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The future for Chiltern's Class 121 "bubble car" units?

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MidnightFlyer

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The BLS charter by chance?

http://www.branchline.org.uk/events.php

Bubble and Squeak Tracker
Sunday 9 April 2017

THIS TOUR IS NOW FULLY BOOKED

The Branch Line Society is delighted to announce a special charter train in conjunction with Chiltern Railways (CR) to enjoy a rather unique journey on a Class 121 Bubble Car. The tour will traverse rare lines in the Chiltern operating area including Aylesbury Carriage Sidings, Oxford Dn Sidings, and the freight only sections between Bicester Gavray Junction, Claydon and Aylesbury Parkway. The train will be formed of one of the two remaining Chiltern operated first generation DMUs, and is strictly limited to just sixty seats. Note there will be no catering or toilet facility on board. A souvenir map, ticket and comprehensive tour brochure will aid your enjoyment of the day. All profits will be donated to the nominated charity, Railway Children. The itinerary includes a 60-minute break at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, for which the entrance fee is included in your fare.

Our ROUTE, validated by CR and bid to Network Rail, is as follows:

Aylesbury P1 (PU 09.42) – Princes Risborough – High Wycombe – Gerrards Cross – West Ruislip UPL – Marylebone P3 (PU 11.26 break / RM) – Princes Risborough – Bicester Depot Goods Loop – Oxford Parkway – Oxford P1 (RM) – Oxford Dn Sidings (RM) – Oxford P4 (RM) – Oxford Parkway – Bicester Depot Goods Loop – Claydon (RM) – Calvert – Quainton Road (Buckinghamshire Railway Centre / break) – Aylesbury North Goods Loop – Aylesbury No 4 Carriage Siding (RM) – Aylesbury (RM) – Aylesbury No 5 Carriage Siding (RM) – Aylesbury P2 (SD 18.00).
...
 
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NickBucks

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Was this in addition too any events CR are planning itself to mark the retirement of these units ?
 

KingDaveRa

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It was on a special event with the Branch Line Society, Bubble and Squeak Tracker. I spied @RPM tweeting about it earlier.

Bubble and Squeak Tracker
Sunday 9 April 2017

THIS TOUR IS NOW FULLY BOOKED

The Branch Line Society is delighted to announce a special charter train in conjunction with Chiltern Railways (CR) to enjoy a rather unique journey on a Class 121 Bubble Car. The tour will traverse rare lines in the Chiltern operating area including Aylesbury Carriage Sidings, Oxford Dn Sidings, and the freight only sections between Bicester Gavray Junction, Claydon and Aylesbury Parkway. The train will be formed of one of the two remaining Chiltern operated first generation DMUs, and is strictly limited to just sixty seats. Note there will be no catering or toilet facility on board. A souvenir map, ticket and comprehensive tour brochure will aid your enjoyment of the day. All profits will be donated to the nominated charity, Railway Children. The itinerary includes a 60-minute break at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, for which the entrance fee is included in your fare.

Our ROUTE, validated by CR and bid to Network Rail, is as follows:

Aylesbury P1 (PU 09.42) – Princes Risborough – High Wycombe – Gerrards Cross – West Ruislip UPL – Marylebone P3 (PU 11.26 break / RM) – Princes Risborough – Bicester Depot Goods Loop – Oxford Parkway – Oxford P1 (RM) – Oxford Dn Sidings (RM) – Oxford P4 (RM) – Oxford Parkway – Bicester Depot Goods Loop – Claydon (RM) – Calvert – Quainton Road (Buckinghamshire Railway Centre / break) – Aylesbury North Goods Loop – Aylesbury No 4 Carriage Siding (RM) – Aylesbury (RM) – Aylesbury No 5 Carriage Siding (RM) – Aylesbury P2 (SD 18.00).

NOTE: All timings and routing are provisional and subject to clearance and operational constraints on the day.

FARES:

Standard Class FULLY BOOKED
£99.00
 
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RPM

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I spied @RPM tweeting about it earlier.

Yes, I drove the second leg from MYB to OXF. It was an intensive day for the bubble and she didn't put a foot wrong, although none of us could get her over 68mph!

I believe the tour sold out very quickly (there were only 60 seats). Including donated wages, waived fees, raffle, and auction items, I believe around 6k was raised for charity.
 

KingDaveRa

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I'm baffled how my last post was so late. I must've left the window open and posted it much later, so sorry about that.

Yes, I drove the second leg from MYB to OXF. It was an intensive day for the bubble and she didn't put a foot wrong, although none of us could get her over 68mph!

I believe the tour sold out very quickly (there were only 60 seats). Including donated wages, waived fees, raffle, and auction items, I believe around 6k was raised for charity.

When I saw the route, I immediately wondered how well she'd fare. Nice to hear that even in their advanced years the bubble cars can just keep going! Especially if they can raise such a wonderful amount for charity. I think it's also a great little legacy before the bubbles shuffle off to a retirement siding.
 
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Muzer

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Was an absolutely fantastic tour. Great send-off for the units.

As for their future, I'd hope their new owner keeps them as mainline certified. Perhaps they'd be useful for a mainline-connected heritage railway to run shuttles on busy/events days.
 

Rhydgaled

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No; they only operate on what is basically a Beeching escapee country branch line.

People forget just how rural Bucks is. Much more so than much of Northernland, say.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well it can actually be fairly busy and full and standing on a couple of trips. Usually sufficient capacity for one car, but under for two cars.

Thanks for the replies; any tips on when to go to ensure I get a seat? Without getting up at the crack of dawn, I'm guessing the 0849 AYS to PRR (arrive 0908, too late for commuters) is the best one?
 

rick_suffolk

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Was an absolutely fantastic tour. Great send-off for the units.

As for their future, I'd hope their new owner keeps them as mainline certified. Perhaps they'd be useful for a mainline-connected heritage railway to run shuttles on busy/events days.



Swanage perhaps while they wait for their own to be sorted?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Muzer

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Swanage perhaps while they wait for their own to be sorted?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Unfortunately running as one-coach units I suspect they would not provide enough capacity for it to be worth it. Perhaps with the guard's buzzer wired through and whatever other problems that mean they currently can't be run in multiple (or at least, Chiltern refused to) fixed, they could be run in tandem to provide a more useful service.
 

Muzer

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Thanks for the replies; any tips on when to go to ensure I get a seat? Without getting up at the crack of dawn, I'm guessing the 0849 AYS to PRR (arrive 0908, too late for commuters) is the best one?
Evening peaks are usually quieter than morning peaks. I'd be surprised if you didn't get a seat on the last trip of the day. When I went recently on a Wednesday (IIRC) we did get a seat, even arriving at the last minute.
 

NickBucks

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Unfortunately running as one-coach units I suspect they would not provide enough capacity for it to be worth it. Perhaps with the guard's buzzer wired through and whatever other problems that mean they currently can't be run in multiple (or at least, Chiltern refused to) fixed, they could be run in tandem to provide a more useful service.

Would be ideal for the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway. Close to their "adopted" home- may be able to source easily experienced drivers for them and possible use of Aylesbury depot for light maintenance ?
 

Tedy

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Gutted to learn of the demise of these - does anyone know definitive guide as to what diagrams these are working over Easter Weekend and between now and May? Thanks Ted
 

CyrusWuff

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No bubbles until Tuesday as Chiltern are running a modified Saturday timetable on Monday.

One's also due to be doing the "Flying Quaintonian" on Monday 1st May. Aylesbury - Quainton Road shuttles for visitors to Buckinghamshire Railway Centre. I believe tickets are around £16, including admission to BRC.
 

KingDaveRa

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I'd love to think BRC could somehow hang on to one and use it to potter back and forth between Aylesbury and Quainton. I think they've been angling for some sort of regular/semi-regular service (i.e. moreso than the current Quaintonian) for years, but to no avail. Then again when East-West Rail gets going, it may resolve itself!

It'd be a crying shame, and a missed chance to not have a proper NR station at Quainton, and to have a full mainline service charging through at full tilt without stopping.
 
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Tedy

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Thanks all for your informative answers. Will try and get to the BRC event that CyrusWuff has mentioned
 

Mordac

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It's been reported elsewhere that 121020 had a major engine failure and won't be repaired (by Chiltern at least).
 

D.K.TAYLOR

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I think 121020 is just sitting in the sidings next to the depot. Come to think of it it hasn't moved in a while.

Quoted on another site 19th May last day of service no special send off stated by Chiltern but local paper says some sort of celebration will take place times from Aylesbury to Quinton Road as follows

Aylesbury Dept 10-35 11-35 12-35 13-35 15-35 16-35
Quinton Road Dept 11-05 12-05 13-05 15-05 16-05 17-05
 

Muzer

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Quoted on another site 19th May last day of service no special send off stated by Chiltern but local paper says some sort of celebration will take place times from Aylesbury to Quinton Road as follows

Aylesbury Dept 10-35 11-35 12-35 13-35 15-35 16-35
Quinton Road Dept 11-05 12-05 13-05 15-05 16-05 17-05
Is that on the 1st or the 19th?
 

Wolvercoter

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I think 121020 is just sitting in the sidings next to the depot. Come to think of it it hasn't moved in a while.

It was running the morning turn on 22/03/2017 as I fortunate enough to catch it on the 0915 from Risborough to Aylesbury. Quiet journey that one...
 

Lrd

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Should be, or at least the overbridge at Aylesbury Station.
The bridge is currently closed, there is a temporary one further down the London end of the platforms which you can't see much from.
 
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