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Vehicle 55012

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 Jan-61	Transferred 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
Sep-87	Transferred to	LA (Laira)	- also noted as 01/02/88
22/10/93	Sector Change to	LA (Laira) RELV
10/12/93	Transferred to	LA (Laira) REXX
07/01/94	Transferred to	HQ (Headquarters) RFXX
10/01/94	Withdrawn from	HQ (Headquarters) RFXX

Department Use as 977941

Route Learner for Loadhaul. Allocated 977941 in April 2004 but number never carried. From 10/95 to ?.

55012 was involved in the following incident:

02/04/77 - Stourbridge Town

Collision involving Class 122

Info from Martin Baumann

M55012 ran through the buffers and wall at Stourbridge Town after suffering a brake failure. It came to rest with the front third of the vehicle overhanging the street below, the bogie becoming detached and falling onto the road.

Disposal

Preserved - more details.

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

TY056	55012			Listed at Tyseley - circa Dec-69
TY056	55012			Listed at 2A - 16/08/70
	55012			Noted 08/09/76 - at Leamington Spa¹
TS056	55012			Listed at TS - 12/08/79
TS056	55012			Noted circa 01/1981²
TS056	55012			Noted circa 10/1981²
TS056	55012			Listed at TS - Jan-83
TS056	55012			Noted circa 04/1983²
TS056	55012			Listed at TS - 14/07/83
TS056	55012			Noted circa 12/1983²
TS062	55012			Noted circa 01/1985²
TS537	55012	59627	51143	Noted circa 02/1985²
TS062	55012			Listed at Tyseley - Summer 1986
TS062	55012			Noted 29/07/1986 - at Stourbridge Junction³
TS062	55012			Noted 23/04/1987 - at Birmingham New Street³
T062	55012			Listed at TS - Jul-87
T505	55012	59638	53121	Formation change - TS - Aug-87
P112	55012			Formed at LA circa 10/87
P112	55012			Formed at LA 2w/e 13/03/88
P112	55012			Listed at LA - 08/08/88
	53157	55012		Noted 31/01/1989 - 1050 Paignton to Bristol TM
P112	55012			Listed at LA - 15/05/89
P112	55012			Listed at LA - Jul-91
P112	55012			Listed at LA - Aug-91
122112	55012			Listed at LA - Dec-91
122112	55012			Listed at LA - 02/07/92
122112	55012			Listed at LA - 24/09/92
122112	55012			Listed at LA - November 1992
122112	55012			Listed at LA - 10/12/92
	51141	55012		Noted 3rd April 1993
122112	55012			Listed at LA - November 1993

Formation Sources
1: Gerald Brown
2: Eddie Knorn
3: Robert Chilton

Images:

circa July 1971

Set number: TY056

A Class 122 DMU in Stourbridge Town. With set number TY056 in the cab window this is presumably 55012. The slide process date was July 1971. Stuart Mackay Collection.

1st May 1974

M55012 on Stratford-upon-Avon to Leamington Spa duties at Bearley on 1 May 1974. Stuart Mackay Collection.

mid-1975

Set number: TS056

GRC&W Class 122 'bubble car' M55012 at Kings Norton in mid-1975 with Birmingham New Street on the destination blind. Michael Mensing.

Class 122 DMU at St Andrews Junction, Birmingham

August 1975

Set number: TY056

A Class 122 (which seems to be set TY056 / M55012) attached to a Class 116 at St Andrews Junction, Birmingham, in late August 1975. Redditch is on the destination blind. Michael Mensing.

late August 1975

Set number: TS056

Class 122 M55012 is seen at Five Ways, Birmingham, in late August 1975. Redditch is on the destination blind. Michael Mensing.

7th August 1976

Set number: TS056

With one engine exhaust smoking badly and no sign of exhaust from the other (is it working on one engine?) Class 122 'bubble car' M55012 departs from Barnt Green station with the 6.35pm Redditch - Birmingham New Street service on August 7th 1976. Michael Mensing.

7th August 1976

Set number: TS056

Class 122 'bubble car' M55012 arrives into Barnt Green station with the 6.35pm Redditch - Birmingham New Street service on August 7th 1976. Michael Mensing.

2nd April 1977

M55012 after a brake failure at Stourbridge Town on 2 April 1977. Walter Burt Collection.

5th July 1977

Evening shadows at the original GWR station at Stourbridge Town on July 5th 1977, as Class 122 Single Unit M55012 was against the block awaiting the return journey along the steeply-graded 0.8 mile branch to Stourbridge Junction. The station still retained its BR 1950's enamel Western Region platform nameboard. Martyn Hilbert.

June 1978

Set number: TY056

Class 122 M55012 sits in Stourbridge Town station in June 1978, facing the buffers it had crashed through the previous year. Michael Mensing.

Class 122 DMU at between Leamington Spa and Warwick

11th April 1981

Set number: TS056

Class 122 bubble car 55012 is seen between Leamington Spa and Warwick on April 11, 1981. Steve Davies Collection.

12th December 1983

Class 122 55012 is seen at the front of a north bound Class 120 working at Saltley in the snow on 12.12.1983. Andy Cole.

3rd April 1984

A GRC&W Class 122 "bubblecar", thought to be M55012, is seen departing from Leamington Spa on 3 April 1984. Nicholas T Smith.

25th July 1984

The two-hourly shuttles between Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa were worked by single-unit DMUs for many years. Now and again a pair would turn up as is seen here when 55012 + 55009 formed the 08.12 to Leamington on 25 July 1984 seen at Stratford-upon-Avon. This picture as taken as I stood on the WW2 air-raid shelter which was a large diameter concrete pipe buried in the ground and reinforced with a couple of feet of earth on top. Peter Tandy.

29th April 1985

Set number: TS062

Class 122 Set TS062 (55012) on a 14:xx Stourbridge Town - Stourbridge Junction service awaits time at Stourbridge Town on Monday 29th April 1985. Colin Brooks.

29th April 1985

Set number: TS062

Class 122 Set TS062 (55012) on a Stourbridge Town - Stourbridge Junction service approaches Stourbridge Junction on Monday 29th April 1985. Colin Brooks.

4th June 1985

The shuttles between Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon were generally operated with 1 or 2 single units in 1985. On the afternoon of 4 June class 122s 55012 + 55003 were in use and I photographed them climbing Hatton Bank from the field adjacent to the boarded crossing by Hatton Locks. The crossing was subsequently closed and replaced with a tall steel structure as were the other 2 similar crossings in the area. This picture would be impossible in 2021 as the growth of lineside vegetation has been so rampant that one can walk along the paths here and not know that a railway line existed unless a train passed by. Peter Tandy.

8th June 1985

A dmu service for Stratford-upon-Avon slows for the Danzey stop on 8 June 1985. Single-unit M55012 leads the formation. The group of onlookers on the Birmingham platform were awaiting (as was I) GWR 4-6-0 "Clun Castle" on a special train, but when this appeared the train was travelling "under caution" at about 15 mph (possibly because of the preceding dmu), and there was a complete lack of exhaust, leading to a rather lifeless picture. I think this one just about made up for it! Lewis Bevan.

10th June 1985

Set number: TS062

Class 122s set TS062 (55012) and set TS053 (55003) await departure at Stratford-upon-Avon in the early afternoon of Monday 10th June 1985 with a Leamington Spa service. Colin Brooks.

circa 1986

A Tyseley Class 122 in Derby station. There could be BRUTEs in the van, and parcels are being loaded or unloaded from the passenger saloon, so it could be standing in for a Class 128. There were no details with this negative, but the position of the WM logo and the large BR logo on the van end suggests this is 55012. It was on the same strip as image 31461, and likely circa 1986. Stuart Mackay Collection.

22nd February 1986

Set number: TS062

Class 122 55012, set number TS062, is seen stabled at Tyseley in blue and grey livery on 22.02.1986. Andy Cole.

6th December 1986

The far from unusual sight of a mixed-up Tyseley set on the Birmingham Cross-City Line with class 122 55012 leading a pair of class 116 vehicles at Five Ways on 6 December 1986. There was rather more shadow than I had envisaged but this really should have been anticipated at this time of year! Peter Tandy.

1st May 1987

Set number: TS062

I was a frequent visitor to Stratford-upon-Avon East signalbox when the late Mick Lloyd was on duty. This shot of class 122s 55012 + 55009 was taken looking towards the station on 1 May 1987 as the single car units were on the 12.12 to Leamington Spa. Peter Tandy.

25th November 1987

Set number: TS062

Class 122 No M55012 has just arrived at Stourbridge Town with one of the shuttles from the Junction on 25 November 1987. Keith Long.

27th March 1988

Class 122 M55012 seen in Leicester depot yard on 27 March 1988. Keith Miller.

27th November 1988

Class 122 55012 and Class 121 55026 stabled at Laira on 27 November 1988. Keith Miller.

9th December 1988

M55012 passing Canton on 9th December 1988. Lewis Bevan.

13th December 1988

Class 122 55012 and Class 101 53200 on Laira depot, 13 December 1988. Keith Miller.

30th May 1991

Set number: 112

Gloucester Class 122 single-unit 55012 (112) was arriving at Starcross with the 17.07 Plymouth to Honiton service on May 30th 1991. Following withdrawal from passenger use, 55012 became a departmental route-learning car numbered 977941 and became the only railcar to carry LoadHaul livery. It was sold for preservation in 2009 and is currently at the Weardale Railway. Martyn Hilbert.

1996

55012 / 977941 at Knottingley, circa 1996. Tim Moss.

1996

Loadhaul route learner 55012 seen at Bridge Junction, Doncaster, in early 1996. John Law.

15th August 1996

55012, the Loadhaul route-learning vehicle, at Harmby on August 15, 1996. John Carter.

15th August 1996

Loadhaul bubble 55012 at Bedale on August 15, 1996. John Carter.

15th August 1996

Loadhaul route-learning GRC&W bubble car 55012 at Harmby on August 15, 1996. John Carter.

15th August 1996

Loadhaul liveried Class 122 55012 at Long Lane on 15/8/96. John Carter.

Unknown date

Loadhaul Class 122 route learner 55012 at Lincoln (Central), date unknown. Glyn Weigh.

circa 1997

Loadhaul route learner 55012 seen at Bingley circa 1997. Robert Forsythe.

16th March 1997

Class 122 55012 is seen at Thornaby in LoadHaul livery in use as a route learning car on 16.03.1997. It was officially renumbered 977941 but always carried 55012. Andy Cole.

29th April 1997

Class 122 55012 is seen passing Washwood Heath in LoadHaul livery on 29.04.1997. Andy Cole.

19th May 1997

Class 122 55012 is seen in LoadHaul livery route learning past Washwood Heath on 19.05.1997. Andy Cole.

3rd October 1997

The Load Haul Class 122 route learning car 55012 at Gascoigne Wood (Selby) on 3.10.97. George Woods.

3rd October 1997

The Load Haul Class 122 route learning car 55012 at Gascoigne Wood (Selby) on 3.10.97. George Woods.

1998

The Loadhaul route learning Class 122 is seen at Cambridge in 1998. John Law.

27th December 1998

Loadhaul 55012 in Thornaby on December 27, 1998. John Carter.

May 1999

Loadhaul liveried route trainer 55012 at Derby in May 1999. Ian Buck.

18th May 1999

This class 122 DMU passed from British Rail (Loadhaul) ownership into the privatisation era with EWS as it was part of the Loadhaul Freight portfolio when the three stand along freight companies were sold to EWS. It had not yet been allocated a departmental number in the TDB 977xxx range and ran around with its revenue fleet number 55012 instead. Records of its 'departmental' use at the Rolling Stock Records Library eventually caught up with it in April 2004 when it was allocated number 977941, but by then it was already out of use so the number was never applied. It also got allocated a TOPS set number for a while as 122 012 but that too was never carried either. 55012 was allocated to Thornaby depot on Teesside, its main use being as a driver route learning saloon. It is seen here in that use heading north along the down goods line between Chesterfield station and Tapton Junction on May 18, 1999. Adrian Nicholls.

1st June 1999

The Loadhaul route learning bubble 55012 at Knottingley on 1 June 1999. Robert Thomas.

1st June 1999

The Loadhaul route learning bubble 55012 at Knottingley on 1 June 1999. Robert Thomas.

5th June 1999

55012 stands in Tyne Yard on Saturday 5th June 1999. At this time it was a EWS crew trainer / route learner. Ross Aitken.

1st August 1999

Loadhaul Class 122 55012 at Knottingley on August 1st, 1999. Rex Holt.

1st August 1999

Loadhaul Class 122 55012 at Knottingley on August 1st, 1999. Rex Holt.

9th August 1999

Class 122 55012 is seen stabled at Knottingley in LoadHaul colours on 09.08.1999. Andy Cole.

March 2004

Inside 55012 (977941) at Thornaby in March 2004. Chris Lings.

March 2004

The brake van end of 55012 (977941) at Thornaby in March 2004. Chris Lings.

March 2004

The interior of 55012 (977941) at Thornaby in March 2004. This is the non-brake end, much of the original paneling and lights remain, but much of the cab bulkhead has been cut away, and two extra small lights fitted just in front. Chris Lings.

30th June 2007

977941 / 55012 stored at Thornaby, 30/6/07. Daniel Adkins.

27th August 2008

Load Haul liveried Class 122 No. 55012 is stabled at Thornaby depot with all of its windows broken on 27 August 2008. Brian Creasey.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: circa 1971

Set number: TY054

Two GRC&W bubble cars in Birmingham Snow Hill circa 1971. On the left is set TY054 - presumably M55009 - with Stratford-Upon-Avon on the destination blind, on the right is set TY056 - presumably M55012 - with Oldbury And Langley Green on the destination blind. Graham Clark.

Date: 25th July 1984

55009 + 55012 formed the 08.12 to Leamington on 25 July 1984 seen at Stratford-upon-Avon. The trailing car 55009 was one of the few remaining in the all-over blue livery. The background has completely changed in the intervening years. The football ground just visible to the left is now a Morrisons supermarket, the warehouses and chimney stacks above the train have gone although the office block, probably the ugliest building in the town, is still extant and Stratford East Signal box has been demolished. Peter Tandy.

Date: 20th October 1984

Set number: TS053

This was my first transparency of diesel units and was taken at Leamington Spa on 20 October 1984. The train is the 09.50 Stratford-upon-Avon to Leamington Spa formed of 55009+55012. The leading unit was repainted into the blue and grey carried by 55012 within a few weeks of the date of this photograph. Peter Tandy.

Date: 25th May 1985

Set number: EP510

For the 1985 Summer timetable an 06.37 Saturdays Only Stratford-upon-Avon to London Paddington train was introduced. Contrary to a rumour started by one of the station staff at Stratford this was not a class 50-hauled train to match the weekdays Paddington to Birmingham express which ran via Hatton but a DMU formed on most occasions of a pair of 3 coach Tyseley class 166 units. On 25 May 1985 I saw the ECS arriving from my then home's kitchen window and went to the station to capture this view of a pair of Derby-based class 120s led by EP510 (probably 50713 + 59257 + 50667) in platform 2 with 55012 heading a 3 coach class 116 in P3. It was common practice at the time for Tyseley to use whatever resources they had available but this was the only time that I saw anything but class 116 units on this train. Peter Tandy.

Date: 13th June 1985

Set number: TS053

Class 122s set TS053 (55003) and set TS062 (55012) with a 12XX Leamington Spa - Stratford Upon Avon after arrival at Stratford Upon Avon on Monday 10th June 1985. Colin Brooks.

Date: 16th May 1987

A suburban DMU formation departs from Birmingham New Street station on 16 May 1987. The closest three vehicles are bubble cars 55034 + 55009 + 55012. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 1st July 1989

Set number: 105

DMUs 55012 (partially seen on left), 55005, 55009 and 51530 stabled at Laira depot on 1 July 1989. Keith Miller.

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