Class 129 Cravens Parcel DMU Cars

Non-Parcels Use

In 1975 55997 went into departmental use at the Derby Railway Technical Center (RTC) as RDB 975385 / Laboratory 9, with initial use being for brake testing.

The image shows it at the RTC in 1979, the text declaring it was being used by the 'Acoustics Group'. Malcolm Clements.

From 1980 it was used for hydraulic transmission (hydrostatic drive) tests. For this it would be fitted with initially one B4 bogie, later on a second was added. For these tests it gained the nickname "Hydra" which was added to the bodyside.

Further details of these tests can be found on the Old Dalby website.

It would be withdrawn circa 1986 and scrapped at Vic Berry's, Leicester.

The images shows it with one B4 bogie at the RTC circa September 1980. The 'Acoustics Group' text has been replaced by 'Mechanical Engineering Group'.

55998 apparently became an internal user vehicle but I have no further details on that.