Vehicle 50720 / 53720
Class 120
Builder: BR Swindon Works
Layout: Cross Country
Length: 64ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: BR Standard
Engines: AEC 150hp
Transmission: Mechanical
Lot Number: 30335
Diagram: 587
Allocations
| 2w/e 30/06/58 | New to | 86C (Cardiff Canton) | |
| Jul-58 | On loan to | 61A (Kittybrewster) | |
| Aug-58 | Ex-loan back to | 86C (Cardiff Canton) | |
| Jan-61 | Depot code change | 88A | |
| Sep-63 | Depot code change | 86A | |
| May-65 | Transferred to | 82A (Bristol Bath Road) | |
| 4w/e 31/05/69 | Transferred to | 16C (Derby Etches Park) | |
| May-73 | Depot code change | DY | |
| 02/02/86 | Transferred to | AY (Ayr) | |
| 2w/e 08/06/86 | Withdrawn from | AY (Ayr) |
The vehicle carried the following numbers:
50720 - original number
53720 - from Sep-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)
Modifications
circa Dec-72 - WR AWS removed
Feb-76 - AWS fitted
Disposal
Scrapped by Vic Berry, Leicester
Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:
| 50720 | 59283 | 50676 | Transfer to 61A - Jul-58 - on loan | ||||||
| 50720 | 59283 | 50676 | Transfer to CDF - Aug-58 - ex-loan | ||||||
| 50720 | 59283 | 50676 | Noted 6th August 1958 - Special Aberdeen-Keith excursion | ||||||
| 50720 | 59290 | 50676 | Noted 05/08/72 - at Thetford1 | ||||||
| 50720 | 59281 | 50667 | Noted 24/11/72 - at Ipswich2 | ||||||
| 50720 | 59281 | 50667 | Noted 24/03/73 - in Birmingham New Street3 | ||||||
| 50720 | 59281 | 50667 | Noted 27/04/73 - at Derby3 | ||||||
| 50720 | 59281 | 50687 | Noted 11/05/73 - in Birmingham New Street3 | ||||||
| EP586 | 50720 | 59274 | 50669 | Noted 24/08/74 - at Newark Castle1 | |||||
| EP581 | 50720 | 59274 | 50669 | Noted 08/1975 - at Birmingham New Street on either 16th or 23rd August 19754 | |||||
| 50720 | 59300 | 50689 | Noted 02/04/1976 - at Norwich4 | ||||||
| 50720 | 59300 | 50689 | Noted 28/08/76 - on 1320 Crewe-Lincoln St Marks | ||||||
| 50720 | 59283 | 50670 | Noted 27/11/1976 - RCTS (West Midlands Branch)Reunion Railtour 50677-59255-50730+50720-59283-50670 | ||||||
| 50720 | 59283 | 50670 | Noted 03/12/76 - at Bury St Edmunds1 | ||||||
| 50720 | 59283 | 50670 | Noted 27/08/77 - on 2E84 0645 Derby-Lincoln St Marks with 50305 + 59119 + 50329 | ||||||
| 50720 | 59267 | 50652 | Noted 16/02/79 - at Norwich1 | ||||||
| EP521 | 50720 | 59267 | 50677 | Listed at DY - circa Jun-82 | |||||
| EP521 | 50720 | 59267 | 50677 | Noted circa 06/19825 | |||||
| 50720 | 59267 | 50677 | Noted 28/08/82 - at Norwich1 | ||||||
| 53720 | 59267 | 53677 | Noted 30/05/1983 - at Notingham4 | ||||||
| EP521 | 53720 | 59108 | 53677 | Noted circa 12/19835 | |||||
| 53720 | 59285 | 53677 | Noted circa 03/19845 | ||||||
| 53720 | 59285 | 53677 | Noted 23/08/1985 - at Derby6 | ||||||
| 53720 | 59285 | 53677 | Noted 06/12/85 - on 09:22 Derby - Crewe service7 | ||||||
| 53720 | 59285 | 53677 | Noted 08/12/85 - on 18:35 Crewe - Grantham service7 | ||||||
| 53720 | 59285 | 53677 | Noted circa 01/19865 | ||||||
| 516 | 53720 | 59285 | 53677 | Noted 1st February 1986 - on ScR | |||||
| 53720 | 59285 | 53677 | Listed at AY - Feb-86 | ||||||
| 53720 | 59285 | 53677 | Noted 24/02/86 | ||||||
| 516 | 53720 | 59285 | 53677 | New set number at AY - Feb-86 |
Formation Sources
1: Gerald Brown
2: Ipswich Transport Society
3: Leonard Rogers
4: Peter Wallwork
5: Eddie Knorn
6: Robert Chilton
7: Martin Baumann
Images:
July 1958
In late July 1958 Swindon Cross-Country set W50720 + W59283 + W50676 prepares to leave Inverness with the 12.45pm to Aberdeen. The set was borrowed from the Western Region for a few weeks for trials. Great North of Scotland Railway Association.
September 1962
A Swindon Cross-Country DMU in platform 8 of Birmingham Snow Hill station after arriving with the 11.40am ex-Gloucester (E) on a day in September 1962. DMBC W50720 is closest allocated to Cardiff Canton at the time. The set would depart as the 2.11pm to Worcester. Michael Mensing.
July 1971
A Swindon Cross-Country set in Nottingham Midland station with M50720 closest. July 1971. Mel Smith.
Unknown date
A Class 120 DMU with M50720 closest seen at Nottingham, date unknown. Paul Redmond.
24th July 1982
Set number: EP521
A Swindon Cross-Country unit with 50720 leading on the Approach to the now closed Lincoln St Marks, on 24th July 1982. David Scott.
28th August 1982
Set number: EP521
A Swindon 'Cross-Country' class 120 unit (Etches Park, Derby allocated unit No.EP521 M50720 - M59267 - M50677) living up to its name forming, along with a 3-car class 101 Metro-Cammell unit, a Summer Saturday extra to Yarmouth on 28th August 1982. Seen at Brandon. Gordon Edgar.
18th April 1983
Set number: EP521
A Class 120 DMU with a Met-Camm centre car in Nottingham station on 18 August 1983. It is set EP521 with 53720 closest, the other two vehicles are presumably Class 111 59108 and 53677. Bill Fraser.
7th July 1983
Set number: EP521
General view of Derby station with 46 014 on a parcels train (left), Swindon Class 120 set EP521 with DMBC M50720 leading in the middle, and 46 039 to the right. Probably taken on 7th July 1983. John Crooks.
18th August 1983
Set number: EP521
53720 and presumably 59108 and 53677 are seen in Nottingham (Midland still on the platform lamp) station on 18 August 1983. Bill Fraser.
June 1984
A seven-car formation in Nottingham station in June 1984, a Class 120 with two Class 114s. M53720 is closest. Mel Smith.
June 1984
M53720 in Nottingham station in June 1984. Formerly a DMBC, it has now been downgraded to a DMBS but still retained the first class style of seating. Mel Smith.
8th October 1985
Set number: 516
53720-59285-53677 on a Crewe to Derby working at Alsager. Taken in October 1985, date may not be entirely correct but taken in the week leading to an HST run Crewe to Birmingham on 09.10.1985 Martin Baumann.
The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:
Date: July 1971
A Lincoln-bound Swindon Cross-Country set in Nottingham Midland station in July 1971. The closest power car seems to be M50680, M50720 is on the far end. Mel Smith.