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British Rail Class 128

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British Rail Class 128
M55989 Post Office motor parcels van at Manchester Victoria, 1982
In service1959–1990
ManufacturerGloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company
Order no.
  • 30551 (55991-55996)
  • 30552 (55987-55990)[1]
Family nameFirst generation
ReplacedSteam locomotives and carriages
Constructed1959-1960[2]
Entered service1959[3]
Scrapped1971-1991
Number built10
Number scrappedAll
FormationSingle car:
DMPMV[2]
Diagram
  • DX501 or BR643
  • DX502 or BR644[4]
Fleet numbers55987-55996[5]
CapacityLuggage space only[3]
OperatorsBritish Rail
Depots
Lines servedWestern Region (1960-1988)
London Midland Region
Eastern Region (1988-1990)
Specifications
Car body constructionSteel[4]
Car length64 ft 6+1⁄8 in (19.663 m) (over body)[4]
Width9 ft (2.7 m) (over body at waist)[4]
Height12 ft 8+1⁄4 in (3.867 m) (over vents)[4]
Floor height4 ft 3+7⁄16 in (1.307 m)[4]
DoorsSlam for cab, sliding for luggage[3]
Wheelbase
  • 46 ft 6 in (14.17 m) (bogie centres)
  • 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) (bogies)[4]
Maximum speed70 mph (110 km/h)[4]
Weight
  • 41.5 tonnes (40.8 long tons; 45.7 short tons) (Diagram DX501)
  • 40.5 tonnes (39.9 long tons; 44.6 short tons) (Diagram DX502)[4]
Prime mover(s)2 × 230 hp (170 kW) Leyland Albion RE901[4][7]
Engine typeDiesel
Cylinder count6 (horizontal)[4]
Power output460 hp (340 kW)[3]
TransmissionMechanical[4]
HVACOil burning air heater[4]
UIC classificationBo'Bo'
BogiesDerby[7]
Braking system(s)Vacuum[4]
Safety system(s)AWS[4]
Coupling systemScrew[4]
Multiple working■ Blue Square[4]
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

The British Rail Class 128 was a class of diesel multiple unit, built for British Rail. Introduced in 1959, ten of the class were built by Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company, each with two 230 hp British United Traction - Albion engines.[8] The class was built specifically for parcels, fitted out with parcel racks and bike storage at each end, and did not feature any passenger accommodation. The last members of the class were withdrawn in 1990 and broken up the following year, and none were preserved.

Numbering

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Table of orders and numbers
Lot No. Type Diagram Qty Fleet numbers Notes
30551 Gangwayed Motor Parcels Van 643 or DX501 6 W55991–W55996 Worked on the Western Region
30552 Non-gangwayed Motor Parcels Van 644 or DX502 4 M55987–M55990 Worked on the London Midland Region

Livery

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  • British Rail Green Livery, 1967
    British Rail Green Livery, 1967
  • British Rail Blue livery, 1982
    British Rail Blue livery, 1982
  • Royal Mail Livery, 1990
    Royal Mail Livery, 1990

Operation

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Introduced in 1959, the Class 128s were given the TOPS classification DXV in 1973. By 1978, the initial unit M55987 had been withdrawn, and four of the six units originally intended for use on the Western Region had moved to the Midland Region.[6]

Models

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Heljan have produced a 00 scale model in British Railways all over green, Rail Blue and Royal Mail Post Office Red liveries, although these only represent the later version with corridor connection. By 2021 these models were no longer in production.[9]

In 2018, Revolution Trains announced that they are to produce six different variants of the Class 128 in N gauge covering BR green, Rail Blue and RES Red liveries.[10]

References

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  1. ^ Longworth 2015, p. 366
  2. ^ a b c Fox 1987, p. 40
  3. ^ a b c d "Class 128". The Railway Centre. Archived from the original on 9 March 2005.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Vehicle Diagram Book No. 220 for Diesel Multiple Unit Trains (Railcars) (PDF). Derby: British Railways Board. 1982. DX501, DX502. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2016 – via Barrowmore MRG.
  5. ^ "Class 128 Gloucester RC&W Parcel DMU Cars: Numbering". Railcar.co.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d Mallaband & Bowles 1978, p. 50.
  7. ^ a b "Class 128 Gloucester RC&W Parcel DMU Cars: Description". Railcar.co.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  8. ^ Ian Allan ABC of British Railways locomotives, winter 1962/3 edition, page 289
  9. ^ Jack Morgan (19 June 2018). "Bargain Heljan Class 128 DPUs". Hattons Model Railways. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Category: Class 128". Revolution Trains. 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.

Sources

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  • Mallaband, Peter; Bowles, L.J. (1978). Coaching Stock of British Railways (4th ed.). Rugeley: RCTS. ISBN 0-901115-44-4.
  • 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.
  • Longworth, Hugh (2015). British Railways Electric Multiple Units to 1975. Oxford Publishing Co. ISBN 9780860936688. OCLC 923205678.

Further reading

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to British Rail Class 128.
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