British Rail Class 119
Encyclopedia
The British Rail Class 119 DMUs were used throughout the Western Region
and on services in the Midlands sourced by Tyseley
Depot. Shortly after their introduction, sets were transferred from Cardiff
to serve the intermediate stations on outer suburban services from London Paddington to Oxford
. These were as 7-car sets, with the addition of Hawksworth composites adapted to run as DMU trailers.
Sets worked over most of the Western Region, notable early use being the last passenger train over the Plympton branch. Minehead, Calne and Bridport branches that have since closed were also served by the sets, which also covered main line services in company with the Swindon Cross Country sets.
Visually, the body design was based on the Swindon Cross-Country sets, but with a Derby cab.
As with most asbestos contaminated stock, there were heavy withdrawals, but a number were rebuilt internally after asbestos removal. The rebuilt sets were concentrated on Reading and the Reading-Gatwick link
.
The fleet was displaced by the 'Turbo' Class 165
and Class 166
fleets in 1992.
Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
and on services in the Midlands sourced by Tyseley
Tyseley
Tyseley is a district in the southern half of the city of Birmingham, England, near the Coventry Road and the districts of Small Heath and Yardley...
Depot. Shortly after their introduction, sets were transferred from Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
to serve the intermediate stations on outer suburban services from London Paddington to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
. These were as 7-car sets, with the addition of Hawksworth composites adapted to run as DMU trailers.
Sets worked over most of the Western Region, notable early use being the last passenger train over the Plympton branch. Minehead, Calne and Bridport branches that have since closed were also served by the sets, which also covered main line services in company with the Swindon Cross Country sets.
Visually, the body design was based on the Swindon Cross-Country sets, but with a Derby cab.
As with most asbestos contaminated stock, there were heavy withdrawals, but a number were rebuilt internally after asbestos removal. The rebuilt sets were concentrated on Reading and the Reading-Gatwick link
North Downs Line
The North Downs Line is the name of the passenger train service connecting Reading, on the Great Western Main Line, to Gatwick Airport, on the Brighton Main Line...
.
The fleet was displaced by the 'Turbo' Class 165
British Rail Class 165
The British Rail Class 165 Turbo is a fleet of suburban diesel multiple units , originally specified by and built for British Rail, the then United Kingdom state owned railway operator. They were built by BREL at York Works between 1990 and 1992...
and Class 166
British Rail Class 166
The British Rail Class 166 Turbo Express is a fleet of diesel multiple units , originally specified by and built for British Rail, the then United Kingdom state owned railway operator. They were built by ABB at York Works between 1992 and 1993...
fleets in 1992.
Orders
| Lot No. | Car Type | Qty | Fleet Numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30421 | Driving Motor Brake Composite (DMBC) | 28 | 51052–51079 | |
| 30422 | Driving Motor Second with lavatory (DMSL) | 28 | 51080–51107 | |
| 30423 | Trailer Second Buffet (TSLRB) | 25 | 59413–59437 | |
Preservation
- 51073 (DMBC) Ecclesbourne Valley RailwayEcclesbourne Valley RailwayThe Ecclesbourne Valley Railway is a long heritage railway in Derbyshire, the headquarters of the railway centre around Wirksworth station and services operate between Wirksworth and Duffield and Wirksworth and Ravenstor...
- 51074 (DMBC) Swindon and Cricklade RailwaySwindon and Cricklade RailwayThe Swindon & Cricklade Railway is a heritage railway in Wiltshire, England, that operates on a short section of the old Midland and South Western Junction Railway line between Swindon and Cricklade.-History:...
- 51104 (DMSL) Swindon and Cricklade RailwaySwindon and Cricklade RailwayThe Swindon & Cricklade Railway is a heritage railway in Wiltshire, England, that operates on a short section of the old Midland and South Western Junction Railway line between Swindon and Cricklade.-History:...