Vehicle 51783

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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: 30559
Diagram: 587

Allocations

28/11/59	New to	61A (Kittybrewster)
2w/e 09/04/60	Transferred to	66C (Hamilton)
4w/e 24/06/61	Transferred to	61A (Kittybrewster)
Jan-67	Transferred to	60A (Inverness)
06/05/73	Depot code change	IS
2w/e 22/03/80	Transferred to	CF (Cardiff Canton)
p/e 09/10/82	Transferred to	NH (Newton Heath)
Oct-85	To Parcels Sector at	CH (Chester)
16/08/87	Withdrawn from	CH (Chester)

Modifications

circa 1968 - Converted to DMBF
circa May-81 - Headlamp fitted

Refurbished

At Glasgow Works dated 10/06/1977 released in blue/grey livery

Disposal

Scrapped by Vic Berry, Leicester

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	51783	59679	51790						Noted 17/08/70 - at Inverness1
302	51783	59684	51790						Noted 03/09/73 - at Inverness1
	51783	59679	51790						Noted 05/04/1976 - on 08:40 Inverness to Aberdeen with 51781, 59682 & 517882
	51783	59680	51785						Noted 29/07/76 - on 08.36 Inverness – Aberdeen with 51789 + 59682 + 550113
	51783	59682	51790						Noted 06/09/76 - on Aberdeen Ferryhill depot1
	51783	59683	51792						Noted 24/09/77 - at Inverness4
300	51783	59683	51792						Listed at IS - mid-May-78 - Refurbished set
	51783	59683	51792						Noted 01/07/78 - at Inverness on 17:37 to Aberdeen4
C520	51783	59683	51792						Transfer to CF - 2w/e 22/03/80 - by May running as C620
C620	51783	59683	51792						Noted circa 10/1982 - operating from Newton Heath5
	51783	59683	51792						Noted circa 10/19835
	51783	59683	51792						Noted circa 06/19855
	51783	59683	51792						Noted 29/08/85
	51783	51785							Listed at CH - circa Jan-86 - Parcels
	51783	51786							Formation change - CH - circa Mar-86 - Parcels
	51783	51787							Formation change - CH - 2w/e 14/05/86 - Parcels
	51783	51787							Listed at Chester - Summer 1986 - Parcels
	51783	51787							Noted 4th March 1987 - in Manchester Piccadilly

Formation Sources
1: Gerald Brown
2: Peter Wallwork
3: Phil Shatford
4: Leonard Rogers
5: Eddie Knorn

Images:

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14th July 1964

Sc51783 leads the 2.30pm Inverness - Aberdeen service at Inveramsay, being worked by a 6-car Swindon Cross-Country formation on 14/7/64. Michael Mensing.

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August 1968

BR (Swindon) Cross Country DMU (later Class 120) vehicles at Inverness MPD, August 1968. Closest is No.Sc51783 (120/1 in blue with small yellow warning panel) then No.Sc59679 (179 in blue), and No.Sc51788 (120/2 in green) & Sc51790 (120/2 also in green). The DMBF seems to have a different shade (or glossier?) of blue in the centre section - was the conversion done after the vehicles had been painted into blue? Hugh Llewelyn.

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11th August 1969

The tablet catcher on SC51783, taken at Inverness on 11 August 1969. David Mant.

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circa June 1977

Set number: 300

An official image (2 of 15) from a internal BR photo album titled 'Refurbished Class 120 DMU Pre-Production SC Region'. It shows the No.1 engine under Sc51783, the biggest change is probably a revised exhaust arrangement. To the left of the AEC engine the vertical plate is to prevent oil being sprayed from the fluid flywheel onto the exhaust. This was taken circa June 1977, probably at Wormit goods yard. British Rail.

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circa June 1977

Set number: 300

An official image (4 of 15) from a internal BR photo album titled 'Refurbished Class 120 DMU Pre-Production SC Region'. It shows the rear end of Sc51783 (still fitted with a tablet catcher on the van door), the exhaust silencer on the rear end, and the gangway through to 59683 on the right. Note the 'squared' and oval buffer. The various bits of text tell us this was taken circa June 1977, the C1 completion date and buckeye exam being 11th June, the work being done at 7076 (Glasgow Works). This was probably taken at Wormit goods yard. British Rail.

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circa June 1977

Set number: 300

An official image (6 of 15) from a internal BR photo album titled 'Refurbished Class 120 DMU Pre-Production SC Region'. It shows a Smiths heater under a power car, the inward opening door above tells us it is DMBF Sc51783. Note the flat plate in front of the 'Ozonair' air intake filter to prevent damage. This was taken circa June 1977, probably at Wormit goods yard. British Rail.

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circa June 1977

Set number: 300

An official image (11 of 15) from a internal BR photo album titled 'Refurbished Class 120 DMU Pre-Production SC Region'. It shows the interior of DMBF Sc51783, with the cab behind the photographer looking towards the van end. The door divides the first class into non-smoking and smoking compartments. This was taken circa June 1977 in Wormit goods yard, looking south east, the house seen out the windows is in Naughton Road. British Rail.

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1st July 1978

DMBF no.51783 is at the rear of a Cross Country set (51792/59683/51783) making a smoky exit from Inverness on the 17.37 to Aberdeen on 1.7.78. Beyond is 08 738 marshalling the stock for that evening's Royal Highlander to Euston. The unique coaching stock type of DMBF arose when the small area of second class seating ahead of the guard's compartment on these DMBC's based at Inverness was converted to extra mail and parcels space for Inverness - Aberdeen services. Leonard Rogers.

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24th August 1978

Set number: 300

A Swindon Cross-Country DMU at Nairn on 24 August 1978. It appears to be set 300, making the vehicles 51783 + 59683 + 51792. There is another DMU on the rear. Steve Jones.

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16th August 1979

This shown one of the modified vehicles with the centre passenger section replaced by extra van space. More interesting though is that despite modification and refurbishment, the tablet catcher remains fitted. Also note the mismatched buffers and the '1' on the passenger door. 51783 at Inverness on 16/8/79. Hamish Stevenson.

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1st June 1985

M51783 arriving at Bolton with the 1315 Manchester Victoria to Blackpool North 1st June 1985. Keith Long.

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1st June 1985

M51590 (left) with the 1225 Blackpool North to Manchester Victoria and M51783 (right) with the 1315 Manchester Victoria to Blackpool North at Bolton 1st June 1985. Keith Long.

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Unknown date

A Red Star branded set on Chester depot in the mid/late 1980s, the closest vehicle was originally one of the ScR DMBF conversions. Of the three that entered parcel use only one had the number under the second window (the others were closer to the BR arrows) making this 51783. David Rowe.

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circa October 1986

Chester MPD with a Class 120 in Parcels use, a Class 116, a Class 108 and new Class 142 on shed October-November 1986. The closest parcel vehicle was originally one of the ScR DMBF conversions. Of the three that entered parcel use only one had the number under the second window (the others were closer to the BR arrows) making this 51783. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.

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27th May 1987

A Class 120 power twin parcel unit in Chester station on 27 May 1987. The closest is former ScR DMBF conversion 51783. Colin Brooks.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

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Date: 1960

Two Swindon Cross-Country sets in Kingsknowe station sometime in 1960. The vehicles are noted as Sc51787 + Sc59681 + Sc 51788 and Sc51783 + Sc59679 + Sc51792. For part of 1960 six of the seven sets were allocated to Hamilton depot. Stuart Mackay Collection.

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Date: circa June 1977

Set number: 300

An official image (1 of 15) from a internal BR photo album titled 'Refurbished Class 120 DMU Pre-Production SC Region'. It shows set 300 (51792 + 59683 + 51783) in Wormit goods yard, looking north, circa June 1977. Note the 'stretcher' window on the DMSL. British Rail.

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Date: 25th July 1978

Set number: 300

The 25th July 1978 and set 300 leaves Huntly for Aberdeen. Taken from a Class 40 on the 'grain'. The first passenger window behind the can on the DMS is a stretcher window. The vehicles are presumed to be 51792 + 59683 + 51783. Mike Cooper.