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Vehicle 55025 / 977859

Class 121

Builder: Pressed Steel
Layout: High Density
Length: 64ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: None
Engines: AEC 150hp
Transmission: Mechanical
Lot Number: 30518
Diagram: 512

Allocations

Nov-60	New to	81C (Southall)
Apr-65	Transferred to	84A (Laira)
Oct-66	Transferred to	86A (Cardiff Canton)
2w/e 31/10/71	Transferred to	84A (Laira)
3w/e 30/04/72	Transferred to	86A (Cardiff Canton)
06/05/73	Depot code change	CF
2w/e 30/11/74	Transferred to	LA (Laira)
11/05/86	Transferred to	RG (Reading)
Jun-87	Transferred to	OO (Old Oak Common)
02/09/93	To departmental stock	SA
May-00	Withdrawn

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

55025 - original number
977859 - from 02/09/93 (departmental stock)

Department Use as ADB977859

Sandite / Route Learner till 2000. Video Survey Unit for Balfour Beatty till 2004, then Route Learner again. Nicknamed 'Pandora' From 9/93 to ?. Carried set number 960011

Modifications

8w/e 01/01/72 - Dual AWS fitted
Jul-74 - Leyland engines fitted
p/e 25/06/77 - WR AWS removed

Refurbished

At Swindon Works dated 29/04/1980 released in blue/grey livery

Disposal

Preserved - more details.

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

LA110	55025			Listed at 84A - mid-Oct-65
	55025			Noted 21/08/1971 - working with class 120 at Newport¹
C125	55025			Noted 13/04/73 - on 2M67 0755 Cardiff-Crewe with C520
	55025			Noted 25/05/74 - on 2M67 1135 Cardiff-Crewe attached to C504 50665 + 59588 + 50715 and C520 50674 + 59278 + 50723
	55025			Noted 13/08/74 - on 2M67 0750 Cardiff-Crewe with C502 + C516 + C530
P322	55025	59352	50132	Noted 27/08/75 - in Exeter St Davids, 55025 displayed P125²
P125	55025			Listed at LA - 01/05/1976
P125	55025			Noted 07/09/76 - on Laira depot²
P125	55025			Listed at LA - 31st December 1977
P125	55025			Listed at LA - 03/03/80
P125	55025			Noted 01/08/80 - at Plymouth³
P125	55025			Listed at LA - 15/12/1982
P125	55025			Listed at LA - 01/01/85
P125	55025			Noted circa 11/1985⁴
P125	55025			Disbanded 11/05/86 - Became L125
L125	55025			Formation change - RG - 11/05/86 - Formed from P125
L125	55025			Listed at Reading - Summer 1986
	55025	59496	51386	Noted 07/02/1987 - at Paddington⁵
	55025	59421	51090	Noted 11/04/1987 - at Paddington⁵
L125	55025			Listed at OO - Aug-87
L125	55025			Noted circa 11/1987⁴
L125	55025			Noted 11/06/1988⁴
L125	55025			Listed at OO - 15/05/89
L125	55025			Noted circa 12/1990⁴
L125	55025			Listed at OO - 21/01/91
L125	55025	59487	51377	Noted 03/10/91 - on 11:10 Reading - Paddington (set L402 with temporary DMBS)
L125	55025			Listed at OO - 24/02/92 - NSE NWRX pool
L125	55025			Listed at OO - 12/08/92
L125	55025			Listed at OO - November 1992 - Sector NWRX
	55025	59507	51397	Noted circa 11/1992⁴
L125	977859			Noted circa 09/1993⁴
960011	977859			Noted 23/10/01 - at Norwich²

Formation Sources
1: Jeremy Goodyear
2: Gerald Brown
3: Shayne Lewis
4: Eddie Knorn
5: Robert Chilton

Images:

circa 1961

Pressed Steel bubble car W55025 seen at West Ruislip circa 1961. Waddo Rail Archive.

3rd May 1968

A Pressed Steel single car arrives into platform 4 of Cadoxton station on 3 May 1968. Judging by the blind it's a terminating service, the people waiting for the return working - likely to Penarth. No number came with the negative, Cardiff had two of these at the time: 25 and 26, 55025 had cut buffers (as seen here), on 26 they were oval. One other subtle difference is this car had the blue squares directly under the marker lamps, on 26 they were slightly further apart. Stuart Mackay Collection.

25th April 1970

Class 121 55025 seen at Tondu on April 25th 1970. Steve Davies Collection.

25th April 1970

Pressed Steel bubble 55025 on the Maesteg branch when it still ran through to Cymmer Afan, and taken at Llangynwyd. 25th April 1970. Steve Davies Collection.

Class 121 DMU at Maesteg Castle Street station

25th April 1970

Pressed Steel bubble 55025 on the Maesteg branch when it still ran through to Cymmer Afan. Taken at Maesteg Castle Street (north end). There were two stations at Maesteg, the other being Neath Road on the old Port Talbot Railway closed to passengers in 1933 and goods in 1964 (info from Jonathan Sanger). 1970. Steve Davies Collection.

25th April 1970

Class 121 55025 at Tondu on April 25th 1970. Steve Davies Collection.

25th April 1970

Class 121 single car W55025 seen at Cymmer Afan on April 25th, 1970, forming the 16:21 to Bridgend. Steve Davies Collection.

25th April 1970

Pressed Steel Class 121 bubble 55025 seen at Cymmer Afan on April 25th, 1970, forming the 16:21 to Bridgend. Steve Davies Collection.

25th April 1970

Class 121 55025 seen at Cymmer Afan on 25th April 1970. Steve Davies Collection.

25th April 1970

A Class 121 bubble car, W55025, seen at Cymmer Afan on April 25th, 1970, forming the 16:21 to Bridgend. Steve Davies Collection.

25th April 1970

Class 121 W55025 sits at Troedyrhiew Garth station on April 25th 1970. Steve Davies Collection.

circa 1971

Bubble car W55025 at Cardiff Canton c1971. John Grey Turner.

5th February 1972

Set number: 125

Pressed Steel bubble car 55025 at Okehampton on 5th February 1972 with the service from Exeter which was withdrawn from June 72. Roger Geach.

2nd June 1973

55025 leads two class 120s on the 1125 Cardiff Crewe. I believe these bubble cars were added to the formation to improve the power weight ratio on the Marches services. Photographed at Bromfield north of Ludlow, June 2nd 1973. Andrew Cope.

13th June 1973

W55025 on the front of a Swindon Cross-Country DMU in Cardiff Central forming a relief to Crewe (2M67) circa 09:15 on 13 June 1973. Robert Thomas.

1st February 1975

Set number: P125

Sat 1 Feb 1975 at 11:52, Pressed Steel 1-car dmu No W55025 at Liskeard forms [2B57] the 11:55 to Looe. Mr Deltic.

1st February 1975

Set number: P125

Saturday 1 February 1975 at 12:30. Front of Pressed Steel 1-car dmu No W55025 at Looe ready to form [2B57] the 12:50 to Liskeard. Mr Deltic.

1st February 1975

Set number: P125

Sat 1 Feb 1975 at 12:50. Pressed Steel 1-car dmu No W55025 leaves Looe with [2B57] the 12:50 to Liskeard. Mr Deltic.

1st May 1976

Set number: P125

Sat 1 May 1976 at 14:23, Pressed Steel 'Bubble car' W55025 (Plymouth Set P125) arrives at Causeland with the 14:06 Liskeard-Looe. Valid train reporting numbers (headcodes) no longer needed to be displayed from the beginning of 1976. All trains on the Looe branch ran as 2B57, 2B95 was for trains on the Exeter-Exmouth branch. Mr Deltic.

1st May 1976

Set number: P125

Saturday 1 May 1976 at 13:26 and Pressed Steel 'Bubble car' W55025 (Plymouth Set P125) leaves Sandplace with the 13:20 Looe-Liskeard. Mr Deltic.

1st May 1976

Set number: P125

Saturday 1 May 1976 at 11:50, Pressed Steel 'Bubble car' W55025 (Plymouth Set P125) at Looe ready to depart with the 11:51 to Liskeard. Mr Deltic.

1st May 1976

Set number: P125

Sat 1 May 1976 at 15:15, Pressed Steel 'Bubble car' W55025 (Plymouth Set P125) arrives at St Keyne with the 15:00 Looe-Liskeard. From the beginning of 1976 valid headcodes no longer needed to be displayed. All trains on the Looe branch ran as 2B57. Mr Deltic.

August 1976

Set number: P125

Class 121 W55025 (P125) sits alongside Class 122 W55018 (P118) in Plymouth Laira depot in August 1976. A steam tender is on the left. Chris McKee.

November 1976

Set number: L125

Class 121 vehicle 55025 (set P125) is seen at Landlooe Bridge, between Causeland and St Keyne) while on Looe - Liskeard duties in November 1976. Roger Geach.

6th September 1978

Set number: P126

'Pressed Steel' Single railcar 55025 waits at St Erth with sevice for St Ives on 6th September 1978. It is coupled to a refurbished Class 116 set, W50129 visible. David Scott.

30th April 1979

Set number: P125

Class 121 W55025 Looe 30 April 1979. Alistair Ness.

30th April 1979

Set number: P125

Class 121 W55025 Looe 30 Apr 1979. Alistair Ness.

30th April 1979

Set number: P125

Class 121 W55025 Liskeard 30 April 1979. We had to get off on the branch platform and wait on the main line platform while the Bubble repositioned after working the last service of the day up from Looe and then formed a stopper to Plymouth. Sadly despite me working for BR at the time the crew wouldn't allow us to stay on board to do the rare connecting line off the branch. Somewhat oddly after this they did however agree to make a special unscheduled stop to set down at Devonport where we were staying in the Youth Hostel, thus saving us the trek back out from the city centre. Alistair Ness.

20th July 1980

Set number: P125

W55025 inside St Blazey shed on the 20th July 1980. Andy Hoare.

9th April 1981

Set number: P125

P125 (55025) at Looe, 9th April 1981. Chris Lings.

16th April 1981

Set number: P125

55025 at Par on the 16th April 1981 with a service to Newquay. Steve Davies Collection.

16th April 1981

Set number: P125

55025 at Par with a Newquay service on 16th April 1981. Steve Davies Collection.

16th April 1981

Set number: P125

37 299 is down the line as W55025 sits in the platform at Coombe Junction on 16/4/81. Steve Davies Collection.

17th April 1981

Set number: P125

W55025 seen at Moorswater on the 17th April 1981. Steve Davies Collection.

17th April 1981

Set number: P125

55025 seen at St.Blazey on the 17th April 1981. Steve Davies Collection.

17th April 1981

Set number: P125

55025 is seen arriving at Coombe Junction on the 17th April 1981. Steve Davies Collection.

17th April 1981

Set number: P125

W55025 at Liskeard on the 17th April 1981. Steve Davies Collection.

18th April 1981

Set number: P125

W55025 heads out of Coombe Junction on the 18th April 1981. Steve Davies Collection.

18th April 1981

Token exchange at Coombe Junction on April 18, 1981. This seems to be Class 121 55025. Steve Davies Collection.

Unknown date

Set number: P125

Class 121 "bubble car" 55025 in Liskeard station, date unknown. Ian Dinmore/railarchive.org.uk.

circa 1984

Set number: P125

Class 121 DMU W55025 in Looe station, thought to be circa 1984. Ian Dinmore/railarchive.org.uk.

11th June 1984

Set number: P125

Summer evening sun illuminates Class 121 single unit rail car P125 (W55025) as it pauses at Liskeard on 11th June 1984 on an eastbound stopping train. Bob Belcher.

10th July 1984

Set number: L125

Class 121 Pressed Steel DMBS 55025 at Looe with the 07:14 to Liskeard, 10-7-84. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.

10th July 1984

Set number: P125

Class 121 Pressed Steel DMBS 55025 at Looe with the 07-14 to Liskeard, 10-7-84. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.

10th July 1984

Set number: P125

Class 121 Pressed Steel DMBS 55025 works through Liskeard yard to take up Looe service after arrival from Plymouth, 10-7-84. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.

15th August 1984

Set number: P125

BR Class 121 55025 + Class 118 51329 + 51314 + 59481 head towards St. Ives on 15.8.1984 Don Taggart.

18th August 1984

Set number: P125

Class 121 "bubble car" W55025 along with other vehicles is seen in St Ives station after arriving with the 15:09 (SO) from St Erth on 18 August 1984. Robert Thomas.

December 1984

Set number: P125

P125 (W55025), Looe, December 1984. Robert28194.

28th May 1985

Set number: P125

Class 121 W55025 coming off shed at Laira on 28 May 1985. Keith Miller.

28th May 1985

Set number: P125

A Class 08 shunts coaches at Laira depot on 28 May 1985. The DMU interest is the suburban centre cars - including 59469 - stabled alongside a Class 121 thought to be 55025. Keith Miller.

8th December 1985

Set number: P125

W55025 stabled at Laira with DMU class 142s on 8 December 1985. Keith Miller.

28th February 1987

Set number: L125

55025 on a main line stopping service at Reading on the 28th February 1987. Ian Buck.

30th June 1987

Set number: L125

A nice clean class 121 (L125 / 55025) at Ealing Broadway on 30th June 1987 with a Greenford service. There used to be a short siding between the down slow and up fast lines where the train would turn round. Jonathan Hazan.

30th June 1987

Set number: L125

55025 at Ealing Broadway, on the Greenford shuttle service, June 30, 1987. A Class 128 DMPV can be seen approaching in the distance. Jonathan Hazan.

20th October 1988

Set number: L129

Class 121 55025 (set L125) on a Greenford - Paddington arrives at Ealing Broadway (10XX) on Saturday 22nd October 1988. Colin Brooks.

5th November 1988

Set number: L125

55025 has arrived at the recently reopened Bicester Town from Oxford on the 5th November 1988. Ian Buck.

5th November 1988

Set number: L125

55025 seen at Oxford on the 5th November 1988. Ian Buck.

23rd November 1988

Set number: L125

Class 121 Pressed Steel single car DMU 55025 in Paddington with the Greenford shuttle on 23-11-88. On Tour With The Class 13 Army.

16th March 1989

Set number: L125

55025 sits in Paddington station on the 16th March 1989. Hamish Stevenson.

10th August 1990

Set number: L125

Second version NSE liveried L125 moving away from West Ealing station with a Paddington to Greenford service. 10 August 1990. Alistair Fyffe.

circa 1991

Set number: L125

Two Class 121 Pressed Steel bubble cars, 55025 + 55031, in Southall station, circa 1991. Stuart Mackay Collection.

8th February 1991

Set number: L125

A six-car DMU formation departs from Maidenhead on 8 February 1991 formed of (furthest to closest) Class 117 set L400 (presumably 51332 + 59484 + 51374), a two-car Class 101, and Class 121 55025. Andrew Malloy.

13th July 1991

Set number: L125

Part side view of L125 standing at the buffer stops in Paddington station in company with Red Stripe Intercity liveried 43171. Lack of sharpness of this image is due to it being taken hand held in late evening. 13 July 1991. Alistair Fyffe.

3rd October 1991

Set number: L125

55025 with 59487 + 51377 at Slough, 3/10/91, working the 11:10 Reading - Paddington. Sparegang.

16th November 1991

Set number: L125

Class 121 55025 sits nest to 47523 (arrived with 1V96, 12.18 ex-Manchester Piccadilly) in Paddington station on 16 November 1991. Dave Warby.

Unknown date

Set number: 960011

Pressed Steel sandite/route learner 977859 with Met-Camm set 960995 behind on Longsight Depot, date unknown. Glyn Weigh.

1994

Set number: L125

977859 (ex-55025) seen at Salisbury in 1994. John Law.

6th August 1994

Set number: L125

Class 121 Pressed Steel single car DMUs 977859 (55025) and 977866 (55030), recently made departmentals, still in NSE livery - Salisbury 6-8-94 or thereabouts. On Tour With The Class 13 Army.

6th August 1994

Set number: L125

Class 121 Pressed Steel single car DMUs 977859 (55025) and 977866 (55030), recently made departmentals, still in NSE livery - Salisbury 6-8-94 or thereabouts. On Tour With The Class 13 Army.

circa 2000

Set number: 960011

977859 'Pandora', set 960011, at Milford Sidings circa 2000. John Law.

14th September 2000

Set number: 960011

977859 and 56 134 at Boulby, 14/9/00. Image by M. Dowling. John Carter Collection.

17th September 2000

Set number: 960011

977859 at Thornaby, 17/9/00. Image by M. Dowling. John Carter Collection.

Unknown date

Set number: 960011

977859 at Bletchley TMD, date unknown. It seems to have a matching wagon! Graham Baker.

2nd January 2001

Set number: 960011

Set 960011 (997859) passing Manea seen from a signal post. 02.01.01 Nicholas Youngman.

23rd February 2001

Set number: 960011

960011 (977859), seen whilst at Skegness during the morning of Friday, February 23rd, 2001. Peter LEYTR.

22nd September 2001

Set number: 960011

Video Survey Unit 977859, Reading 22/9/01. Sparegang.

17th May 2002

Set number: 960011

977859 at Littlehampton on 17/5/02. Steve Hodgson.

17th May 2002

Set number: 960011

977859 at Littlehampton on 17/5/02. Steve Hodgson.

October 2002

Balfour Beatty 977859 at Nottingham Midland in October 2002. David Page.

17th November 2002

Set number: 960011

977859 at Littlehampton on 17/5/02. Steve Hodgson.

21st June 2003

Set number: 960011

Class 121 977859 PANDORA, set number 960 011, is seen stabled at Saltley on 21.06.2003. It had been converted to a Video Survey Unit. Andy Cole.

22nd July 2003

Set number: 960011

Class 121 977859 at Carlisle on 22 July 2003. Nicholas T Smith.

22nd July 2003

Set number: 960011

Class 121 977859 at Carlisle on 22 July 2003. Behind is 66 092. Nicholas T Smith.

31st October 2003

Set number: 960011

The Balfour Beatty camera unit 977859 stabled at Aylesbury on the 31st October 2003. It was formerly 55025. S Gaskell.

12th July 2004

Set number: 960011

The exhaust / van end of 977859 in the narrow confines of Aylesbury depot on 12/7/04. Stuart Mackay.

12th July 2004

Set number: 960011

The exhaust end of 977859 inside Aylesbury depot on 12/7/04. Stuart Mackay.

12th July 2004

Set number: 960011

A close-up of the exhaust end of 977859. Inside Aylesbury depot on 12/7/04. Stuart Mackay.

12th July 2004

Set number: 960011

Details of the lettering applied to 977859 in the darkness of Aylesbury depot on 12/7/04. The plated over window on the left has a grille for the generator inside. Stuart Mackay.

12th July 2004

Set number: 960011

977859 inside Aylesbury depot on 12/7/04. Stuart Mackay.

12th July 2004

Set number: 960011

977859 inside Aylesbury depot on 12/7/04. 977858 can also be seen, it was in the depot for body repairs and repaint which were to begin that day. Stuart Mackay.

13th July 2004

Set number: 960011

Balfour Beatty bubble car 977859 inside Aylesbury depot on 13 July 2004. Stuart Mackay.

13th July 2004

Set number: 960011

Balfour Beatty bubble car 977859 inside Aylesbury depot on 13 July 2004. Stuart Mackay.

Class 121 DMU at National Railway Museum

9th August 2005

Set number: 960011

977859 is seen stabled in the sidings at the NRM, 9/8/05. Stuart Mackay.

18th June 2006

Set number: 960011

977859 'Pandora' stabled at Derby on June 18, 2006. John Carter.

7th February 2007

Set number: 960011

977859 'Pandora', set 960011 at Ipswich on 7 February 2007. Brian Daniels.

26th June 2007

Set number: 960011

The single unit DMMU Pandora was booked to visit the South-West on 25 June 2007 and to return to Derby the following day. The latter move was running as 5Z21, the 09.00 from Bristol Barton Hill depot, being routed via Didcot, Reading, Didcot because of a possession at Didcot West Curve to Oxford, Hatton and Birmingham. 960011, formerly 55025, is reported as being an early candidate for withdrawal so even though the light was quite poor I decided to have an attempt at a shot. I think that such a short train always looks better in an identifiable location with some background rather than open countryside and as Hatton station is only about a 12 minute drive from my home, I went there. Here is Pandora some 39 minutes early passing the down platform. Peter Tandy.

4th September 2007

Set number: 960011

I have always liked the single unit DMMUs and here, at Hatton North Junction, is 960011 "Pandora" coming from the north with 2Z21 Derby to Eastleigh spot on time at 12.21 on 4 September 2007. A gang of 3 permanent-way workers is conveniently hidden behind the unit; I don't normally mind track workers in my shots but with such a small train their presence in full orange high-visibility gear would have been a little distracting. Single unit DMMUs were a long-standing feature of the lines between Birmingham, Leamington Spa and Stratford and it was good to see one again, albeit in a very different livery to the blue & grey they carried for much of their working lives. Peter Tandy.

3rd June 2014

Set number: 960011

170 502 contrasts with 977859 (960011) at Tyseley on Tuesday 3rd June 2014. Colin Brooks.

16th April 2015

Route Learning Unit 977859 'PANDORA', Pressed Steel Class 121 (ex-55025) at Tyseley on 16 April 2015. Dave Warby.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: 30th June 1987

A Class 128 parcel unit at Ealing Broadway on 30th June 1987. It is thought to be 55992 (the WR only had two it this time, 91 and 92, only 92 had two wipers at this end on this date!). 55025 is on the left. Jonathan Hazan.

Date: unknown

Set number: L131

Two Class 121s, 55031 closest and the other is probably 55025, at Southall. Date unknown. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: unknown

Set number: L131

Pressed Steel Bubbles 55031 and 55025 on the approach to Southall station, date unknown. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 8th February 1991

Set number: L400

A six-car DMU formation departs from Maidenhead on 8 February 1991 formed of Class 117 set L400 (presumably 51332 + 59484 + 51374), a two-car Class 101, and Class 121 55025. Andrew Malloy.

Date: 12th July 2004

Class 117 51411 and Class 121 977859 inside Aylesbury depot on 12/07/2004. Stuart Mackay.

Date: 13th July 2004

Class 117 51411 and Class 121 977859 outside Aylesbury depot on 13 July 2004. Stuart Mackay.

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