Cambridge based class 120 DMU's

[Melvyn]

Hi there, I think I read somewhere that Cambridge had an allocation of class 120's, does anyone know of these and what services they were used on?

[cravensdmufan]

Yes, some were allocated to Cambridge in 1986 for parcels use.

 

See the excellent railcar website

 

https://www.railcar.co.uk/type/class-120/parcel-use

 

 

[stewartingram]

To me, as someone who lived in Cambridge from 1959-72, and otherwise always within the county, 120s were strangers. But, post 1973, after I got married, I moved to St.Ives (though I stilled worked in Cambridge. My views of the rail scene were less, but I did fairly often see trains, particularly in the Fens and occasionally at the station. I only ever recall 120s on the Leicester/Birmingham trains, where they were often good for a cop! Their use a s parcels trains is a new one for me, were they converted, or were they used in between passenger diagrams?

[Melvyn]

Thanks all. I think I read that they were seen at Norwich in passenger service coming in from the Midlands, so I may be able to justify one on an East Anglian layout (lf a manufacturer makes one!).

[russ p]

1 hour ago, Melvyn said:

Thanks all. I think I read that they were seen at Norwich in passenger service coming in from the Midlands, so I may be able to justify one on an East Anglian layout (lf a manufacturer makes one!).

 

I keep looking for an excuse to tun one on mine. I've seen a picture of an Allover blue one at Cromer about 69. Would love to see proof of them getting to Norwich in late 60s in blue and grey 

[John Isherwood]

1 hour ago, stewartingram said:

I only ever recall 120s on the Leicester/Birmingham trains, where they were often good for a cop!

 

I recall travelling in one from Leicester to Peterborough -  it still had the (disused) buffet in one car.

 

John Isherwood.

[KeithMacdonald]

Just like @cravensdmufan said, see the excellent Railcar website.

Page two of their images has a couple of relevant pictures from Brian Ward.

 

Quote

Class 120 Express Parcels set 53739 + 51575 stabled in Cambridge station circa Spring 1987. This was the only pair of the type to carry the yellow/red stripes. .

 

https://www.railcar.co.uk/images/class-120/parcels/2

[KeithMacdonald]

Would a Class 120 in Grantham also serve Cambridge?  Here's one in Grantham Yard.

 

 

[31A]

As a spotter at Cambridge 1968-1975 and then again in the 1980s we did regularly see Tyseley Class 120s on the Birmingham-Cambridges before they went over to loco haulage; ISTR in the early '70s they also worked a 'fill in' Cambridge-Bishops Stortford turn in the afternoon.  After the cross country workings went over to loco haulage they still turned up sometimes - in the early '80s I recall a fairly regular working to Birmingham on a Sunday afternoon.  As @cravensdmufan has said though, they weren't actually allocated to Cambridge depot until transferred to the Parcels Sector.

[cravensdmufan]

13 hours ago, russ p said:

 

I keep looking for an excuse to tun one on mine. I've seen a picture of an Allover blue one at Cromer about 69. Would love to see proof of them getting to Norwich in late 60s in blue and grey 

Russ, I certainly remember seeing them and travelling from Norwich in the late 60's and early 70's at Norwich (in blue and grey as presumably they were used for longer distance main line.  Before "ordinary" units were universally treated).  They were used on the Birmingham service.  I thought at the time how very posh they were compared with our usual Norwich allocated 101s and 105s with their wooden panelled interiors, oval mirrors and curtains.  Alas, I don't have photographs from the time. 

 

There's a nice shot (albeit in b&w) of a three car blue and grey unit departing from Thorpe on 4th April 1977 in John Brodribb's excellent book "First Generation DMUs in East Anglia.

 

I really hope we get a R-T-R model in 4mm.

[russ p]

7 minutes ago, cravensdmufan said:

Russ, I certainly remember seeing them and travelling from Norwich in the late 60's and early 70's at Norwich (in blue and grey as presumably they were used for longer distance main line.  Before "ordinary" units were universally treated).  They were used on the Birmingham service.  I thought at the time how very posh they were compared with our usual Norwich allocated 101s and 105s with their wooden panelled interiors, oval mirrors and curtains.  Alas, I don't have photographs from the time. 

 

There's a nice shot (albeit in b&w) of a three car blue and grey unit departing from Thorpe on 4th April 1977 in John Brodribb's excellent book "First Generation DMUs in East Anglia.

 

I really hope we get a R-T-R model in 4mm.

 

That's good news let's hope someone decides to do a RTR one. It's quite a low hanging piece of fruit. 

The unit I would really like but can't ever see it happening is a 79XXX met camm

[cravensdmufan]

2 minutes ago, russ p said:

The unit I would really like but can't ever see it happening is a 79XXX met camm

Tri-ang already did that - albeit a bit on the short side!  😂  Did a centre car as well.

[russ p]

6 minutes ago, cravensdmufan said:

Tri-ang already did that - albeit a bit on the short side!  😂  Did a centre car as well.

 

Interestingly I did see a picture of a 3 car one I think on a Romford Upminster service.  A power trailer set with an additional DMBS 

[Melvyn]

19 hours ago, 31A said:

As a spotter at Cambridge 1968-1975 and then again in the 1980s we did regularly see Tyseley Class 120s on the Birmingham-Cambridges before they went over to loco haulage; ISTR in the early '70s they also worked a 'fill in' Cambridge-Bishops Stortford turn in the afternoon.  After the cross country workings went over to loco haulage they still turned up sometimes - in the early '80s I recall a fairly regular working to Birmingham on a Sunday afternoon.  As @cravensdmufan has said though, they weren't actually allocated to Cambridge depot until transferred to the Parcels Sector.

 

[Melvyn]

That's good to know, I have an idea for a layout set near Cambridge circa 1980, so I may be able to justify one occasionally. Just waiting for one of the kids to move out so I have room!

[EddieK]

There are a couple of images on the railcar website. Hit the "Images" on the top of the page and use the advanced search function...

[D1059]

On 06/07/2022 at 19:40, Melvyn said:

Thanks all. I think I read that they were seen at Norwich in passenger service coming in from the Midlands, so I may be able to justify one on an East Anglian layout (lf a manufacturer makes one!).

Hi

 

Yes, 120s worked the Norwich - Birmingham cross country services until they went over to loco hauled behind class 31's in May 1977 (I think I remember that correctly). After that they were not regular visitors at Norwich