British Rail Class 128
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.[7] 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 The last members of the class were withdrawn in 1990 and broken up the following year, and none were preserved.
| British Rail Class 128 | |
|---|---|
 M55989 Post Office motor parcels van at Manchester Victoria, 1982 | |
| In service | 1959–1990 |
| Manufacturer | Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company |
| Order no. |
|
| Family name | First generation |
| Replaced | Steam locomotives and carriages |
| Constructed | 1959-1960[2] |
| Entered service | 1959[3] |
| Scrapped | 1971-1991 |
| Number built | 10 |
| Number scrapped | All |
| Formation | Single car: DMPMV[2] |
| Diagram |
|
| Fleet numbers | 55987-55996[5] |
| Capacity | Luggage space only[3] |
| Operator(s) | British Rail |
| Depot(s) | |
| Line(s) served | Western Region (1960-1988) London Midland Region Eastern Region (1988-1990) |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Steel[4] |
| Car length | 64 ft 6 1⁄8 in (19.663 m) (over body)[4] |
| Width | 9 ft (2.7 m) (over body at waist)[4] |
| Height | 12 ft 8 1⁄4 in (3.867 m) (over vents)[4] |
| Floor height | 4 ft 3 7⁄16 in (1.307 m)[4] |
| Doors | Slam for cab, sliding for luggage[3] |
| Wheelbase |
|
| Maximum speed | 70 mph (110 km/h)[4] |
| Weight |
|
| Prime mover(s) | 2 × 230 hp (170 kW) Leyland Albion RE901[4][6] |
| Engine type | Diesel |
| Cylinder count | 6 (horizontal)[4] |
| Power output | 460 hp (340 kW)[3] |
| Transmission | Mechanical[4] |
| Train heating | Oil burning air heater[4] |
| UIC classification | Bo'Bo' |
| Bogies | Derby[6] |
| Braking system(s) | Vacuum[4] |
| Safety system(s) | AWS[4] |
| Coupling system | Screw[4] |
| Multiple working | ■ Blue Square[4] |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
Numbering
| 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
Royal Mail Livery, 1990
Models
Heljan produce a few 00 scale and 0 scale models in BR green and blue and Royal Mail Post Office Red liveries.
References
- Longworth 2015, p. 366
- Fox 1987, p. 40
- "Class 128". The Railway Centre. Archived from the original on 9 March 2005.
- Vehicle Diagram Book No. 220 for Diesel Multiple Unit Trains (Railcars) (PDF). Barrowmore MRG. Derby: British Railways Board. 1982. DX501, DX502.
- "Class 128 Gloucester RC&W Parcel DMU Cars: Numbering". Railcar.co.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
- "Class 128 Gloucester RC&W Parcel DMU Cars: Description". Railcar.co.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
- Ian Allan ABC of British Railways locomotives, winter 1962/3 edition, page 289
Sources
- 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.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Longworth, Hugh (2015). British Railways Electric Multiple Units to 1975. Oxford Publishing Co. ISBN 9780860936688. OCLC 923205678.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
External links
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