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Vehicle 55011

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 12/07/58	New to	81C (Southall)
by Jun-61	Transferred to	83D (Laira)
Sep-63	Depot code change	84A
w/e 04/05/68	Transferred to	67C (Ayr)
4w/e 05/04/69	Transferred to	66C (Hamilton)
4w/e 01/11/69	Transferred to	60A (Inverness)
06/05/73	Depot code change	IS
4w/e 29/03/80	Transferred to	DE (Dundee)
01/03/82	Transferred to	HA (Haymarket)
04/09/82	Transferred to	AY (Ayr)
circa Oct-82	Transferred to	HA (Haymarket)
12/08/84	Transferred to	LO (Longsight)
16/09/84	Transferred to	TS (Tyseley)
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04/10/90	Withdrawn from	LA (Laira) PZQZ

Notes

circa Sep-67 - in blue with full yellow end

Disposal

Scrapped by Mayer Newman, Snailwell

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

LA102	55011			Listed at Laira - Apr-61
LA102	55011			Listed at 84A - mid-Oct-65
LA102	55011			Noted circa Feb-68 - in plain blue with full yellow ends
	55011			Noted 17/08/70 - at Aberdeen¹
	55011			Noted 18/09/71 - at Inverness²
	55011	59683	51789	Noted 17/10/73 - on 1435 Inverness-Aberdeen with 51787 + 59679 + 51791
	51789	59682	55011	Noted 29/07/76 - on 08.36 Inverness – Aberdeen with 51783 + 59680 + 51785³
305	51786	59685	55011	Noted 06/09/76 - in Inverness station, set number only on 51786, 55011 has set number 2, 55005 also attached¹
	51782	59684	55011	Noted 24/09/77 - at Inverness²
	51787	59685	55011	Noted 03/07/78 - at Inverness²
411	55011			Listed at HA - 17/06/84
TS061	55011			Noted 02/02/1985⁴
TS061	55011			Noted circa 05/1985⁴
TS061	55011			Noted 01/06/1985 - Tudor Rose Outdoor Pursuit Society special Birmingham to Manchester area and return
TS061	55011			Listed at Tyseley - Summer 1986
TS511	55011	59608	53105	Formation change - TS - circa Oct-86 - 55011 replaces 53866
	55011			Noted 04/07/1987 - at Watford Junction⁵
	55011			Noted 01/03/85 - on 19.20 Bletchley - Bedford³
	55011			Noted 01/10/88 - on 19:45 Bletchley - Bedford⁶
	55011			Noted 15/10/88 - on 21.15 Bletchley - Bedford³
P111	55011			Listed at LA - 15/05/89

Formation Sources
1: Gerald Brown
2: Leonard Rogers
3: Phil Shatford
4: Eddie Knorn
5: Robert Chilton
6: David Bellamy

Images:

Unknown date

Gloucester RC&W double-ender W55011 at Staines West. Date unknown, it was a Southall vehicle from new in mid-1958 until moving to Laira by mid-1961. Stuart Mackay Collection.

10th June 1968

55011 at Kilmarnock, waiting to depart with the 1:58pm to Ayr, 10th June 1968. Hamish Stevenson.

circa 1969

On a rainy day at Kilmarnock Class 122 55011 runs into the bay platform, probably on a service from (or to form a service to) Ayr. Already in the platform is 55000, still with a W prefix. There's no yellow on the cab side, so it's carrying blue livery with small yellow panel. Circa 1969. Stuart Rankin.

circa 1969

Class 122 55011 seen in Ayr station on a service from Kilmarnock, circa 1969. Stuart Rankin.

Unknown date

Class 122 55011 at Barassie, where the line from Kilmarnock joins the main Glasgow to Ayr line (thanks to "Mad Mac" for identifying the location). Circa 1969. Stuart Rankin.

circa 1969

Three Class 122 bubbles in three liveries in the bay platforms at Kilmarnock, circa 1969. At the time they were used on services to Ayr. 55011 is closest, the green unit on the left is 55013, behind is 55000 carrying blue livery with a small yellow panel. Stuart Rankin.

circa 1973

A Class 122 in Aberdeen station presumably attached to one (or more?) Class 120s on an Inverness service. This is thought to be circa early 1973, the only 122 at that time in the area would be 55011. Note what seems to be two "coach" ("roof"?) boards on the right, one reading "Evening Express - Lifeline Final", the other "G.C.O. Railway & Transport Society". John McIntyre.

8th April 1977

Gloucester Class 122 DMBS, SC55011, waits it next working on Inverness depot. 8th April 1977. Paul James.

June 1978

Class 122 55011 on the rear of a Class 120. Passing the site of Schoolhill station on the outskirts of Aberdeen, heading for Inverness, June 1978. Mike Cooper.

circa 1980

Gloucester bubble car SC55011 at Inverness circa 1979. It seems to be running as part of a Class 120 set. Image by http://www.the-transport-photo-interchange.co.uk. Stuart Mackay Collection.

13th September 1980

A British Rail diesel multiple unit combination, including Class 122 bubble car SC55011 standing in for a Met-Camm DMBS, has the road and departs westwards from ex-North British Railway Tay Bridge station. The signal box in view is Dundee West. 13th September 1980. Pete LG99.

25th July 1981

Class 122 55011 leads a 105/101/105 formation at Glamis working the 'Strathmore Berry Picker' railtour on the 25th July 1981. Mike Cooper.

Unknown date

An interesting formation passing through Princes Street Gardens towards Edinburgh Waverley formed of two Class 122 bubbles (55011 and 55007) with a Met-Camm buffet. Circa early 1980s, there is a small 'Tayway' sticker on the cab. Paul Redmond.

June 1983

Set number: 359

Haymarket set 359 - formed SC55011 + 56248 + 50965 (a class 108 from on-loan from Carlisle) - rolling into Larbert station in June 1983. Andrew McConnell.

11th June 1983

Set number: 359

A Gloucester RC&W Class 122 “Bubble Car” leads a Derby Class 108 twin (M56248 + M50965 on loan from Carlisle) into Inverkeithing with the 14:38 Kirkcaldy to Edinburgh Waverley service on Saturday 11th June 1983. Brian McDevitt.

1984

Set number: 411

55011 is the nearest of three Class 122 bubble cars seen at Haymarket depot in 1984, the other two are probably 55000 and 55002. S Saunders.

circa 1984

This DMU line-up in Haymarket depot circa 1984 contains Class 122 55011 and several Met-Camms. S Saunders.

circa 1984

This is presumed to be 55011 (left) and 55002 (right, with a cabside damage). Taken at Haymarket depot circa 1984. S Saunders.

14th July 1984

Set number: 411

Sc55011 sits in front of Sc55000 and Sc55002 at Haymarket on 14/7/84. Hamish Stevenson.

4th May 1985

Set number: TS061

TS061 (presumably 55011) leads Class 116 set TS611 (including 53055 + 59611) at Dorridge on 4 May 1985. 54A South Dock.

12th October 1985

Set number: TS061

Class 122 GRCW dmu 55011, Stourbridge Town, Saturday 12 October 1985. Ian 10B.

4th January 1986

Set number: TS084

Class 122 55011 is seen stabled at Tyseley on 04.01.86 complete with WM symbol on the side. It carries set number TS084 in the cab window. Class 116 51133 is on the right. Andy Cole.

5th August 1987

Class 47 no. 47628 approaches Kettering station with a down ballast train and passes M55011 between duties on the Corby shuttle service at 13.20 hrs on 5 August 1987. Lewis Bevan.

24th October 1987

Class 122 55011 approaches Bedford at 14:30 with the 13XX Corby - Bedford service on Saturday 24th October 1987. Colin Brooks.

25th November 1987

Class 122 55011 ticks over in the bay platform at Kettering between duties on the Corby service, November 25, 1987. Not much left of this scene, though Kettering Station box, now at Swanwick Junction, is a notable survivor. Mike Dean.

1988

Class 122 55011 in Bedford station circa summer 1988. Brian Ward.

April 1988

M55011 in Bedford station in April 1988. Mike Cooper.

April 1988

M55011 in Bedford station in April 1988. Mike Cooper.

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.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: unknown

Three GRC&W Bubble Cars in Kilmarnock station, circa 1968/9. The nearest 55013 is still in green, the middle vehicle 55000 is in the early blue livery with small yellow panel, the furthest 55011 is in blue with full yellow ends. Stuart Rankin.

Date: circa 1976

Set number: 305

A seven-car DMU formation arrives into Inverness, date unknown. The first Class 120, set 305 with the DMBF thought to be SC51785, has a 122 standing in for the rear power car. Attached to the rear of the second Class 120 is another Class 122. Thought to be taken circa 1976, Inverness depot had two passenger 122s at that time, 55005 and 55011. The closest 122 has one BR logo on the side, making it 55011, the rear one has two logos making it 55005. Image by http://www.the-transport-photo-interchange.co.uk. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: June 1978

Set number: 305

Set 305 (probably comprised of 51785 + 59680 + 51794) leaves Aberdeen for Inverness past the site of Schoolhill station with Class 122 55011 on the rear. June 1978. Mike Cooper.

Date: 18th June 1979

Set number: 301

A service for Inverness in platform 6 of Aberdeen station on Monday 18 June 1979. With set 301 on the cab the closest power car will be 51789. Looking closely at the centre car, the windows show it's a Met-Camm, and with a red buffet stripe this should be 59574. The other power car is a Class 122, Inverness only has one blue/grey 122 at the time, 55011. The set at the far end seems to still be in plain blue. David Russon.

Date: circa mid-1981

An interesting formation passing through Princes Street Gardens towards Edinburgh Waverley formed of two Class 122 bubbles (55007 and 55011) with a Met-Camm buffet. Circa mid-1981, there is a small 'Tayway' sticker on the cab. Paul Redmond.

Date: 25th July 1981

Set number: 378

The 'Strathmore Berry Picker' railtour at Forfar on the 25th July 1981. Set 378 comprised two Class 105 DMBS vehicles in blue/grey, 51483 closest the other is presumably 51479. It has an unknown Met-Camm centre car, and bubble car 55011 on the rear. Mike Cooper.

Date: 14th August 1981

Class 122 bubbles 55007 and 55011 with Met-Camm buffet 59577 in-between pass along the loop at Dundee ready to form the 15:25 to Arbroath on 14 August 1981. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 14th July 1984

55000 is sandwiched between classmates 55011 (left) and 55002 (right) at Haymarket depot on the 14th July 1984. Hamish Stevenson.

Date: 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.

Date: 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.

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