Telling apart first-gen DMUs

[yorksrob]

It's got 2 different seat designs, these are pretty turgid pictures but you get the idea, the one with the bloke reading is the middle coach IIRC, the second picture being the driving car seen in my previous picture.

I don't remember ever seeing that upholstery design on the Southern Region. We had the blue - green version.

 

[Welshman]

The one thing about 126s I can remember with any clarity (apart from how appalling riding from Glasgow to Stranraer was in really run down examples at the end of thier lives) was the buckeye coupling, which was unusual on DMUs. Maybe the picture you saw had the front buckeye dropped and a screw hung on the drawbar hook?

Apologies - you're right.
A closer look reveals the buckeye coupling is dropped, and the screw is hanging off-centre.

 

[matchmaker]

May I refer you to Brian Haresnape's "Diesel Multiple Units - The First Generation" published by Ian Allan Ltd 1985 ISBN 0 7110 1495 7.

According to him, the 120's were introduced in 1957 and the 126's in 1959, and it was his dates I quoted.

The same book also has a picture on p.56 of a 126 leaving Kilwinning for Ayr, and I'm sure it has a screw coupling!

May I refer you to the website of the preserved class 126? I would hope that these guys know what they are talking about!

http://www.class126.co.uk/#/history-of-the-class-126-units/4531699090

I've travelled on both types. The 120's were mainly for Aberdeen - Inverness services and an interesting feature was that they were equipped with Mansons automatic token exchange apparatus under control of the guard for use on the single track sections between Keith and Inverness.

 

[martinsh]

. The 120's were mainly for Aberdeen - Inverness services .

Only the Scottish ones ! MOST class 120s were allocated to the WR and later also to Derby for Crewe - Derby services.

 

[matchmaker]

Only the Scottish ones ! MOST class 120s were allocated to the WR and later also to Derby for Crewe - Derby services.

Fair comment! My only experience was of the ScR units. IMHO the Swindon built Class 120 and Class 126 dmus were the best looking 1st generation units.

 

[dubscottie]

In the case of the 120's, The buckeyes were removed from the full width cab vehicles as no longer required (starting about 1973 according to my Dads stuff..) but retained on the gangway fitted vehicles until withdrawal.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alan1960/5588544376/

Pic of a full width without buckeye

 

[matchmaker]

In the case of the 120's, The buckeyes were removed from the full width cab vehicles as no longer required (starting about 1973 according to my Dads stuff..) but retained on the gangway fitted vehicles until withdrawal.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alan1960/5588544376/

Pic of a full width without buckeye

Sorry, but I'm sure that the 120's were always screw coupled. The cabs were all full width - no gangway fitted ones. The confusion may arise because externally 120's and 126's were very similar on a quick glance.

In Scotland the 120's were mainly confined to Aberdeen - Inverness services initially, the 126's on Glasgow - Edinburgh and Ayrshire routes. In later years some 120's were transferred to Scotland from England and used on a number of routes. There are some photos of mixed formations containing 120's with coaches from other type of dmu - as in your photo above. That couldn't happen with a 126 - different couplings, gangways and most importantly a different control system - white circle as opposed to blue square.

 

[MK Tom]

I have a new problem! I visited the GCR yesterday and noticed that their class 127 driving cars both have gangways at the non-driving ends... I was under the impression that 115s and 127s both didn't have any gangways at all? Can anyone clarify for me?

 

[headshot119]

I have a new problem! I visited the GCR yesterday and noticed that their class 127 driving cars both have gangways at the non-driving ends... I was under the impression that 115s and 127s both didn't have any gangways at all? Can anyone clarify for me?

They didn't originally although where later fitted.

 

[ChrisCooper]

I have a new problem! I visited the GCR yesterday and noticed that their class 127 driving cars both have gangways at the non-driving ends... I was under the impression that 115s and 127s both didn't have any gangways at all? Can anyone clarify for me?

GCR modified there's to provide access to the Class 120 centre coach which is modified to contain a small buffet. It's the only surviving 120 coach.