DMU & Coaching Stock
Class 122 Diesel Multiple Unit ‘Bubble Car’ no. 55019
Built in 1958, this unit spent the first part of her career as a Midland Region passenger unit, being based at Tyseley but she also had a brief spell on the Western Region at Cardiff Canton.
Affectionately known as 'Bubble cars' these single units were ideal for branch line services. This particular unit though was to spend only 12 years in passenger service before becoming a departmental vehicle, gaining the number ADB975042 and became a route learning unit.
The latter part of her career saw her become a Railtrack and then a Network Rail sandite unit, used to spray a sticky paste to rails to assist trains with rail adhesion during times of high leaf fall. It fell out of use with Network Rail in 2007 and was stored at the Chiltern Railways fleet base at Aylesbury in a stored serviceable state, during which time it passed into the ownership of Chiltern Railways. It remained here until September 2011 when it was moved to Tyseley Railway Museum pending developments.
We took delivery of it at Cynheidre on 23rd July 2012. Since arriving the engines have been started and work has been concentrated on renovating the interior of the unit.
It is planned that the unit is to be completely renovated internally and externally and will be one of our principle passenger carrying vehicles. The unit was heavily modified internally during her time as a departmental vehicle. Where possible it will be
returned to an original state. The external condition of the unit is excellent, with only a small amount of remedial bodywork required. It has not yet been decided what livery the unit will be painted into, but BR Green with speed whiskers is the most likely.
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Class 142 'Pacer' Diesel Multiple Unit no. 142 006
This Class 142 Pacer railcar is the only class 142 preserved with an ‘Arriva Trains Wales’ configured interior, with the rest all scrapped in the early part of 2021. The railway would like to thank Transport for Wales (TFW) and Angel Trains for their help in the donation of this vehicle which will ensure that the thirty plus years of operation of these units in South Wales continues. The railway would also like to thank Chrysalis Rail at Landore for all of their help.
The final class 142’s were withdrawn from service in the South Wales Valleys in December 2020. The final passenger working for the unit was the 2E13 14.16 Pontypridd to Cardiff Central service on the 23rd December 2020. During early January 2021 all units were driven to Landore in Swansea for warm storage. Following a decision to send these units for scrap, one, 142 006, has now been transferred to Cynheidre in fully operational condition. It arrived on 15th February 2021.
Unit No. 142 006 is considered one of the the best of those stored at Landore and will now hopefully become a long term member of the operational fleet at the railway, in the short term hopefully allowing the railway to offer socially distanced train rides in a safe environment. In the longer term the railway would like to restore the unit to original South Wales ‘Valley Lines’ livery and condition. The unit made its final journey on the mainline from Cardiff Canton Depot to Landore Depot on Wednesday 6th January 2021 and is in fully operational condition. The L&MMR hope to run a Pacer gala day as soon as current Covid-19 restrictions allow. In due course the railway also plans to offer driver experience courses.
In total 165 Pacer Railcars were built, the class 142 being the third generation and the largest class in terms of numbers. Introduced to service in 1985 and built by British Leyland to a lightweight design based on the then current Leyland National bus design and featuring a four wheel underframe. Upgraded in the early 1990’s with more powerful engines, they have, along with the newer class 143 Pacers and class 150 DMU’s, been the mainstay of services in the South Wales Valleys for over thirty years. The preservation of this unit at Cynheidre ensures that their legacy is celebrated and continues into the future.
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Mk. 2f Restaurant First Buffet car no. 1206
Built by British Rail at their Derby works in 1975, this vehicle was built as a first class open vehicle and then converted to a standard class vehicle in 1985. In 1988, it was to undergo a large refurbishment and was converted into a Restaurant First Buffet (RFB) car.
It came out of service in 2002 after the introduction of Voyager units on Virgin services before being briefly stored at LNWR at Crewe. It enjoyed a career on Cross Country services from Brighton and other south of England
locations to Manchester and as far north as Scotland in the formation of Class 47 and Class 86 loco-hauled services.
It coach was purchased from HSBC rail at MOD Kineton in 2006. This is our on-site cafè at present. The coach incorporates disabled access together with wheelchair adaptation and is fitted with reclining first class seating.
The cost was covered by an extremely kind donation from the road building company Costain. Many thanks go to Costain for their assistance in the acquisition of this coach.
It is in excellent condition and is currently painted in undercoat in preparation for a full repaint in the future. This has been a static vehicle for our first two open days in 2017, but the coach can be found in service as a passenger carrying vehicle on selected open days.
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