Class 128s Midland and Western areas of operation

[Johnfromoz]

Hi all,

 

Couldn't resist picking up another bargain Heljan DPU from the Liverpool emporium, making my fleet one western, one midland and one Royal Mail. 

 

Although I am generally aware of the geographical history of operation of these and their visual modifications, I am looking for any evidence of the midland prefix units ever filling in for western units, particularly in the Thames Valley area of the GWML.

 

The closest I have found to date is a Royal Mail unit (non-gangwayed flush front) on a possible Birmingham-Reading turn. I know the Midland units had a long history on the Cardiff-Crewe route etc. but was looking for any workings say into Paddington? It seems difficult to find any evidence of non-gangwayed DPUs in this area, which was naturally dominated by the 2/3 long serving western units.

 

Thanks for any additional info that may be out there.

 

John 

[Phil Bullock]

Tyseley's gangwayed units have regular runs to Worcester late 60s/early 70s and certainly got as far as Malvern in the 60 but I never saw a non gangwayed unit in my neck of the woods

 

Kind regards

 

Phil

[Johnfromoz]

Thanks Phil,

 

Tends to confirm what I had suspected. In their way, the workings of these 128s were quite territorial, with little common interchange until they were allocated to the Cambridge Royal Mail Pool, whereupon they seem to have travelled far and wide.

 

I will invoke rule one and run my blue weathered, gangway removed unit on Brum-Oxford runs (not too much of a stretch I hope).

 

Mightily impressed with Abbotswood. Looking forward to seeing more updates.

 

Cheers

[wirey33]

I've also been tempted by the Liverpool Emporiums prices on these.......

 

Would they have been seen working to locations like Tonbridge or Redhill during the NSE era?

 

From the photos I've seen, Reading seemed to be a "hot-bed" of activity for them so is it totally beyond the realms of belief that they worked in that direction, or is rule one applicable?

[Johnfromoz]

Hi,

 

Again, relative to my original inquiry, I think you would want the ones with gangways still in place for them to be authentic for that area of the south East. These (apart from very early blue) are not really reduced at said Liverpool shop.

 

Not seen any evidence of them on the southern, but maybe its possible, through workings from Reading.

 

Although there are lots of photos of the flush fronted ones around St Pancras in the 'Royal Mail Red' era, I am struggling to find evidence of them at other London termini or near locations. KX may have had some visits as they were pooled at Cambridge in that period.

 

John

[GordonC]

Hi,

 

Again, relative to my original inquiry, I think you would want the ones with gangways still in place for them to be authentic for that area of the south East. These (apart from very early blue) are not really reduced at said Liverpool shop.

 

Not seen any evidence of them on the southern, but maybe its possible, through workings from Reading.

 

Although there are lots of photos of the flush fronted ones around St Pancras in the 'Royal Mail Red' era, I am struggling to find evidence of them at other London termini or near locations. KX may have had some visits as they were pooled at Cambridge in that period.

 

John

 

There are photos of them at London Paddington too

[Johnfromoz]

Hi Gordon,

 

Only ones I've identified at Paddington are gangway fitted, which the Western Region London area units retained for all their working life.  Yet to see evidence of a flush fronted one at Paddington, but hey, still looking......

 

John