Western Region DMUs

[Phil Bullock]

At the start of the 1969-1970 WTT, the later series of Cl.120, Swindon Cross Country sets were allocated as follows

.

Laira - 6 sets

Marsh Junction - 8 sets

.

Canton also had two, power twins on its' books made up of

(i)  Set 603 - W51574 + W51583

(ii) Set 604 - W51579 + W51588

.

Judging by the Set number series, i.e. C6xx, and formed as power-twins, they were used on lines west of Swansea, in particular the Central Wales.

.

Brian R

And judging by the link above were working around Worcester....

 

Phil

[The Johnster]

I can confirm that the C6xx series were the Central Wales power twins, fitted with Lucas 12 volt rally car spotlights, 150 watts IIRC, so that the driver knew how many sheep he'd run over on the unfenced stretches of that route.  They worked out of Malefant Sidings, Swansea, and came to Canton for maintenance.  Some Landore allocated 37s were fitted with the same headlights for the same route; this was before the days of high intensity headlights on locomotives or multiple units.  

 

I once worked on one on the 23.00 Bristol-Cardiff, and was in the cab as we ran through the Severn Tunnel.  My driver turned the spotlight on and it gave us an unparalleled view of the tunnel's brickwork, and showed the alarming amount of water that was coming in!

[EddieK]

Eddie, just to confuse the issue slightly, didn’t a few of the earlier or later build 117’s have curved top headcode boxes ?

 

Best regards

Craig

Correct- the first five (from memory) power cars of MBS and DMS.

 

https://www.railcar.co.uk/images/7116

 

...for instance.

[dibber25]

I've posted this elsewhere before, but since this thread has strayed onto the 120s, here's two brand new cars crew-training on the Calne branch. Taken by Don Lovelock. (CJL)

[jonny777]

In August 1968 while holidaying at Dawlish, I saw a few 117s and a 121 along the sea wall in addition to the other classes. 

 

There were some strange formations; for instance on 11th Aug I saw 55029+51388+51351. (Did I miss the trailer compo, as this seems to be somewhat over-powered?)

 

And on the 14th was 51387+59497+51345+56289

[mdvle]

Vote 120! You know it makes sense! 

 

 

Model Rail has the following posted to their Facebook page (October 30th)

 

 

 

Present Your Case: We want your opinions on the Swindon DMUs Class 120, 123, 124 and 126, proposed by Mel and Stuart in Model Rail 253. Are these models you'd like to see? Leave your comments below and some of them will be featured in the next issue of Model Rail.

[KeithMacdonald]

On 15/10/2018 at 15:40, chrisf said:

 

116, 118 and 120, with the odd 122.

 

Chris

 

Thanks Chris - now that I've looked at RailCar, I'm fairly sure it was the 117s or 118's we used to travel on, to-and-from school in Devon (c.1964-1970).

 

Usually 118s? e.g. https://www.railcar.co.uk/type/class-118/operations

But sometimes 117s? e.g. https://www.railcar.co.uk/images/3695

IIRC, initially in green with speed whiskers, then in green with yellow panels, and eventually in blue.

 

As school children, travelling on the downline along the Dawlish Sea Wall towards Teignmouth, we were always thrilled to get "washed" by waves. Well, us kids thought it was great fun. Not so sure what the "grown ups" thought when water came through the door frames like a high-pressure hose and soaked everyone sitting nearest the doors! But the trains kept running. :-)

 

This was before "our DMU trains" started disappearing, and Network South East Class 25's (?) started appearing hauling coaches. Which to us tribal teenagers seemed like a strange intrusion into GWR territory.