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Vehicle 51586

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
May-69	Transferred to	82A (Bristol Bath Road)
5w/e 05/12/70	Transferred to	84A (Laira)
May-73	Depot code change	LA
30/06/74	Transferred to	CF (Cardiff Canton)
3w/e 07/05/77	Transferred to	LA (Laira)
2w/e 12/01/80	Transferred to	CF (Cardiff Canton)
Mar-80	Transferred to	LA (Laira)
2w/e 10/05/80	Transferred to	CF (Cardiff Canton)
04/01/82	Transferred to	NH (Newton Heath)
11/05/86	Withdrawn from	NH (Newton Heath)	- also noted as Jul-87 from S(u)

Modifications

14/11/73 - Dual AWS fitted
p/e 08/10/77 - WR AWS removed

Disposal

Scrapped by Vic Berry, Leicester

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	51577	59583	51586	Noted 12/08/68
BL513	51577	59583	51586	Noted circa Dec-69 - in blue grey livery
	51577	59583	51586	Transfer to 84A - 5w/e 05/12/70
LA500	51577	59583	51586	Noted March 1971
LA500	51577	59583	51586	Listed at Laira - circa May-71
	51577	59583	51586	Noted 18/11/1973 - Plymouth Railway Circle The Didcot Railtour
P556	51577	59583	51586	Noted 24/08/74 - on 2B16 0800 Cardiff-Bristol TM
P556	51577	59583	51586	Noted 07/09/74 - on 2V67 1600 Crewe-Cardiff with 55026 + C516
C556	51577	59583	51586	Noted 23/12/74 - on 2C46 1600 Weymouth-Cardiff with B468 + C506
C556	51577	59583	51586	Noted 08/01/75 - on 2C06 0650 Chepstow-Milford Haven with C512
C556	51577	59583	51586	Noted 19/06/75 - on 2B46 1615 Cardiff-Bristol TM
C556	51577	59583	51586	Noted 02/08/75 - on 2C54 2035 Weston SM-Cardiff with C311 and P800
C556	51577	59583	51586	Noted 26/08/75 - at Newport¹
C553	51574	59284	51586	Noted 20/12/75 - on 2V67 0603 Crewe-Cardiff with C504
C553	51574	59284	51586	Noted 05/01/76 - on 2C08 0735 Chepstow-Cardiff
C556	51577	59583	51586	Listed at CF - 01/05/1976
	51577	59583	51586	Noted 30/08/76 - on 2Z75 1035 Newport-Cardiff Relief
	51577	59583	51586	Transfer to LA - 3w/e 07/05/77
P556	51577	59583	51586	Listed at LA - 31st December 1977
556	51577	59583	51586	Transfer to CF - 2w/e 12/01/80
556	51577	59583	51586	Transfer to LA - Mar-80
P556	51577	59583	51586	Listed at LA - 03/03/80
556	51577	59583	51586	Transfer to CF - 2w/e 10/05/80
NH463	51577	59583	51586	Noted circa 05/1982²
NH463	51586	59583	51577	Noted circa 10/1982 - operating from Newton Heath, previously C556²
	51577	51586		Noted circa 12/1982²
	51577	51586		Noted circa 02/1983²
	51577	59583	51586	Noted 21/02/1983²
	51577	59583	51586	Noted 11/03/1984 - LCGB Staffordshire Ranger Railtour 53974-59387-51934 + 51586-59583-51577
	51577	59532	51586	Noted 19/05/85 - on 11:20 Blackpool North - Manchester
	51577	51586		Noted 17/08/85
	51577	51586		Noted 12/12/85
	53733	59107	51586	Formation change - NH - Jan-86
	53733	59107	51586	Listed at NH - circa Jan-86

Formation Sources
1: Gerald Brown
2: Eddie Knorn

Images:

8th September 1973

Set number: P556

Swindon Cross-Country DMU set P556 (presumably 51586 + 59583 + 51577) is calling at Axminster with the 18.03 from Exeter on 8 September 1973. Tom Burnham.

Unknown date

Set number: C556

The 12:08 Bristol-Weymouth is led by C556 (presumably with 51586 at the front) under West Barn bridge, passing Witham Up Home. Another 120 is seen in the distance. 1970s. Adrian Vaughan.

16th August 1975

Set number: C556

Swindon Class 120 DMU set C556 (51586 closest) is seen in Whitland station with the 13:33 to Pembroke Dock on 16 August 1975. Another Class 120 can be seen in the distance. Robert Thomas.

16th August 1975

Set number: C556

Class 120 Swindon Cross-Country DMU set C556 (W51586 and presumably 59583 + 51577) departs from Whitland on 18 August 1975 with the 13:33 service to Pembroke Dock. Robert Thomas.

24th February 1979

Set number: P556

Plymouth-allocated class 120 Swindon Cross-Country DMU P556 (presumably 51586 + 59583 + 51577) in the platform at St Ives on February 24, 1979. Jeremy Chapter.

28th April 1979

Set number: P556

Class 120 DMU set P556 (51586 and presumably 59583 + 51577) in Newton Abbot station on Saturday 28 April 1979. David Russon.

February 1982

Set number: C556

A snowy scene at Gloucester Horton Road shed (85B) in February 1982. Class 120 DMU car W51586, from set C556, is visible,along with an unidentified Class 08 shunter. Curly42.

10th March 1984

The LCGB "Staffordshire Ranger" railtour is seen at Cheddleton on the 10th March 1984. Class 120 DMS 51586 is at this end of the 120 / 108 formation. Chris Lings.

10th March 1984

On 10 March 1984, the LCGB "Staffordshire Ranger" rail tour is seen at Cheddleton station with a three-car Swindown Works "cross-country" and a Derby Works class 108 three-car. Six Bells Junction notes the vehicles as 51586 + 59583 + 51577 / 53974 + 59387 + 51934. Jeremy Chapter.

November 1985

A Class 120 DMU in Leeds station in November 1985. I am not aware of the Eastern Region ever having had an allocation of Class 120 vehicles, and it is likely this Midland region 2-car unit will have worked in from Derby / Nottingham and is waiting to return there. The class was common at other Eastern region destinations such as Lincoln and Skegness, with inter-regional Provincial services to / from the Midlands, often extending as far as Crewe. They were typically allocated to Etches Park (DY) depot, Derby. Class 114 units were to be found on similar routes, more especially in Eastern counties. Both Classes were largely ousted from these duties from 1986 with the introduction of Class 150/1 Sprinters, with a number of vehicles displaced to Parcels work before final withdrawal. Graeme Phillips Collection.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: 15th July 1977

Set number: P556

Swindon Cross-Country Class 120 DMU set P556 (presumably 51577 + 59583 + 51586) at Dawlish on 15 July 1977. George Woods.

Date: 30th April 1979

Set number: P556

At Newquay on 30 April 1979 is Laira set P556 that which that day comprised W51577, W59583 and W51586 which we had taken up the branch from Par. Alistair Ness.

Date: 3rd June 1982

Set number: C556

Still carrying a Cardiff set number and W prefixes, W51577 + W59583 + W51586 are seen at York on June 3, 1983. They had been transferred to Newton Heath that January. John Carter.

Date: 19th May 1985

53697 + 59263 + 53655 + 51586 + 59532 + 51577 at Blackpool North with the 11:20 to Manchester on 19/5/85. Hamish Stevenson.

Date: 10th October 1985

M51577 as part of a 2-car set with M51586 at Leeds, 10/10/85. Malcolm Clements.

Date: 10th October 1985

M51577 as part of a 2-car set with M51586 at Leeds, 10/10/85. Malcolm Clements.

Date: 12th October 1985

A Class 120/108 four-car DMU working a Preston to Colne service, was climbing Farington Curve on October 12th 1985. The train was formed of a two-car Swindon Cross-Country Class 120, with Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) M51577 leading, coupled to M51586, with a two-car Class 108 bringing up the rear. Buildings in Preston town centre are visible on the skyline, including the 309ft spire of St Walburges Church, visible above the rear car of the train. The wooden post and rail fence visible on the left centre of this scene, marks the course of the Preston - Ormskirk route running in a cutting. Martyn Hilbert.

Date: 25th January 1986

A three-car Class 120/111 hybrid formed of Swindon Class 120 driving cars M53733 & M51586 with a Metro-Cammell Class 111 centre trailer M59107, was stood on the Up Fast at Leyland station with a Blackpool North to Manchester Victoria service on January 25th 1986. Martyn Hilbert.

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