Aberdeen - Inverness Line Class 120s
Thanks to Mike Cooper for his photographic contributions which inspired this gallery. He has asked to dedicate this page to his late friend Norman Smart. After a decade commuting between Aberdeen and Elgin Norman loved and loathed the Swindon units in equal measure!
July 1958
In late July 1958 Swindon Cross-Country set W50720 + W59283 + W50676 prepares to leave Inverness with the 12.45pm to Aberdeen. The set was borrowed from the Western Region for a few weeks for trials. Great North of Scotland Railway Association.
31st March 1961
The 08:45 Aberdeen - Inverness is seen leaving Keith on the 31st March 1961. Hamish Stevenson.
Unknown date
Two three-car Swindon Cross-Country DMUs are seen in Inverness station forming an Aberdeen service - date unknown, circa mid-1960s. Stuart Mackay Collection.
14th July 1964
Sc51783 leads the 2.30pm Inverness - Aberdeen service at Inveramsay, being worked by a 6-car Swindon Cross-Country formation on 14/7/64. Michael Mensing.
Unknown date
Two Swindon Cross-Country sets depart from Elgin. Date unknown. Norman Smart Collection.
July 1969
Passing Swindon Cross-Country DMUs at Elgin in July 1969. Both are probably working services between Aberdeen and Inverness, one in each direction, the left one in blue and the one the photographer is travelling on is still in green. Curly42.
A Swindon Cross-Country DMU at Inverness in July 1969. Curly42.
11th August 1969
The tablet catcher on SC51783, taken at Inverness on 11 August 1969. David Mant.
12th August 1969
Two Swindon Cross-Country DMUs arrive into Inverurie on 12 August 1969. The leading car has lost its coaching crest - is it painted over? The centre car and at least the first car of the second set is in blue. David Mant.
1970
A Class 120 enters Elgin in 1970. Norman Smart.
1st June 1970
A Swindon "Cross-Country" Class 120 awaits it next duty at Inverness, whilst Class 26 D5340 and an unidentified Class 24 prepare to depart with a Glasgow bound express - 1st June 1970. 53A Models of Hull Collection.
circa July 1970
There were no details with this negative other than being Huntly station. It's taken out of a Swindon Cross set, of which the power car nearer the rear is still in green livery. Attached to the back is a Met-Camm TBSL set, the far power car in blue, the closest seems to be green, the centre car is hard to tell. Inverness only had one TBSL Met-Camm, 50186 + 59080 + 50187 on loan from Hamilton between June and September 1970. Note the two BRUTES and at least four trolleys lined up on the left platform, a sign that a lot of mail/parcels was carried - the reason for the Class 120 DMBF conversions. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Unknown date
The ScR 120s were painted blue rather than blue / grey like the other Regions. Here a set sits in Inverness station. Date unknown. Stuart Rankin.
A Class set heading out of Inverness towards Aberdeen. The bridge behind carries the Highland main line south to Perth. Stuart Rankin.
1972
A Swindon Cross Country unit passes the disused Kittybrewster South Signalbox (Kittybrewster station and loco shed were behind and to the right) heading for Aberdeen with a train from Inverness in late 1972. John McIntyre.
This 120 on an Aberdeen to Elgin service is seen just north of Kittybrewster in the autumn of 1972. The destination blind reads "Elgin via Mulben" although by this time that was the only way you could get from Aberdeen to Elgin by rail! Note also the unusual tail lamp, a distinct feature on this line. The set number is carried in the cab window. The DMBF could be 51784, it was listed as being in set 303 in a June 1973 set list. John McIntyre.
A Class 120 passes through the closed Kittybrewster station with a train to Aberdeen in late 1972. John McIntyre.
October 1972
Two sets depart from Aberdeen bound for Inverness in October 1972. John McIntyre.
11th October 1972
A Class 120 DMU in Inverness Station on a murky morning on the 11th of October 1972. The KDH Archive.
1973
An Aberdeen bound 3-car set is seen passing the long closed Persley station on the northern outskirts of Aberdeen in 1973. John McIntyre.
A Class 120 set departs from platform 8 at Aberdeen and crosses to platform 9 with a service to Inverness in 1973. John McIntyre.
January 1973
A Class 120 unit at Aberdeen Ferryhill MPD in January 73. John McIntyre.
February 1973
A Swindon 3-car Cross Country unit departs for Inverness from Aberdeen during the demolition of the platform canopies and north footbridge in February 1973. John McIntyre.
17th February 1973
Two 3-car units arrive at Aberdeen with the 8:40am from Inverness but are unusually having to use Platform 8 due to a special for Kyle of Lochalsh waiting to depart north in Platform 6. The pillars that once supported the canopies still stand but not for much longer. There is a sprinkling of snow on the ground on 17 February 1973. John McIntyre.
Spring 1973
A rainy day in Aberdeen. A train for Inverness waits in Platform 6, platforms 10 & 11 can be seen on the right without track. Believed to be taken in spring 1973. The van door is open, showing the box for the tablet catcher. John McIntyre.
Believed to be taken in spring 1973 because the platform canopies have been removed from this end of the station and building work has not yet started, set 300 waits in platform 6 to depart for Inverness. John McIntyre.
Summer 1973
A Cross-Country 3-car unit leaving Aberdeen via Platform 9 in the summer of 1973 when Inverness services were moved from Platform 6 due to construction work for a new building being built above the platforms. John McIntyre.
A pair of Class 120s leaving Aberdeen via Platform 9 in the summer of 1973 when Inverness services were moved from Platform 6 due to construction work for a new building being built above the platforms. Note the 1 on the mid-door of the DMBF. John McIntyre.
1974
A Class 120 leaves Ferryhill MPD and heads to Aberdeen station in 1974. John McIntyre.
8th April 1974
A class 120 dmu departing Inverness for Aberdeen on 08-04-1974. An everyday sight from 1960 to 1980, seven 3 car class 120 sets were based at Inverness for the direct service to Aberdeen. Also seen on the branches of the old Great North of Scotland Railway in Aberdeenshire and Banffshire until Dr. Beeching put a stop to that. Gordon Thomson.
June 1974
A set departs from Aberdeen with a train to Inverness in June 1974. Interestingly, the buffet centre car carries a full length red stripe, unusual for DMUs. John McIntyre.
May 1975
A set heads to Ferryhill MPD from Aberdeen past Ferryhill SB in May 1975. Note the tablet catcher recess on the leading vehicle, which is one of the DMBF conversions. John McIntyre.
A Class 120 approaches Kittybrewster with a train for Inverness in May 1975. John McIntyre.
19th May 1975
An Aberdeen - Inverness service between Kennethmont and Gartley at 12:40 on Monday 19 May 1975. Formed of three three-car Class 120s, the middle set contains two brake vehicles (a DMBC and DMBF). Three of the brake vehicles in the train are DMBF conversions, and all four brake vehicles have tablet catchers. The centre car in the closest set has no red stripe - the others are too far to tell, none of the three have 'Buffet' lettering. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Two Class 120 DMUs seen between Kennethmont and Insch on 19 May 1975. The centre car on the leading set has no buffet markings, the one in the rear set has a red band along the length of the whole vehicle. The rear set has two brake vehicles - a DMBF and a DMBC, and all three brakes on the train have tablet catchers. John Horne Collection.
13th April 1976
Class 120 at Dyce 13 April 1976. An Inverness allocated Swindon passes the then closed Dyce station on its way to Inverurie. Alistair Ness.
10th August 1976
Two Swindon Cross-Country Class 120 sets depart Inverness with an Aberdeen service on 10 August 1976. At the rear is one of the four DMBF conversions, with 'cut' buffers. Nigel Menzies.
17th August 1976
Highland hub A Class 120 dmu in Inverness station, probably the one in which I travelled to Aberdeen on on morning of Tuesday 17th August 1976. Tom Harper.
October 1976
October 1976. Huntly station with an Inverness - Aberdeen working John Clark.
14th April 1977
Class 120 Inverness 14 April 1977. Alistair Ness.
2nd July 1977
A Class 120 'Swindon' Cross Country DMU rests at Aberdeen between its regular Aberdeen-Inverness Duties on 2nd July 1977. David Scott.
3rd September 1977
Parcels are transferred to BRUTE trolleys from BR Swindon Cross-Country (TOPS Class 120) 3-car DMU No. 306 which had recently arrived at Platform 3 of Inverness Station in the morning of 3rd September, 1977. I hope the driver removed that tail-light before departing! Image scanned and restored from a severely damaged print. Michael Laing.
1978
Aberdeen station in 1978, with an arrival from Inverness. Mike Cooper.
April 1978
April 1978, and a Class 120 set sits facing 25 091 in Aberbeen Ferryhill depot. This is probably 51790. Mike Cooper.
A Class 120 in Aberdeen Ferryhill depot in April 1978, believed to be set 300 with DMS 51792 closest. The vehicle has a stretcher window (the first passenger window) and orange curtains only in the front saloon. The centre car has a red stripe and 'Buffet' lettering, and the other power car is a DMBF conversion. Mike Cooper.
2nd April 1978
Stabled in the BREL Glasgow Works yard Inverness based DMSL SC51792 has arrived for repairs / overhaul. The 'stretcher window' is clearly visible, the front passenger window behind the cab, which was hinged at the top to permit a person on a stretcher to be placed inside the coach straight from a platform. Also visible behind is Inverness allocated Class 120 TSLRB SC59683 which is still labled as a 'Buffet Car' complete with a red cantrail section denoting it's position. Bob Woolnough.
6th April 1978
Taken from a Class 120 on the Aberdeen - Inverness line ay Insch, passing two 120 sets, one in plain blue and one in blue / grey. 6/4/78. Mike Cooper.
Set 302 at Huntly, taken from 254 002 - the first HST to travel the line - on the 6th April 1978. 51781 DMBC is probably the closest vehicle. Mike Cooper.
Huntly, 6th April 1978. Mike Cooper.
29th April 1978
Set 305 (this DMBF is probably 51785) sits at Aberdeen on 29/4/78. The driver obviously has a sense of humour judging by the blind! Mike Cooper.
Set 305 at Aberdeen, 29/4/78. Mike Cooper.
May 1978
51784 - which still appears to have the luggage rack lights on - and 59684 after derailing at Oyne in May 1978. Alan Rintoul.
12th May 1978
The scene at Pitcaple (near Oyne) on the day that Class 120 set 304 (51793 + 59684 + 51784) derailed. Aberdeen Press and Journal.
20th May 1978
Set 301 at Keith Junction, 20/5/78 with SC51787 closest. An SRPS special was held waiting to come off the branch to Dufftown while this service passed. 20/5/78. Mike Cooper.
The 20th May 1978, and a SRPS special to Dufftown headed by 40 173 is looped at Dyce to allow set 303 to pass. Mike Cooper.
June 1978
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.
3rd June 1978
Inverness TMD based Class 120 DMSL SC51793 waits outside in BREL Glasgow Works Yard on the 3rd June 1978 for a call inside for overhaul. The opening 'stretcher' window behind the drivers cab is very clear in this image as is what appears to be a repair list written at the top of the secondmans window. Officially withdrawn in April 1986 whilst stored at Glasgow Shields Road EMD, she was scrapped at Vic Berry's Yard in Leicester the same month. Bob Woolnough.
25th July 1978
The 25th July 1978 and set 300 leaves Huntly for Aberdeen. Taken from a Class 40 on the 'grain'. The first passenger window behind the can on the DMS is a stretcher window. The vehicles are presumed to be 51792 + 59683 + 51783. Mike Cooper.
7th October 1978
Two class 120 dmus at Inverness after arrival from Aberdeen on 7/10/78. Set 304 is recently ex-works in blue and grey, the other set is still in all-over blue. The closest vehicle, DMS SC51790, has an opening 'stretcher' window as the first passenger window. Stephen Burdett.
1979
Set 304 (presumably 51782 + 59681 + 51790) in the snow at Inverness in 1979. John Law.
Class 120 Elgin East 1979 - a railarchive.org.uk image. Waiting to load with Parcels and mails the dmu sits in the old Lossiemouth bay at Elgin East -now long gone. Ian Dinmore/railarchive.org.uk.
February 1979
At Aberdeen a class 120 waits to depart on a service to Inverness in February 1979. Ian Buck.
In a snowy Inverness stands class 120 set 304 (51790, presumably with 59681 + 51782) and used on the Aberdeen service in February 1979. The closest vehicle, 51790, has a 'stretcher' window. Ian Buck.
Tablet catcher on a class 120 unit at Inverness in February 1979. Ian Buck.
10th March 1979
On the 10th March 1979 set 301 is led by SC51787 and has a Met-Camm centre car (probably 59574, it seems to have buffet on the side). It's on the 15:50 from Aberdeen at Insch. Hamish Stevenson.
Unknown date
Set 302 leads a 6-car set out of Elgin in the late 1970s, probably led by 51788. Norman Smart.
18th June 1979
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.
23rd July 1979
Class 120 DMU set 301 with Sc51787 closest at Inverurie on 23 July 1979. Brian Daniels.
16th August 1979
This shown one of the modified vehicles with the centre passenger section replaced by extra van space. More interesting though is that despite modification and refurbishment, the tablet catcher remains fitted. Also note the mismatched buffers and the '1' on the passenger door. 51783 at Inverness on 16/8/79. Hamish Stevenson.
1st September 1979
The tablet apparatus fitted to the van door on a Class 120 DMBC seen in Inverness depot on 1 September 1979. Brian Daniels.
11th February 1980
Class 120 DMU set 304 (presumably SC51790 closest) in Inverness station on 11 February 1980. Brian Daniels.
Class 120 DMU set 304 (presumably SC51790 closest) passing Loco Box at Inverness on 11 February 1980. Brian Daniels.
26th April 1987
Some Class 120 vehicles were sent to Aberdeen Ferryhill depot for component stripping. Here W51781 makes a return to its old home after a period in Wales, but sadly now devoid of many mechanical components. 26/4/87. Hamish Stevenson.