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Vehicle 56285 / 54285 / 977486

Class 121

Builder: Pressed Steel
Layout: High Density
Length: 64ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: None
Lot Number: 30519
Diagram: 513

Allocations

Feb-61	New to	81C (Southall)
09/07/62	Transferred to	81D (Reading)
circa Nov-64	Transferred to	81C (Southall)
Apr-68	Transferred to	81D (Reading)
May 1973	Depot code change	RG
Jul-73	On loan to	CF (Cardiff Canton)
Dec-73	Ex-loan back to	RG (Reading)
16/05/85	Stored	SZ (Southall)
p/e 02/08/87	To departmental stock
Oct-87	Transferred to	LA (Laira)
by 04/11/89	Transferred to	CF (Cardiff Canton)
by 08/11/93	Transferred to	TS (Tyseley)	- set T006

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

56285 - original number
54285 - from Mar-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)
977486 - from 1987 (departmental stock)

Department Use as TDB977486

Sandite From 12/86 to 1996. Carried set number 960006

Modifications

circa Jul-70 - Dual AWS fitted
Jul-75 - WR AWS removed

Refurbished

At Swindon Works dated 29/07/1980 released in blue/grey livery

Disposal

Preserved - more details.

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

L285	56285		Listed at RG - 01/05/1976
L285	56285		Listed at RG - 31st December 1977
L285	56285		Noted 10/03/1978 - At Oxford Station¹
L285	56285		Noted 25/05/1978 - at Oxford Station¹
L285	56285		Noted 28/08/1979 - At Maidenhead 1611 working to Marlow with L129¹
L285	56285		Listed at RG - 03/03/80
	55028	56285	Noted circa 04/1982²
L285	56285		Listed at RG - 15/12/1982
L285	54285		Listed at RG - 01/01/85
285	54285		Listed at WR - Summer 1986 - stored SZ
L285	54285		Noted 25/02/1987 - at Old Oak Common³

Formation Sources
1: Shayne Lewis
2: Eddie Knorn
3: Robert Chilton

Images:

16th April 1965

W56285 and W55020 are working the 4.25pm Oxford - Reading (G) when seen at Goring triangle (troughs) on the 16th April 1965. Michael Mensing.

27th April 1974

Set number: L285

Class 121 DTS 56285 at Windsor on the 27th April 1974. Hamish Stevenson.

27th April 1974

Set number: L285

A train from Windsor arrives at Slough on the 27th April 1974 headed by 56285. Hamish Stevenson.

2nd April 1977

Set number: L285

W56285 and W55030 at Slough on April 2nd, 1977. Rex Holt.

circa early 1980s

Set number: L285

Class 121 DTS W56285 on the end of a Class 117 at Paddington, circa early 1980s. Paul Redmond.

15th August 1981

Set number: L285

Class 121 trailer 56285 at Windsor on the 15th August 1981. Chris Lings.

circa early 1980s

Set number: L285

A Class 121 DTS (56285) and DMBS in the Bourne End / Marlow platform of Maidenhead station circa early 1980s. Stuart Mackay Collection.

circa early 1980s

Set number: L285

A Class 121 DTS (56285) and DMBS at Bourne End circa early 1980s. Stuart Mackay Collection.

September 1982

Pressed Steel 2-car dmu set made up of Class 149 Driving Trailer (designed to work with Class 121 & 122 railcars) No.L285 (W56285) & Class 121 railcar L120 (No.W55020) in Rail Blue & Grey with all-yellow front ends leaving Paddington on a service from Greenford, 09/82. Hugh Llewelyn.

4th October 1987

Sandite car TDB977486 alongside 43143 + 43131 on Laira depot on 4 October 1987. Keith Miller.

9th July 1989

Sandite Class 121 trailer TDB977486 in the sidings at the west end of Cardiff Canton TMD on 09-07-1989. AndrewHA.

29th December 1991

Set number: T006

Class 121 977486, set number T006, is seen stabled at Tyseley on 29.12.1991. Andy Cole.

15th July 1992

Sandite car TDB977486, formerly class 121 driving trailer 54285, standing at Tyseley depot on 15/Jul/1992. Curiously almost every single window has been plated over, including two of the windscreens, leaving a rather more restricted view than usual ahead, although the headcode panel, long disused, remains unplated. Unfortunately the vehicle could only be viewed by peering through a fence making a photo of the complete vehicle impossible. Robert Chilton.

26th September 1992

Sandite vehicle TDB977486 inside Tyseley TMD on 26 September 1992. Formerly Class 121 DTS 56285, it now has many windows plated over, and the cab door is a different shade of blue suggesting a replacement. S Gaskell.

26th December 1993

Class 121 sandite vehicle 977486, set number T006, is seen stabled at Tyseley on 26.12.1993 from the non-cab end. Andy Cole.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: 16th April 1965

On April 16, 1965, W55020 heads the 5.55pm Reading - Oxford service with DTS W56285 in tow, seen at South Moreton, Didcot. Michael Mensing.

Date: 22nd September 1972

Set number: L360

Marlow station on September 22 1972. Already rationalised, although a GWR platform seat survives. Unit L360 (W50083 with W56285 locked out of use) awaits departure with the branch train to Maidenhead. Tom Burnham.

Date: 22nd September 1972

Set number: L360

Unit L360 (W50083 with W56285 locked out of use) at Bourne End station on 22 September 1972. The footbridge is in process of being removed. Tom Burnham.

Date: 22nd September 1972

Set number: L360

Unit L360 on a Marlow branch train in platform 5 of Maidenhead on September 22 1972. It comprised W50083 and driving trailer W56285, the latter being non-gangwayed and locked out of use. Tom Burnham.

Date: unknown

Leaving Llandrindod in the mid-1970s is a Class 121 DTS attached to a Class 120 set. Cardiff had two of these DTSs in this era, 56285 and 56289, the former only on loan for a few months. David Rowe.

Date: 4th August 1981

Set number: L130

Single "Bubble" car, class 121 DMU, W55030, (L130) and Driving Trailer Second, Class 149, W56285, (L285) at Maidenhead, 4th August 1981. Paul James.

Date: 17th January 1988

Set number: B439

Class 117 power cars 51390 and 51348 stabled on Laira depot on 17 January 1988. They were transferred to Tyseley a few days later. Behind is Class 121 sandite TDB977486. Keith Miller.

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