Vehicle 51583
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: 30516
Diagram: 637
Allocations
| Apr-61 | New to | 84E (Tyseley) | |
| by Jun-62 | Transferred to | 83D (Laira) | |
| Sep-63 | Depot code change | 84A | |
| 4w/e 04/05/68 | Transferred to | 81D (Reading) | |
| May-69 | Transferred to | 86A (Cardiff Canton) | |
| 3w/e 02/05/70 | Transferred to | 82A (Bristol Bath Road) | |
| May-71 | Transferred to | 84A (Laira) | |
| 2w/e 31/10/71 | Transferred to | 82A (Bristol Bath Road) | |
| 06/05/73 | Depot code change | BR | |
| 30/06/74 | Transferred to | CF (Cardiff Canton) | |
| w/e 08/05/76 | Transferred to | LA (Laira) | |
| w/e 03/05/80 | Transferred to | CF (Cardiff Canton) | |
| 20/06/82 | Transferred to | NH (Newton Heath) | |
| 11/05/86 | Withdrawn from | NH (Newton Heath) | |
| Jun-86 | Reinstated | NH (Newton Heath) | |
| Jun-86 | Transferred to | AY (Ayr) | |
| Feb-87 | Withdrawn from | AY (Ayr) |
Notes
24th April 1987 - Seen at Falkland Yard
29th April 1987 - Seen at Falkland Yard
Modifications
Nov-72 - Dual AWS fitted
p/e 25/06/77 - WR AWS removed
Disposal
Scrapped by Mayer Newman, Snailwell
Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:
| LA511 | 51574 | 51583 | Noted circa Feb-68 - in blue grey with full yellow ends | ||||||
| 51574 | 59284 | 51583 | Transfer to 84A - May-71 | ||||||
| 51574 | 59284 | 51583 | Noted 13/11/71 - at Bristol1 | ||||||
| 51574 | 59284 | 51583 | Noted 11/10/72 - at Pritchatts Rd, Edgbaston1 | ||||||
| B553 | 51574 | 59284 | 51583 | Noted 12/04/74 - at Cardiff with B408 | |||||
| 51574 | 59284 | 51583 | Noted 30/05/1974 - at Great Malvern2 | ||||||
| 51574 | 59284 | 51583 | Noted 01/06/74 - in Birmingham New Street | ||||||
| 51574 | 59284 | 51583 | Noted 29/08/1974 - at Cardiff2 | ||||||
| B553 | 51574 | 59284 | 51583 | Noted 02/09/74 - on 2C06 0650 Chepstow-Milford Haven with C601 | |||||
| B553 | 51574 | 59284 | 51583 | Noted 12/09/74 - on 2B46 1620 Cardiff-Weymouth with C303 + B468 | |||||
| P553 | 51574 | 59284 | 51583 | Listed at LA - 01/05/1976 | |||||
| 51574 | 59284 | 51583 | Transfer to LA - w/e 08/05/76 | ||||||
| P553 | 51574 | 59284 | 51583 | Noted 07/09/76 - in Plymouth station3 | |||||
| P553 | 51574 | 59284 | 51583 | Listed at LA - 31st December 1977 | |||||
| P553 | 51574 | 59284 | 51583 | Listed at LA - 03/03/80 | |||||
| 553 | 51574 | 59284 | 51583 | Transfer to CF - w/e 03/05/80 | |||||
| C553 | 51574 | 59284 | 51583 | Noted circa 10/1982 - operating from Newton Heath4 | |||||
| 51574 | 59284 | 51583 | Noted circa 03/19844 | ||||||
| 51574 | 59284 | 51583 | Listed at NH - circa Jan-86 | ||||||
| 104451 | 53473 | 59264 | 51583 | Noted 14th July 1986 | |||||
| 104451 | 53473 | 59264 | 51583 | Listed at Ayr - August 1986 | |||||
| 104451 | 53473 | 59264 | 51583 | Noted 4th August 1986 | |||||
| 53473 | 59264 | 51583 | Noted 8th August 1986 | ||||||
| 101354 | 53210 | 59797 | 51583 | Formed at AY circa Oct-86 |
Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Jeremy Goodyear
3: Gerald Brown
4: Eddie Knorn
Images:
May 1969
A Swindon Cross-Country DMU in Bath Spa station in May 1969. At the far end is W51574, this end is presumably W51583. George Woods.
May 1969
A Swindon Cross-Country DMU at Bath Spa in May 1969. On the left is W51574 and on the right is presumably W51583. George Woods.
circa April 1980
Set number: P553
With its destination box painted yellow, Class 120 DMU set P553 (presumably 51583 + 59284 + 51583) is seen at Dawlish. The slide process date is April 1980. Stuart Mackay Collection.
1981
Set number: C553
C553 runs into Gloucester in 1981. Mike Cooper.
1981
Set number: C553
C553 sitting in Gloucester station in 1981. Mike Cooper.
8th September 1984
Swindon class 120 three-car set led by DMSL 51583 at Southport, with a service for Manchester Victoria, 8/9/84. Robert Chilton.
5th March 1985
51583 in the company of a Class 108 at Manchester Victoria on the 5th March 1985. Malcolm Clements.
22nd April 1986
In the brief period when following the demise of the Manchester-Blackpool Class 104 'White-Liners', the introduction of new Class 142's that were problematic, and before the introduction of new Class 150/2 Sprinters, the gap on many Blackpool to Manchester Victoria services was filled by Swindon-built Class 120 Cross-Country DMU sets that had initially been made redundant by new Class 150/1 Sprinters introduced at Derby Etches Park. The well-worn but stylish and well-appointed Class 120's were allocated to Newton Heath and became a familiar sight along the busy route to the Fylde Coast. On April 22nd 1986, DMSL M51583 was bringing up the rear of an early evening Manchester Victoria to Blackpool South through service. This working would stable overnight at Blackpool South and work back to Manchester the following (early) morning. For many years in the mid to late 1970's this service utilised a Class 124 Trans-Pennine DMU. Martyn Hilbert.
The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:
Date: 22nd March 1969
Set number: 503
Two two-car Class 120s in Sutton Park station. There were no details on the slide other than a process date of April 1969, and this is thought to be the Gilks-Grenside Educational Specials Numbers 4 & 5 on 22 March that originated at Kingston. Closest is set 503, presumably 51579 + 51588, and the other set will be the other Reading Class 120 twin, set 502 (51574 + 51583). Stuart Mackay Collection.
Date: circa mid-1969
Two Cross-Country DMUs in the bay platforms at the south end of Shrewsbury station. On the right is a three-car GRC&W set, DMBC W51064 closest with 'Excursion' on the destination blind, it was allocated to Bristol. On the left is a two-car Swindon set from the third batch with the four-character route indicator. It has a headlamp fitted for the Central Wales line, in is period circa late 1960s Canton only had two sets from this batch of vehicles, both transferred from Reading in May 1969 and moving on to Bristol in April 1970. These vehicles is believed to be 51583 + 51574, allocated CTN603, so 502 could have been their Reading set number. Graham Clark.
Date: 16th November 1973
Set number: B553
Class 120 Swindon Cross-Country DMU set B553 (presumably 51574 + 59284 + 51583) in Bristol Temple Meads with a Taunton service on 16 November 1973. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Date: 5th March 1985
A Class 108 in Manchester Victoria station on the 5th March 1985. On the left is a Class 120 set including M51583. Malcolm Clements.
Date: circa summer 1986
Set number: 104451
104451 (53473 + 59264 + 51583) calls at Bellshill with the 08:24 Edinburgh-Glasgow Central service, circa summer 1986. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Date: 27th September 1986
Set number: 104451
A class 104 / 120 hyrid (presumably 53473 + 59264 + 51583) departs Newton on Ayr with the 15.15 Ayr - Glasgow Central on 27-09-1986, the last day of diesel services. Stored 107s can be seen in the yard ahead. Gordon Thomson.
Date: 19th November 1986
Set number: 104451
Set 104451 only contains one Class 104 vehicles when seen at Ardrossan Harbour with the 15:18 Ardrossan Harbour - Glasgow service on November 19, 1986. DMBS SC53473 is working with two Class 120 vehicles, presumably 59264 and 51583. Hamish Stevenson.