Class 129 Cravens Parcel DMU Cars
Operations
They were given the yellow diamond coupling code as they were intended to work in West Cumberland with the yellow diamond Derby Lightweight sets. However, in the two and a half years between ordering and delivery plans changed and only one would make it to the Carlisle area.
55997 was delivered to Walsall in July 1958, apparently all three went to temporary bases until a decision was made on where to deploy them. The other two would be delivered to Crewe South in July and August 1958. Those two moved on that August to more permanent homes, 55998 to Ryecroft, 55999 to Cockshute, and in September 55997 moved from Walsall to Carlisle Upperby.
With the introduction of the winter timetable on the 15th September 1958, 55997 began on Carlisle - Whitehaven parcel workings. These had formerly been Upperby 2-6-4T or 2P 4-4-0s, and a Workington Cl2. The unit would also work between Carlisle at Workington.
At the end of 1958 55998 was noted on regular workings between Walsall, Coventry, Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton. Working the 8.55am Wolverhampton - Birmingham New St, then the 10.25am New Street - Coventry, appearing at Coventry around 10:40, before departing for Birmingham an hour later. This duty had formerly been worked by a Walsall or Monument Lane 2-6-4T with one van. The parcels car then stood in platform 1A at New Street for over an hour before working the 2.25pm New Street - Wolverhampton. Later in the day in worked as required from Alrewas to New Street with produce from market gardens.
The second stage of the Midland area diesel scheme beginning Monday 17th November 1958 saw an additional evening trip to Coventry, returning to New Street at 9.45pm
By the end of 1959 55998 was regularly working to Rugby from the Birmingham direction, into the Leamington bay at approximately 11:40, leaving at around 12:30.
1960s
During January 1960 55998 was at Derby for repair, and steam loco 42659 was a regular stand in with one parcels van, although Royal Scot 46153 was noted on two occassions with the single van!
55997 apparently spent a few weeks at Cricklewood in 1960, moving south in June and returning to Upperby in July.
Pulling tail traffic was not unusual. The image shows M55998 in platform 6 of Birmingham New Street with two vans on the 2nd May 1964. Michael Mensing.
The next moves were not until 1966 when Cockshute depot closed and 55999 moved to Crewe North in April. The closure of many lines in the north of Birmingham and the upocoming closure of Ryecroft saw 55998 move to Tyseley at the start of 1967. It didn't stay there long, moving on to Chester in March but by then 55999 had arrived at Tyseley from Crewe North to take its place.
By the end of the decade all three vehicles would be in the same place, 55998 and 55999 moving to Newton Heath in January 1969 and 55997 in April.
1970s
Once they vehicles were together they stayed together, the arrival of additional GRC&W DMPV vehicles at Newton Heath allowed all three Cravens DMPVs to move to Chester in October 1971.
The image shows a vehicle with a tail load attached at Bangor in the summer of 1972. Tony Wilkins.
The first to be withdrawn was 55998 in December 1972, possibly due to fire damage, the other two were withdrawn in October 1973. They were replaced by three GRC&W DMPVs (55993-5) arriving at Chester from Tyseley.
55997 went into departmental use, and would be cut up at Vic Berry's in 1986.
55998 apparently became an internal user vehicle in July 1973. It would be sold to Fisons Ltd but the sale would be cancelled (presumably replaced by Class 100 56315) - it would then be sold to George Cohen Ltd arriving at their Kettering Yard on 27 November 1974[1]. The image shows it there on 1 July 1975. Alistair Ness.
55999 was broken up at Derby Litchurch Lane Works after lingering there until at least August 1976.
References
- ⋏ 13/1974 BR Coaches Disposed Report, details from John Hall