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Vehicle 56289 / 54289

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	84A	- or perhaps 81D?
by Jun-62	Transferred to	81D (Reading)
Jun-64	Transferred to	84A (Laira)
4w/e 22/02/69	Transferred to	81D (Reading)
3w/e 31/01/70	Transferred to	84A (Laira)
3w/e 31/07/71	Transferred to	81D (Reading)
May 1973	Depot code change	RG
Dec-73	Transferred to	CF (Cardiff Canton)
2w/e 10/05/75	Transferred to	RG (Reading)
Jun-87	Transferred to	OO (Old Oak Common)
04/12/92	Withdrawn from	OO (Old Oak Common) NWRX

Notes

29/04/87 - noted in UG sidings Cardiff Canton.

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

56289 - original number
54289 - from May-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Modifications

circa Jul-70 - Dual AWS fitted
p/e 06/09/75 - WR AWS removed
Nov-88 - Gangway(s) fitted

Refurbished

At Swindon Works dated 01/08/1979 released in blue/grey livery

Disposal

Preserved - more details.

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

LA510	50712	50666	56289		Noted circa Mar-70
	51352	59504	51394	56289	Noted 25/10/1971 - at Paddington¹
C526	50726	59288	50682	56289	Noted 14/05/74 - on 2C37 1650 Newport-Swansea, C526 with a DTS attached
	56289				Noted 30/08/1974 - at Newport, with C552¹
	56289				Noted 30/08/74 - on 2C06 0650 Chepstow-Milford Haven with B478 + C600
	56289				Noted 20/09/74 - on 2C36 1650 Newport-Swansea attached to C503
	56289				Noted 05/02/75 - on 2C09 1420 Swansea-Newport with C505 + C526
	56289				Noted 12/03/75 - on 2C09 1420 Swansea-Cardiff with C533 + C323
	56289				Noted 24/03/75 - at Cardiff working with C338 + C503 + C534
	56289				Noted 25/03/75 - on 2C09 1430 Swansea-Newport with B580
	56289				Noted 09/04/75 - on 1A41 1452 Swansea-Paddington attached to C509 + C511
	56289				Noted 10/04/75 - on 1A41 1452 Swansea-Paddington attached to C505 + C512
	56289				Noted 29/04/75 - on 2C09 1420 Swansea-Cardiff attached to C502 + C558
	56289				Noted 01/05/75 - on 2C09 1420 Swansea-Cardiff attached to C601
	56289				Noted 02/05/75 - on 2C09 1420 Swansea-Cardiff attached to C503 + C601
L289	56289				Listed at RG - 01/05/1976
L289	56289				Listed at RG - 31st December 1977
L289	56289				Listed at RG - circa Aug-82
L289	56289				Listed at RG - 15/12/1982
L289	54289				Listed at RG - 01/01/85
L289	54289				Listed at Reading - Summer 1986
	55030	54289			Noted circa 06/1986²
L289	54289				Noted 25/02/1987 - at Old Oak Common³
L289	54289				Listed at OO - Aug-87
L289	54289				Listed at OO - 15/05/89
L210	53083	54289			Noted circa 11/1989²
L289	54289				Listed at OO - 21/01/91
L263	53540	54289			Noted circa 03/1991²
	53540	54289			Noted 09/04/92 - on Slough - Windsor services⁴
L263	53540	54289			Listed at OO - 24/02/92 - NSE NWRX pool
L263	53540	54289			Listed at OO - 12/08/92
L263	53540	54289			Listed at OO - November 1992 - Sector NWRX

Formation Sources
1: Jeremy Goodyear
2: Eddie Knorn
3: Robert Chilton
4: David Bellamy

Images:

6th July 1968

Presses Steel DTS attached to a two-car Derby suburban set near Newton Abbot on 6 July 1968. There seems to be a lack of passengers on board - possibly an ECS? David Mant.

Unknown date

Set number: L289

56289 and 55021 at Marlow. Date unknown. Steve Davies Collection.

Unknown date

Set number: L289

56289 has its tail lamp attended to at Maidenhead. Date unknown. Steve Davies Collection.

Unknown date

Set number: L289

56289 and bubble car at Bourne End. Date unknown. Steve Davies Collection.

Unknown date

Set number: L289

56289 and 55021 at Marlow. Date unknown. Steve Davies Collection.

5th May 1971

With the porter waiting to cross the tracks Red Warship D815 Druid of Newton Abbot is seen arriving at Exeter St Davids on the 1V11 service from Waterloo on the 5th of May 1971. In the sidings is a Pressed Steel DTS, Laira only had on this date - 56289 - all others were at Reading, so it is presumably this one. The KDH Archive.

circa 1974

Class 149 (later a 121) DTS W56289 was allocated to Cardiff from December 1973 till May 1975 and sometime during that period it is seen working with one of Canton's two-car Class 120s at Church Stretton approaching from the Shrewsbury direction. John Clark / Adrian Sutterby Collection.

Unknown date

Set number: L289

56289 at Cookham - date unknown. Steve Davies Collection.

19th February 1983

Set number: L289

Class 121 DTS W56289 (L289) hauled by class 121 single car W55020 (L120) make a smokey departure from Slough onto the Windsor branch, Saturday 19th February 1983 Iain Reid.

25th August 1983

Set number: L289

Class 121 DTS M54289 at Marlow on 25 August 1983 with an unknown Class 121 Bubble. Stuart Mackay Collection.

8th April 1984

Set number: L289

Class 121 Pressed Steel single dmu's 54289 + 55020, Windsor & Eton Central, Sunday 08 April 1984. Ian 10B.

7th August 1986

Set number: L289

Class 121 DTS W54289 is working with a two-car Class 119 set when seen in London Paddington on 7 August 1986. Colin Brooks.

10th February 1987

54289 leads 51401 + 59511 + 51359 into Paddington on the 10th February 1987. Malcolm Clements.

26th January 1988

54289 at Slough, 26/1/88. Malcolm Clements.

Unknown date

Set number: 289

54289 heads west out of Slough station hauled by a classmate. Date unknown. Malcolm Clements.

8th April 1989

Class 121 54289 is seen stabled at Tyseley carrying Network South East livery on 08.04.1989. Andy Cole.

5th July 1990

Set number: L210

54289 leads the 14.00 to Didcot out of Reading on 5/7/90. Coupled behind the cl.121 DTS is 53083. Leonard Rogers.

circa August 1990

Set number: L210

NSE-liveried set L210 (54289 and presumably 53083) is seen at Radley. The slide process date was August 1990. Stuart Mackay Collection.

30th June 1991

Set number: L263

Set L263 (presumably 54289 + 53540) and a Class 121 which is thought to be 55031, seen around 11:00 at West Ealing on Sunday 30 June 1991. Stuart Mackay Collection.

9th November 1991

Set number: L263

Set L263 - Class 121 DTS 54289 and Class 104 DMBS 53540 - is seen with a Greenford service in platform 10 of Paddington station on 9 November 1991. A Class 117 is seen to the left. Stuart Mackay Collection.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: unknown

Set number: L121

55021 and DTS 56289 at Maidenhead. Date unknown. Steve Davies Collection.

Date: unknown

Set number: L121

55021 and 56289 at Marlow. Undated. Steve Davies Collection.

Date: unknown

Set number: L121

55021 and 56289 wait to depart from Marlow. Date unknown. Steve Davies Collection.

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: 19th February 1983

Set number: L120

Class 121 single car W55020 (L120) hauling class 121 DTS W56289 (L289) draw to a halt at the single remaining in use platform at Windsor & Eton Central on the shuttle service from Slough, Saturday 19th February 1983 Iain Reid.

Date: 8th April 1989

Set number: L703

Class 104 53429, set number L703, is seen stabled on Tyseley on 08.04.1989 with 53470, 55027 (right) and 54289 (left), all of which carry Network South East livery. Andy Cole.

Date: circa 1991

Set number: L129

Class 104 53540 with Class 121 54289 hybrid DMU set L263 approaches Pressed Steel Class 121 'Bubble Car' 55029 near West Ealing station circa 1991. From the late 1980s, a number of imported DMU sets were to be seen working NSE locals out of Paddington. The strangest arrivals were ex-Manchester Class 104s, one of which is seen here making up a hybrid set of BRC&W Class 104 DMBS 53540 and Pressed Steel Class 121 DTS 54289. The unit is about to pass one of the traditional Greenford branch Class 121 'Bubble Cars' 55029. West Ealing station is in the background. Chris McKee.

Date: circa 1991

Set number: L263

Class 104 53540 with Class 121 54289 hybrid DMU set L263 passes Pressed Steel Class 121 'Bubble Car' 55029 near West Ealing station circa 1991. From the late 1980s, a number of imported DMU sets were to be seen working NSE locals out of Paddington. The strangest arrivals were ex-Manchester Class 104s, one of which is seen here making up a hybrid set of BRC&W Class 104 DMBS 53540 and Pressed Steel Class 121 DTS 54289. The unit is about to pass one of the traditional Greenford branch Class 121 'Bubble Cars' 55029. Ealing Broadway station is in the background. I think I'm being yelled at by the driver! What happened to railway uniforms? Chris McKee.

Date: circa 1991

Set number: L263

From the late 1980s a number of imported DMU sets were to be seen working NSE locals out of Paddington. The strangest arrivals were ex-Manchester Class 104s, one of which is seen here making up a hybrid set of BRC&W Class 104 DMBS 53540 and Pressed Steel Class 121 DTS 54289 (with gangway fitted) circa 1991. This shot shows the impressive paint finish given to these ageing units, except for the rough patch of filler on the cab front. The location is Greenford station, which is unusual in being a bay platform in the middle of the LT underground station. Chris McKee.

Date: circa 1991

Set number: L263

Class 104 53540 and Class 121 54289 hybrid DMU set L263 seen departing Greenford station circa 1991. Chris McKee.

Date: circa 1991

Set number: L263

Close up view of Class 104 53540 and Class 121 54289 hybrid DMU set L263 - descending the steep incline from Greenford station circa 1991. This shot accentuates the steep incline that the Greenford branch makes as it reaches the terminus. Chris McKee.

Date: 30th June 1991

Set number: L131

The Class 121 closest appears to be 55031, the 104/121 on the rear is set L263 (presumably 53540 + 54289). Taken around 11:15 at West Ealing Sunday 30 June 1991. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 24th March 1992

Set number: L263

L263 53540 + 54289 at Slough on the 13:20 to Windsor And Eaton Central, 24-3-92. Kevin Dowd.

Date: 22nd May 1992

Set number: L263

Slough station on 22 May 1992 contains a Class 117 on the left and a Class 104/121 hydrid - L263 53540 + 54289 in the Windsor platform. Neil Smith.

Date: 22nd May 1992

Set number: L263

Class 104/121 DMU set L263 (53540 + 54289) in Slough station after arriving from Windsor Central on 22 May 1992. Neil Smith.

Date: 22nd May 1992

Set number: L263

Class 104/121 DMU set L263 (53540 + 54289) in Slough station after arriving from Windsor Central on 22 May 1992. Neil Smith.

Date: 22nd May 1992

Set number: L263

NSE BRCW Class 104 + Pressed Steel Class 121 DMU Set L263 53540 + 54289 depart Slough station on a service to Windsor Central on 22 May 1992. Neil Smith.

Date: 22nd May 1992

Set number: L263

NSE BRCW Class 104 + Pressed Steel Class 121 DMU Set L263 53540 + 54289 at Windsor and Eton Central station on a service from Slough on 22 May 1992. Neil Smith.

Date: 1993

Set number: L263

Class 104 DMBS (53540) with a class 121 DTS (presumably 54289) form unit L263 leaving Slough for Windsor in 1993. Tony Walmsley.

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