Class 122 Gloucester RC&W Single / 2-car DMUs

Passenger Liveries

Green with whiskers

Externally, the cars were delivered in the lighter "Multiple Unit" green livery with cream lining and whiskers. Pictured is brand new W55006 and W55007 in Leamington Spa station on May 26th, 1958. Michael Mensing.

Green with yellow yanel

In time, yellow warning panels were added and if they were repainted it would be into the darker shade of "Loco Green". Pictured is M55004 on August 17, 1965 at the front of a Derby suburban set at Lapworth. Michael Mensing.

Rail Blue with yellow panel

In the late 1960s, all-over rail blue became the norm, and at least three passenger vehicles (55000/8 and 56291) and one MPV (55015) were turned out with a yellow panel, retaining the white cab dome and 3" numbers. 55008 is pictured in Birmingham Snow Hill station in Autumn 1969. Pete LG99.

Rail Blue with yellow cab doors

Circa 1967 at least 55005 had the yellow ends wrap around to include the cab doors. Pictures in this condition can be found on the RCTS website at Tyseley in 1967 and at Hamilton in 1970.

Rail Blue with full yellow end

Pictured is SC55005 in Inverness station in April 1977. Alan Rintoul. In this livery it was normal for the BR arrows to be on both in ends, although there were exceptions; such as 55000 which at one point had them on one end only.

Rail Blue with GG markings

The only markings I've noticed carried in plain blue livery is the Greater Glasgow logo applied to 55002. It carried it under the first passenger window on one end in place of the BR arrow, which were not on the other end either. For an image see the 1980 DMU Ian Allan ABC.

Blue Grey

In the late 1970s blue and grey livery appeared. Pictured is 55007 in Fraseburgh station on the 16th April 1979. Mike Cooper. In the early blue/grey era it was more common for it to be on one end only, in the late 1980s it seems more common for it to be on both ends.

Blue Grey with Tayway markings

SC55007 at Haymarket depot on 19/11/83 with a 'Tayway' sticker on the cab, which was a branding for services around Dundee. Hamish Stevenson.

Blue Grey with WM markings

55011 is seen stabled at Tyseley on 04/01/86 complete with WM symbol on the side. It carries set number TS084 in the cab window Andy Cole. At least 55009/12 also carried it, as did 55003, although it had it at the opposite end next to the BR logo.

Blue Grey with NSE markings

At least 55004 and 55011 carried Network South East branding, with an emblem on the van side. This is M55011 in Bedford station in April 1988. Mike Cooper.

Blue Grey with small BR logo

Throughout the blue grey area the BR logo size seemed fairly consistant, at least 55009 carried a smaller version at one point. Pictured at Vic Berry's on 16/9/87 after arrival for asbestos stripping. Malcolm Clements.

Blue Grey with number suffix

This is probably a short lived mistake. Vehicle numbers normally had a prefix denoting the region they were allocated to (dropped in later years), yet when 55000 was refurbished at Vic Berry's in 1987 this was applied as a suffix: 55000M Andrew J Crowther.

Blue / Grey with black cab window surrounds

55005 seen near Saltash on the 5th July 1990. Surface Stock.

Regional Railways

Circa 1991 55000 and 55012 were painted into Regional Railways colours. 55000 is pictured at Liskeard circa 1993. John Law.

Class 131 MPVs: some examples

Blue with small yellow panels

55015 seen at Stirling 14/5/71. The different tone of blue between the nearest cab door and the first 'passenger' door with a droplight signifies where body panels have been altered, removing a window and creating a double door. Through the cab windows we can see mesh has been fitted to the insides of the white painted windows. Under the number is the lettering "Parcel Traffic Only". Hamish Stevenson.

Blue / Grey

55015 again. Although by this time numbered TDB977177, in this 4/11/83 view at Glasgow Queen St it seems to only carry the number '1'! Hamish Stevenson.

Other non-passenger: some examples

Railtrack

Seen at Aylesbury on the 25th August 2003, 55019 is now sandite car 975042, set 960015. Robert Frise

Loadhaul

55012 in Tyne Yd. 5/6/99. Ross Aitken.