British Rail Class 124
Encyclopedia
The British Rail
Class 124 diesel multiple unit
s were built by BR Swindon Works
in 1960.
Class 124 was a class of initially six-car Diesel Multiple Unit
s used and built specifically for the trans-pennine route. In the late 70s, the Class was merged with their Class 123 cousins that had been relocated from Reading services on Western region and towards the end of their days, ran as 4-car hybrid sets. They were all withdrawn in 1984 when their duties were taken over by Class 31/4, diesel electric locomotive hauled rakes of 4 coaches. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway had the idea of preserving at least one Driving unit (due to the cab windows allowing panoramic views), but the plan was scrapped when it was found that to remove the asbestos from the vehicle was cost prohibitive.
The Class was not unique, the Class 124 DMUs sharing mechanical components with their sister Class 123 on Western Region and the Class 126.
"Wrap-Round" windscreens where a feature that was also seen on the "Glasgow Blue Train" electric units (which were later relocated south onto the Manchester-Glossop service when the 1500dc overhead system was switched off (following the closure of Woodhead Tunnel).
51968 - 84 MBSL
59765 - 73 TSL
59774 - 81 TFBL
In later years when operating as 4 Car units the MBSL had their engines removed to reduce maintenance, as it was deemed two Motor Vehicles where adequate. To show this change the remaining MBSL were renumbered on removal of the engines.
Old New
51969 59834
51973 59841
51974 59835
51975 59839
51976 59838
51978 59836
51980 59842
51981 59833
51983 59840
51984 59837
They ended their days in then standard BR blue grey livery.
For coupling codes see British United Traction
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
Class 124 diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s were built by BR Swindon Works
Swindon Works
Swindon railway works were built by the Great Western Railway in 1841 in Swindon in the English county of Wiltshire.-History:In 1835 Parliament approved the construction of a railway between London and Bristol. Its Chief Engineer was Isambard Kingdom Brunel.From 1836, Brunel had been buying...
in 1960.
Introduction
The British RailBritish Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
Class 124 was a class of initially six-car Diesel Multiple Unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s used and built specifically for the trans-pennine route. In the late 70s, the Class was merged with their Class 123 cousins that had been relocated from Reading services on Western region and towards the end of their days, ran as 4-car hybrid sets. They were all withdrawn in 1984 when their duties were taken over by Class 31/4, diesel electric locomotive hauled rakes of 4 coaches. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway had the idea of preserving at least one Driving unit (due to the cab windows allowing panoramic views), but the plan was scrapped when it was found that to remove the asbestos from the vehicle was cost prohibitive.
The Class was not unique, the Class 124 DMUs sharing mechanical components with their sister Class 123 on Western Region and the Class 126.
"Wrap-Round" windscreens where a feature that was also seen on the "Glasgow Blue Train" electric units (which were later relocated south onto the Manchester-Glossop service when the 1500dc overhead system was switched off (following the closure of Woodhead Tunnel).
Numbering
51951 - 67 DMC51968 - 84 MBSL
59765 - 73 TSL
59774 - 81 TFBL
In later years when operating as 4 Car units the MBSL had their engines removed to reduce maintenance, as it was deemed two Motor Vehicles where adequate. To show this change the remaining MBSL were renumbered on removal of the engines.
Old New
51969 59834
51973 59841
51974 59835
51975 59839
51976 59838
51978 59836
51980 59842
51981 59833
51983 59840
51984 59837
Liveries
They were initially introduced in a green livery, but they never carried the common 'Whiskers' that many DMUs of the time carried. A small yellow panel was added at a later date to the cab front.They ended their days in then standard BR blue grey livery.
Technical details
- Builder: BR Swindon Works
- Introduced: 1960
- Coupling Code: Blue Square
- Body: 64 ft 6 in x 9 ft 3 in
- Engines: Leyland Albion 230 hp
- Transmission: Standard mechanical
For coupling codes see British United Traction
British Rail British United Traction
British United Traction was a joint company owned by the Associated Equipment Company and Leyland Motors which produced railway equipment and trolleybuses. It was established in 1946.-Products:...