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Vehicle 55004

Class 122

Builder: GRC&W
Layout: High Density
Length: 64ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: None
Engines: AEC 150hp
Transmission: Mechanical
Lot Number: 30419
Diagram: 539

Allocations

4w/e 17/05/58	New to	84E (Tyseley)
01/01/63	Boundary change	84E	transferred from WR to LMR stock
Sep-63	Depot code change	2A
May-73	Depot code change	TS
12/04/87	Transferred to	BY (Bletchley)
Dec-88	Transferred to	LA (Laira) PDCX	- never moved to LA, stored at Tyseley
04/10/90	Withdrawn from	LA (Laira) PZQZ

Disposal

Scrapped by Mayer Newman, Snailwell

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

102	55004			Noted 17/08/65 - at Lapworth
TY051	55004			Listed at Tyseley - circa Dec-69
TY051	55004			Listed at 2A - 16/08/70
	55004	59438	50913	Noted 04/1975 - at Birmingham New Street ¹
TY051	55004			Noted 12/06/76 - at Stratford-upon-Avon, possibly working with 59334 + 50835 (TS541)²
TY051	55004			Noted 08/09/76 - at Stourbridge Junction²
TS051	55004			Listed at TS - 12/08/79
	55004			Noted 11/12/79 - on 19:06 Stourbridge Junction - Town and 22:10 Stourbridge Town - Jct³
TS051	55004			Noted circa 01/1981⁴
TS051	55004			Noted circa 10/1981⁴
TS051	55004			Listed at TS - Jan-83
TS051	55004			Listed at TS - 14/07/83
TS051	55004			Noted circa 09/1983⁴
TS051	55004			Noted circa 10/1983⁴
TS532	55004	59757	53121	Noted circa 01/1984⁴
TS532	55004	59757	53121	Noted circa 03/1984⁴
TS051	55004			Noted 17/04/1984 - at Stourbridge Junction⁴
TS054	55004			Noted circa 01/1985⁴
TS054	55004			Listed at Tyseley - Summer 1986
	55004			Noted 06/12/1986 - 1235 Leamington Spa to Stratford on Avon
P104	55004			Listed at LA - 15/05/89

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

Images:

summer 1964

Set number: 328

GRC&W double ender W55004 stands in for the DMBS in a Derby suburban triple set, and has a temporary set number in the left cab window which possibly reads 328. They are seen at Whitlocks End on the North Warwickshire Line in summer 1964. Michael Mensing.

17th August 1965

Set number: 102

On August 17, 1965 M55004 is at the front of a Derby suburban set at Lapworth after terminating with the 5.52pm ex-Birmingham Snow Hill. Michael Mensing.

15th December 1972

55004 is working a Stratford-upon-Avon to Leamington Spa service. It is seen passing under the footbridge which served the now disused second platform Peter Shoesmith.

6th August 1975

Set number: TY051

Class 122 set TY051 - presumably M55004 - on the front of a Class 116 at St Andrews, Birmingham, on 6 August 1975. Michael Mensing.

27th February 1976

Set number: TY051

A class 122 (TY051, presumably M55004) waits to leave Stourbridge Town for one of the worlds great rail journeys to Stourbridge Junction!! 27/2/1976. Stephen Burdett.

27th February 1976

Set number: TY051

A class 122 offloads its passengers at Stourbridge Junction after the 3 minute trip from Stourbridge Town on 27/2/1976. Carrying set number TY051, this is presumably M55004. Stephen Burdett.

Unknown date

Class 122 GRC&W bubble car M55004 at Stratford-upon-Avon, date unknown, possibly early 1970s. The vehicle spent the first 29 years of its 32 year career based at Tyseley. Graham Clark.

11th September 1978

Set number: TY051

Gloucester RC&W Co "bubble car" single unit M55004 standing at Stourbridge Town Station on September 11, 1978. Jeremy Chapter.

12th September 1978

M55004 stands at the original Stourbridge Town station, the site of which is now occupied by the bus station. It appears that work to provide the new platform, a few yards nearer Stourbridge Junction was well under way when this shot was taken on September 12 1978. Jeremy Chapter.

28th May 1979

Set number: TY051

Class 122 M55004 stabled in the Cold Store Siding alongside platform 3 at Stratford-upon-Avon on Monday 28 May 1979. David Russon.

1st June 1979

Set number: TY051

Class 122 DMUs M55004 and M55003 in Leamington Spa station on Friday 1 June 1979. David Russon.

14th October 1979

Class 122 M55004 part way through attention at Swindon Works on 14 October 1979. Brian Daniels.

30th May 1980

Set number: TY051

Class 122 M55004 in Leamington Spa station on Friday 30 May 1980. Stratford-upon-Avon is on the destination blind and M55012 is behind. David Russon.

Unknown date

55004 at Willington, date unknown. Ian Francis.

20th September 1985

Set number: TS054

A class 122/116 combination (55004 is the 122) approaches Langley Green with a Birmingham New Street to Kidderminster service on 20/9/1985. In the foreground is the branch to Oldbury used mainly for chlorine traffic. The station here was once known as Oldbury & Langley Green. Stephen Burdett.

7th December 1985

Set number: TS054

Class 122 55004, set number T054, is seen stabled at Tyseley on 07.12.1985. Andy Cole.

5th March 1986

Here is one of my few shots on the Stourbridge town branch, taken on 5 March 1986. It shows 55004 arriving at Stourbridge Junction after a journey of just a couple of minutes from the town station. Another single car unit is just visible behind the signalbox, indicating that the daily changeover was imminent. The size of the signalbox is testament to the area's importance in earlier days, with considerable numbers of freights heading for Brierley Hill and Dudley sites, or to the Handsworth line via Langley Green. Even at this relatively late date a class 25, 25 205 is in position ready to bank freights along the now-closed line to Bescot via Wednesbury. Peter Tandy.

30th April 1986

Set number: TS054

It was quite common on the 1980s for a 3 coach DMU to be strengthened with the addition of a single coach unit largely to improve the power-to-weight ratio of the train. On this occasion the leading unit was 55004 (TS054). I photographed it at Hatton North Junction on 30 April 1986 before the junction was upgraded and a tall footbridge erected to carry the public footpath across the line. The boarded crossing was made of old sleepers and was slippery in wet conditions - not great for a line with a lot of quite fast-moving freight! Peter Tandy.

circa April 1987

Set number: TS054

The air/axle panel on a Class 122 DMU, taken at Tyseley depot circa 1987. Above is the buzzer, missing its cover. This is thought to be 55004, the vehicle was transferred to Bletchley in April 1987 for Kettering - Corby services and this could be just prior to this. Stuart Mackay Collection.

circa April 1987

Set number: TS054

The inside of a Class 122 DMU (the last number in the cab sadly obscured!), with the seat cushions and backs removed at the floor washed. Taken on Tyseley Depot, circa 1987. This is thought to be 55004. The vehicle was transferred to Bletchley in April 1987 for Kettering - Corby services and this could be just prior to this. Stuart Mackay Collection.

circa April 1987

Set number: TS054

The header tank in a Class 122 DMU, the float switch is on the lower left. Taken in an unknown vehicle at Tyseley depot circa 1987. This is thought to be 55004, the vehicle was transferred to Bletchley in April 1987 for Kettering - Corby services and this could be just prior to this. Stuart Mackay Collection.

circa April 1987

Set number: TS054

Part of the drivers desk in a Class 122 taken at Tyseley depot circa April 1987. The reflection in the window of the set number is TS054, which should be 55004. The vehicle was transferred to Bletchley in April 1987 for Kettering - Corby services and this could be just prior to this. The bubble cars had an extra duplex vacuum gauge, seen to the left of the brake valve, which showed the vacuum on the top side of the vacuum cylinders. Stuart Mackay Collection.

circa April 1987

Set number: TS054

The emergency valve, lighting control, and heater controls in a Class 122 DMU. Taken at Tyseley depot circa 1987. This is thought to be 55004, the vehicle was transferred to Bletchley in April 1987 for Kettering - Corby services and this could be just prior to this. Stuart Mackay Collection.

13th April 1987

Corby station on 13 April 1987, the day that services were restored after the original Corby station had closed in 1966. Single units 55004/55011 are awaiting a return to Kettering - the restored service comprised only a shuttle service to Kettering, with one or two trains each day being extended back to Bedford. The service was restored on an "experimental basis", but this experiment was deemed a failure, and Corby station closed again on 2 June 1990. It was to be nearly another 19 years before proposals to re-open Corby came to fruition, with East Midlands Trains introducing through trains to St Pancras on 23 February 2009. Lewis Bevan.

16th April 1987

Class 122 single unit M55004 (built by the Gloucester RC & W Co in 1958) at Kettering with the 09.13 service to Corby on 16 April 1987. This was the day that services were restored to Corby after a gap of 21 years, the station having been closed in April 1966 when regular passenger trains over the Oakham-Kettering line were withdrawn. The 1987 re-opening was on an "experimental" basis, and services were withdrawn again as from 2 June 1990. This closure left Corby as, allegedly, the largest town in Europe without a rail service, and, in the ensuing years, there were various proposals for trains to serve Corby once again. But it would be nearly 19 years until East Midlands Trains re-introduced a regular service, including through trains to London, to the town. Lewis Bevan.

16th April 1987

Almost 21 years to the day since Corby station had closed in 1966, rail services were reinstated. Trains shuttled between Kettering and Corby, provided by dmus based at Bletchley and operated by Network SouthEast. Initially there were two Gloucester RCW class 122 "bubble cars" dedicated to the service, embellished with the Corby coat of arms. Here, in the first week of service, M55004 climbs out of Kettering with an afternoon train on 16/4/87. New signals are in place but there are still four tracks, a situation that will change at the end of 1987. The "Jockloper" lasted barely more than three years, though in 2008 a more permanent service again re-connected Corby to the outside world. Mike Dean.

9th May 1987

On May 9, 1987, a month after the passenger service to Corby had been re-instated, Class 122 55004 takes a full load past Corby North box (south of Corby station!) on its way to Kettering and connection with the outside world. Mike Dean.

April 1988

M55004 seen in Bedford station in April 1988. Mike Cooper.

13th May 1988

Class 122 single unit M55004 awaits departure from Kettering as the 19.14 hrs to Corby on 13 May 1988. On the left of the picture a 2-car Class 108 comprising M51914/M54279 is approaching to form the 18.45 hrs Kettering-Bedford. Lewis Bevan.

8th April 1989

Class 122 55004 is seen stabled at Tyseley on 08.04.1989 complete with Network South East decals and the Corby coat of arms on the bodyside. 55011 is behind, both vehicles had been set aside for the Kettering to Corby shuttle service. Andy Cole.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: 13th May 1964

W50684 leads the 1.45pm Cardiff General - Birmingham Snow Hill via Hereford at Old Hill on May 13 1964. W55004 sits on the Dudley lines, it will form the 5.36pm to Dudley. Michael Mensing.

Date: March 1967

Tyseley MPD, 03/67. In the yard are LMS Class "5MT's" Nos.44675, 44663, 44833, & 45296 and BR St.Cl." 5MT" No.73045, Brush Type 4 (Class 47) No.D1688, Gloucester RC&W Co. railcars (Class 122) Nos.W55006 & W55004 and BR (Derby) dmu trailer (Class 175) No.W59016. Hugh Llewelyn.

Date: 1st June 1979

Set number: TY050

Class 122 DMUs M55003 and M55004 in Leamington Spa station on Friday 1 June 1979. David Russon.

Date: 30th May 1980

Set number: TS056

Class 122 M55012 in Leamington Spa station on Friday 30 May 1980. M55004 is the other vehicle, the pair are presumably on Stratford-upon-Avon duties. David Russon.

Date: 3rd July 1986

Set number: TS083

On 3 July 1986 55033 + 55004 + 55032 were on a diagram that included the 18.30 from Stratford-upon-Avon to Birmingham Moor Street. I lived near to the line in those days and had seen the train arrive from my kitchen window so had grabbed a camera, had a quick chat with the signalman and made my way to this spot with the gasholders, still in use at the time, and the middle starter signal prominent in the picture. The leading unit, 55033, was the one selected to receive Midline livery a few months later. Peter Tandy.

Date: 30th January 1988

Class 115 power car 51674 leads class 122 55004 over Oakley viaduct with a Corby to Kettering service, January 30, 1988. Mike Dean.

Date: 8th April 1989

Class 122 55011 is seen stabled at Tyseley on 08.04.1989 complete with Network South East decals and the Corby coat of arms. At the time this unit and 55004, to the left, had just transferred back to Tyseley from Bletchley where they had been set aside for Kettering to Corby shuttle service. Andy Cole.

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