British Rail Class 120
| British Rail Class 120 Swindon 3-car Cross-country sets | |
|---|---|
 | |
| In service | 1958–1989 |
| Manufacturer | British Railways |
| Order nos. |
|
| Built at | BR Swindon Works |
| Family name | First generation |
| Replaced | Steam locomotives hauling auto coaches and coaches |
| Constructed | 1957–1960[2] |
| Number built | 194 cars |
| Number preserved | 1 car (a TSLRB) |
| Number scrapped | 193 cars |
| Formation | 3 car sets: DMSL-TSL[RB]-DMBC |
| Diagram | |
| Fleet numbers | |
| Capacity |
|
| Operator | British Rail |
| Depots |
|
| Lines served | |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Steel[3] |
| Car length |
|
| Width | 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) (overall)[3] |
| Height | 12 ft 9+1⁄2 in (3.90 m) (overall)[3] |
| Doors | Slam[2] |
| Wheelbase |
|
| Maximum speed | 70 mph (113 km/h)[2] |
| Weight |
|
| Prime mover | Two BUT (AEC) of 150 hp (110 kW) per power car |
| Power output | 600 hp (447 kW) per 3-car set |
| Transmission | Standard mechanical |
| HVAC | Oil burning air heater[3] |
| Bogies |
|
| Braking system | Vacuum[3] |
| Safety system | AWS[3] |
| Coupling system | Screw[3] |
| Multiple working | ■ Blue Square |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
The British Rail Class 120 was a cross-country DMU in three-car formation, built at the British Rail Swindon Works.
Operation
[edit]From first introduction, units were based at Laira and operated several services in Cornwall including the Truro and Newquay Railway route via Perranporth.[10]
Accidents and incidents
[edit]- On 12 May 1978, the unit containing 51793-59684-51794, struck a lorry at Oyne and the front two cars were derailed. The unit was on the 07:43 Aberdeen to Inverness. Out of the 54 passengers on board, only 5 people suffered minor injuries.[11][full citation needed]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "Class 120 Swindon 3-car DMUs: Numbering". Railcar.co.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 "Class 120, 179". The Railway Centre. Archived from the original on 9 March 2005. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Vehicle Diagram Book No. 220 for Diesel Multiple Unit Trains (Railcars) (PDF). Derby: British Railways Board. 1982. DP204, DP205, DQ101, DQ303, DQ304, DT210, DT217. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2016 – via Barrowmore MRG.
- ↑ Hemming 1978, pp. 5–9.
- ↑ Fox 1987, pp. 10–11, 26, 33
- ↑ Fairclough, Tony (1970). The story of Cornwall's railways. Truro: Tor Mark Press. p. 35.
- ↑ Vaughan 1983, p. 56.
- ↑ Vaughan 1983, p. 106.
- ↑ Vaughan 1983, p. 87.
- 1 2 Heginbotham 2010, p. 56.
- ↑ Rail Express, May 2018, Page 33.
Sources
[edit]- Fox, Peter (1987). Multiple Unit Pocket Book. British Railways Pocket Book No.2 (Summer/Autumn 1987 ed.). Platform 5 Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0906579740. OCLC 613347580.
- Heginbotham, Stephen (2010). Cornwall's Railways Remembered. Halsgrove. ISBN 978-0-85704-005-3.
- Hemming, R (August 1978). British Rail DMU/EMU Allocation book. National Railway Enthusiasts Association.
- Vaughan, John (1983). Diesels in the Duchy. Shepperton: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1326-8.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to British Rail Class 120.
- The Railcar Association – History of the Class 120 DMUs
- Picture of Class120 Archived 22 February 2025 at the Wayback Machine