | |
| p/e 10/07/83 | Transferred to | NH (Newton Heath) | |
| 11/05/86 | Withdrawn from | NH (Newton Heath) | |
| Jun-86 | Reinstated | NH (Newton Heath) | |
| 07/07/86 | To Parcels Sector at | CH (Chester) | |
| 28/09/86 | Transferred to | NL (Neville Hill) | |
| 18/01/87 | Transferred to | CA (Cambridge) | |
| 16/08/87 | Withdrawn from | CA (Cambridge) |
The vehicle carried the following numbers:
50739 - original number
53739 - from Apr-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)
Modifications
Sep-72 - Dual AWS fitted
p/e 14/05/77 - WR AWS removed
Disposal
Scrapped by Mayer Newman, Snailwell
Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:
| 50739 | 59588 | 50695 | Noted circa Feb-68 - in blue grey with full yellow ends | ||||||
| 50739 | 59588 | 50695 | Noted 01/04/69 - in Birmingham New Street1 | ||||||
| 50739 | 59558 | 50695 | Noted 02/10/1971 - at Birmingham New Street2 | ||||||
| 50739 | 59588 | 50695 | Noted 20/11/71 - on Bristol Marsh Junction depot1 | ||||||
| B551 | 50739 | 59588 | 50695 | Noted 02/11/72 | |||||
| 50739 | 59588 | 50695 | Noted 10/05/73 - at Church Rd, Edgbaston1 | ||||||
| 50739 | 59588 | 50696 | Noted 28/08/1974 - at Swansea2 | ||||||
| C554 | 50739 | 59588 | 50695 | Noted 18/12/1975 - at Birmingham New Street 3 | |||||
| C515 | 50739 | 59588 | 50695 | Listed at CF - 01/05/1976 | |||||
| C515 | 50739 | 59588 | 50695 | Noted 28/05/1977 - Branch Line Society Daucleddau and Dyfed Railtour | |||||
| C515 | 50739 | 59588 | 50695 | Noted 15/07/77 - on 0539 Newport-Chepstow with C560 | |||||
| 50739 | 59261 | 50695 | Noted circa 05/19824 | ||||||
| 53739 | 59261 | 53695 | Noted circa 04/19834 | ||||||
| 53739 | 59261 | 53695 | Listed at NH - circa Jan-86 | ||||||
| 53739 | 51575 | Noted circa 10/1986 - Parcels set4 | |||||||
| 53365 | 53739 | Noted 24/04/1987 - at Leeds - parcels set, multied up with 53265-512115 | |||||||
| 53365 | 53739 | Noted 01/05/87 - at York, 53195 still with set number 906 | |||||||
| 53017 | 54001 | 53739 | Noted 27/06/1987 - at Ely on rear of Cambridge to Doncaster.7 | ||||||
| 53017 | 54001 | 53739 | Noted 05/07/1987 - at Stockport - parcels set5 | ||||||
| 53218 | 53739 | Noted 25/07/1987 - at Ely7 |
Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Jeremy Goodyear
3: Peter Wallwork
4: Eddie Knorn
5: Robert Chilton
6: Gerald Brown
7: Nicholas Youngman
Images:
23rd June 1965
A Swindon Cross-Country DMU departs from Crowcombe station on 23 June 1965. The closest vehicle appears to be W50739. Michael Mensing.
8th May 1971
The RCTS Eastern Valleys railtour at Furnace Sidings, Blaenavon, on 8 May 1971 formed of a Swindon Cross-Country DMU. Closest is W50739. John Horne Collection.
8th May 1971
Say Cheese! The participants of the RCTS Eastern Valleys railtour line up for a photo at Uskmouth on 8 May 1971. Closest is W50739. Stuart Mackay Collection.
8th May 1971
The RCTS Eastern Valleys railtour at Furnace Sidings, Blaenavon, on 8 May 1971 formed of a Swindon Cross-Country DMU. Closest is W50739. Stuart Mackay Collection.
19th August 1976
With a DMBC that appears to be W50739 a Class 120 DMU is seen at Sutton Coldfield with the 12:14 Lichfield City - Worcester Foregate Street service on 19 August 1976. Michael Mensing.
28th May 1977
Set number: C515
The Branch Line Society Daucleddau and Dyfed railtour at Neath Canal Side on 28 May 1977, formed of Class 120 DMU set C515 (50739 + 59588 + 50695). Stuart Mackay Collection.
13th March 1980
50739, 59273 and 50680 are amongst the Class 120 vehicles seen at Derby on 13/3/80. Chris Lings.
7th July 1982
Class 120 DMU car 50739 Chester 7th July 1982. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.
circa mid-1980s
Class 120 DMBS 53739 in Manchester Victoria station circa mid-1980s. Mike Bunker.
10th September 1985
With a friendly wave from the driver, a three-car Swindon built Class 120 Cross Country DMU with Driving Motor Brake Second M53739 leading, had just passed over Pages Crossing, South of Midge Hall with the 18.00 Preston to Ormskirk service on September 11th 1985. This was a regular turn for a Class 120 unit in 1985/86. With the passing loop at Rufford being used for its intended purpose (trains passing), the evening peak service on the Ormskirk line saw three different DMU sets in operation. The normal service unit was in use, then a West Yorkshire based set made one return trip to Ormskirk from Preston, filling-in whilst having worked from Leeds to Preston, and finally one of the Class 120 sets normally used on Blackpool North-Manchester Victoria duties, also made one return trip along the line. Martyn Hilbert.
1987
Class 120 Express Parcels set 53739 + 51575 stabled in Cambridge station circa Spring 1987. This was the only pair of the type to carry the yellow/red stripes. Brian Ward.
1987
Class 120 Express Parcels vehicle 53739 (and 51575 behind) stabled in Cambridge station circa Spring 1987. Brian Ward.
The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:
Date: spring 1973
Set number: B551
Class 120 DMU set B551 (presumably 50695 + 59588 + 50739) seen in Hagley station in spring 1973. Michael Mensing.
Date: 28th May 1977
Set number: C515
The Branch Line Society Daucleddau and Dyfed railtour at Trecwn, Pembrokeshire, on 28 May 1977. Class 120 DMU set C515 was formed of 50695 + 59588 + 50739. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Date: 21st October 1982
Chester depot, Right to Left; Class 103 DTCL 56164, Class 108, Swindon Class 120 DMBC 50739 21-10-82. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.
Date: 24th February 1987
Class 120 51575 is seen at Peterborough on 24.02.1987 after it's passenger carrying days were over and it had been taken over by the Parcels department. It is presumably paired with 53739, these are believed to be the only pair of this type to have the yellow/read stripes applied. Andy Cole.
Date: 26th June 1987
Cravens Express Parcels DMU 53364 + 53373 stabled at Cambridge alongside Class 120 M53739 on 26 June 1987. Image by Janet Cottrell. Stuart Mackay Collection.