Class 124 Swindon Trans-Pennine 6-car DMUs

Introduced: 1960
Coupling code: Blue Square
Underframe: 64ft 6in
Engines: Leyland Albion 230hp
Transmission: Mechanical

When the North Eastern/London Midland Region wanted high quality DMUs for it's Hull - Liverpool "Trans-Pennine" services it chose British Railways Swindon Works to build them, based on the Inter-City / Cross Country sets it had built earlier. They took heed of criticism on the drab looks of these earlier sets and involved industrial designer E.G. Wilkes in producing a more stylish appearance.

There were 51 vehicles forming eight six-car sets and three spare vehicles.

When built the sets were unique in having powered vehicles without driving cabs, a normal six-car formation would have four power cars to provide the power for the arduous gradients on the route. Each set contained 60 first class and 232 second class seats and buffet car.

The type was integrated with the Class 123s in 1977 and became the normal power on the Hope Valley route over the Pennines on workings from the North West to Yorkshire. They also put in daily appearances on services on the Leeds, Keighley, Skipton and Morecambe axis and on various other services in North West England, and also worked the Manchester to Cleethorpes trains on selected services.

In 1981 ten of the motor brake seconds had their engines removed making them trailer brake seconds.

All were withdrawn by 1984, none survive.