Vehicle 50700 / 53700
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
| Dec-57 | New to | 86C (Cardiff Canton) | |
| Jan-61 | Depot code change | 88A | |
| Sep-63 | Depot code change | 86A | |
| May-69 | Transferred to | 82A (Bristol Bath Road) | |
| 2w/e 09/01/71 | Transferred to | 86A (Cardiff Canton) | |
| 06/05/73 | Depot code change | CF | |
| w/e 13/12/80 | Transferred to | DY (Derby Etches Park) | |
| 16/06/85 | Transferred to | NH (Newton Heath) | |
| 11/05/86 | Transferred to | CH (Chester) | |
| 07/09/86 | Transferred to | AY (Ayr) | |
| Mar-87 | Transferred to | HA (Haymarket) | |
| 13/09/89 | Withdrawn from | HA (Haymarket) |
Notes
29th January 1958 - New at Swindon Carriage Works.
27th June 1987 - Seen with refurbished interior and all but 2 roof vents removed
early 1989 - Seen fitted with "exchange" (magenta-coloured) engines
The vehicle carried the following numbers:
50700 - original number
53700 - from 1985 (53xxx / 54xxx change)
Modifications
03/07/73 - Dual AWS fitted
Refurbished
At Swindon Works dated 02/12/1983 released in blue/grey livery - C1 overhaul and partial refurbishmentDisposal
Scrapped by MC Metal Processing, Springburn
Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:
| 50698 | 50700 | Noted 29th January 1958 - On trial | |||||||
| CDF508 | 50700 | 59262 | 50659 | Listed at CDF - circa Sep-60 | |||||
| 50700 | 59282 | 50659 | Transfer to 86A - 2w/e 09/01/71 | ||||||
| 50700 | 59282 | 50659 | Noted 20/03/71 - at Leicester1 | ||||||
| CTN506 | 50700 | 59282 | 50659 | Listed at Canton - circa Apr-71 | |||||
| 50700 | 59282 | 50659 | Noted 21/08/1971 - at Newport2 | ||||||
| 50700 | 59282 | 50659 | Noted 23/08/1971 - at Abergavenny2 | ||||||
| 50700 | 59282 | 50659 | Noted 25/08/1971 - at Cardiff2 | ||||||
| 50700 | 59282 | 50659 | Noted 26/08/1971 - at Newport2 | ||||||
| 50700 | 59282 | 50659 | Noted 13/10/72 - at Pritchatts Rd, Edgbaston1 | ||||||
| 50700 | 59282 | 50659 | Noted 20/02/73 - at Church Road, Edgbaston1 | ||||||
| 50700 | 59282 | 50659 | Noted 09/05/73 - at Church Rd, Edgbaston1 | ||||||
| 50700 | 59281 | 50659 | Noted 25/07/73 - on 1202 Swansea-Shrewsbury with 50702 + 50664 | ||||||
| 50700 | 59282 | 50659 | Noted 30/03/1974 - at Cardiff Central 3 | ||||||
| C506 | 50700 | 59282 | 50659 | Noted 09/08/1975 - at Birmingham New Street3 | |||||
| C504 | 50700 | 59282 | 50659 | Listed at CF - 01/05/1976 | |||||
| C504 | 50700 | 59282 | 50668 | Noted 04/09/76 - at Carmarthen4 | |||||
| C504 | 50700 | 59282 | 50659 | Listed at CF - 31st December 1977 | |||||
| C504 | 50700 | 59282 | 50659 | Noted 12/01/1978 - Cardiff Central5 | |||||
| C503 | 50700 | 59581 | 50659 | Listed at CF - 03/03/80 | |||||
| EP525 | 50700 | 59680 | 50662 | Listed at DY - circa Jun-82 | |||||
| EP525 | 50700 | 59680 | 50662 | Noted 26/09/82 - at Norwich4 | |||||
| 53700 | 59065 | 53662 | Noted circa 12/19836 | ||||||
| 53700 | 59089 | 53662 | Noted 11/08/84 - at Norwich4 | ||||||
| 53700 | 59089 | 53662 | Transfer to NH - 16/06/85 - from DY | ||||||
| 53700 | 59089 | 51930 | Listed at NH - circa Jan-86 | ||||||
| 53700 | 53682 | Listed at Chester - Summer 1986 - Relief set | |||||||
| 53700 | 53682 | Noted 08/07/1986 - at Chettisham on 15.10 Cambridge to Derby.7 | |||||||
| 533 | 53700 | 59262 | 53682 | Listed at HA - 23/03/87 | |||||
| 533 | 53700 | 59289 | 53682 | Noted circa 04/19876 | |||||
| 533 | 53700 | 59289 | 53682 | Noted 02/05/19876 | |||||
| 533 | 53700 | 59289 | 53682 | Noted 21/05/19876 | |||||
| 533 | 53700 | 59289 | 53682 | Noted 27th June 1987 | |||||
| 533 | 53700 | 59065 | 53682 | Formation change - 2w/e 14/11/87 - 59065 replaced 59289 | |||||
| 533 | 53700 | 59532 | 53682 | Listed at HA - Jan-88 | |||||
| 533 | 53700 | 59532 | 53682 | Listed at HA - circa August 1988 | |||||
| 533 | 53700 | 59532 | 53682 | Noted 06/03/89 | |||||
| 533 | 53700 | 59532 | 53682 | Noted 28th April 1989 | |||||
| 533 | 53700 | 59532 | 53682 | Listed at HA - 08/05/89 | |||||
| 533 | 53700 | 59532 | 53682 | Noted 27th May 1989 |
Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Jeremy Goodyear
3: Peter Wallwork
4: Gerald Brown
5: Shayne Lewis
6: Eddie Knorn
7: Nicholas Youngman
Images:
3rd August 1975
Set number: C506
Class 120 DMU set C506 (thought to be W50700 in view) at Gwaun-cae-Gurwen with the Branch Line Society South Wales Wanderer No.3 on 3 August 1975. Stuart Mackay Collection.
3rd August 1975
Class 120 DMU set C506 (thought to be W50700 + W59282 + W50659) at Gwaun-cae-Gurwen with the Branch Line Society South Wales Wanderer No.3 on 3 August 1975. Stuart Mackay Collection.
3rd August 1975
The Branch Line Society South Wales Wanderer railtour at Gorseinon Coal Yard on 3 August 1975. The Class 120 vehicle in view is thought to be W50700. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Unknown date
Set number: 533
Class 120 M53700 at the buffers in Glasgow Central station in the late 1980s. Malcolm Clements.
Unknown date
Set number: 533
Swindon Cross-Country vehicle M53700 sits in Glasgow Central station in the late 1980s. Malcolm Clements.
Unknown date
Set number: 533
Class 120 53700 from set 533 running with a boarded front window. Thought to be taken between Barassie and Kilmarnock, date unknown. John Horne Collection.
1987
Set number: 533
9am one spring day in 1987. What a delight to be able to contemplate a ride in a Swindon Class 120 set out of Glasgow Queen Street. And there was still van traffic. Set 533 - 53700 and presumably 59289 + 53682. Robert Forsythe.
circa 1987
Set number: 533
Class 120 set 533 (53700 closest) on Haymarket depot circa 1987, with Met-Camm set 336 on the left. S Saunders.
9th May 1987
Set number: 120533
Set 120 533 (53700/59289/53682) leaves Waverley station, Edinburgh, on 9/5/87 forming the 16.35 to Kirkcaldy. Leonard Rogers.
August 1987
Set number: 533
Class 120 Burntisland Aug 1987. A northbound working calls at the station, 53700 is still wearing it's M prefix, the other vehicles should be 59289 + 53682. Alistair Ness.
August 1987
Set number: 533
Cross Country to Burntisland. Swindon built DMUs were a rarity in Fife, save for the occasional 1960s fill-in turn by an Edinburgh-Glasgow Inter City class 126 set. But in the late 80s several Cross Country class 120s were drafted north having been displaced by Sprinters elsewhere, and this led to their appearance during the "anything goes" period before new sets were introduced. Here set 533 (53700 closest) approaches Burntisland station on an Edinburgh to Kirkcaldy stopping service in August 1987. Murray Liston.
Unknown date
Set number: 533
This appears to be set 533, a 120/101 hybrid, heading south from Glasgow Central. Undated. Andrew McConnell.
14th May 1988
Set number: 533
Class 120/101 hybrid DMU set 533 (presumably 53700 + 59532 + 53682) departs from Glasgow Central station on 14 May 1988. Brian Ward.
14th May 1988
Set number: 533
Set 533 led by Class 120 DMBS M53700 and a Class 101 TS leave Glasgow Central on 14 May 1988. Andrew McConnell.
Unknown date
Set number: 533
M53700 in Glasgow Queen Street station in the late 1980s. Malcolm Clements.
13th September 1988
Set number: 533
M53700 + 59532 + M53682 heading out of Edinburgh Waverley on the 11:18 Edinburgh - Glasgow Central, 13/9/88. Hamish Stevenson.
21st November 1988
Set number: 533
Class 120 DMU Set 533 53700+59532+53682 (Class 101 TCL) with the 15-35 Dundee-Perth, 21-11-88. On Tour With The Class 13 Army.
12th May 1989
Set number: 533
120533 (53700+59532+53683) at Glasgow Central on 12-05-1989. My favourite 1st generation dmu - enjoying an 'Indian summer' on Strathclyde suburban services, shortly before the takeover of class 156 was completed. Gordon Thomson.
1st June 1989
Set number: 533
A six-car formation heading out of Perth on June 1st 1989 towards Dundee. The vehicle closest appears to be 53700. Stuart Mackay.
8th December 1990
Set number: 533
Withdrawn Class 120 power car 53700 at Thornton Junction on 8 December 1990. Stuart Mackay.
The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:
Date: unknown
Set number: 533
Class 120 set 533 in Glasgow Central in the late 1980s. The power cars are 53682 (closest) and 53700, they have a Met-Camm centre in between them. Malcolm Clements.
Date: unknown
Set number: 533
Class 120/101 hybrid set 533 (probably 53682 + 59532 or 59065 + 53700) seen in Edinburgh Waverley. Late 1980s, exact date unknown. Malcolm Clements.
Date: circa summer 1987
Set number: 533
Class 120 DMU set 533 (presumably 53682 + 59289 + 53700) in Perth station circa summer 1987. Mike Bunker.
Date: 24th October 1987
Set number: 533
Class 120 DMU set 533 (53682 + 59289 + 53700) in Edinburgh Waverley with the 12:30 to Kirkcaldy on 24 October 1987. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Date: April 1988
Set number: 533
53682 leads set 533, a 120/101 hybrid, presumably with 59532 (101) and 53700 (one of the 120s with most of the roof vents removed) out of Edinburgh Waverley with a Fife service in April 1988. Walter Burt Collection.
Date: 20th April 1988
Set number: 120535
Set 120 535, on the right with 53733 leading 59065 and 53215, leaves Edinburgh Waverley on 9/4/88, forming the 15.10 to Dunblane. As it does so, it passes set 120 532 (53699/59571/53658), coupled to 120533 (53682/59532/53700) which is not visible. These latter two sets will form the 15.13 to Cowdenbeath. Leonard Rogers.
Date: late 1980s
Set number: 533
Class 120/101 hybrid DMU set 533 (presumably formed of 53682 + 59532 + 53700) sits in Glasgow Queen Street in the late 1980s. Mike Bunker.
Date: late 1980s
Set number: 533
Class 120/101 hybrid DMU set 533 (53682 and presumably 59532 + 53700) sits in Glasgow Queen Street in the late 1980s. Mike Bunker.
Date: 6th March 1989
Set number: 533
53682, 59532 and 53700 at Glasgow Queen Street waiting departure with the 1137 to Dunblane on 6 March 1989. Keith Long.
Date: 10th July 1989
Set number: 120533
Set 120 533 (53700/59532/53682) departs from Dunfermline on 10.7.89. It is forming the 16.18 Edinburgh - Cowdenbeath. Leonard Rogers.