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British Rail Class 128 | |
---|---|
![]() M55989 Post Office motor parcels van at Manchester Victoria, 1982 | |
In service | 1959β1990 |
Manufacturer | Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company |
Order no. |
|
Family name | First generation |
Replaced | Steam locomotives and carriages |
Constructed | 1959-1960 |
Entered service | 1959 |
Scrapped | 1971-1991 |
Number built | 10 |
Number scrapped | All |
Formation | Single car: DMPMV |
Diagram |
|
Fleet numbers | 55987-55996 |
Capacity | Luggage space only |
Operators | British Rail |
Depots | |
Lines served | Western Region (1960-1988) London Midland Region Eastern Region (1988-1990) |
Specifications | |
Car body construction | Steel |
Car length | 64Β ft 6+1β8Β in (19.663Β m) (over body) |
Width | 9Β ft (2.7Β m) (over body at waist) |
Height | 12Β ft 8+1β4Β in (3.867Β m) (over vents) |
Floor height | 4Β ft 3+7β16Β in (1.307Β m) |
Doors | Slam for cab, sliding for luggage |
Wheelbase |
|
Maximum speed | 70Β mph (110Β km/h) |
Weight |
|
Prime mover(s) | 2 Γ 230Β hp (170Β kW) Leyland Albion RE901 |
Engine type | Diesel |
Cylinder count | 6 (horizontal) |
Power output | 460Β hp (340Β kW) |
Transmission | Mechanical |
HVAC | Oil burning air heater |
UIC classification | Bo'Bo' |
Bogies | Derby |
Braking system(s) | Vacuum |
Safety system(s) | AWS |
Coupling system | Screw |
Multiple working | β Blue Square |
Track gauge | 4Β ftΒ 8+1β2Β in (1,435Β 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 230Β hp British United Traction - Albion engines. 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 The last members of the class were withdrawn in 1990 and broken up the following year, and none were preserved.
Lot No. | Type | Diagram | Qty | Fleet numbers | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
30551 | Gangwayed Motor Parcels Van | 643 or DX501 | 6 | W55991βW55996 | Worked on the Western Region |
30552 | Non-gangwayed Motor Parcels Van | 644 or DX502 | 4 | M55987βM55990 | Worked on the London Midland Region |
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 By 1978, the initial unit M55987 had been withdrawn, and four of the six units originally intended for use on the Western Region had moved to the Midland Region.
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.
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.
British Rail Class 128 | |
---|---|
![]() M55989 Post Office motor parcels van at Manchester Victoria, 1982 | |
In service | 1959β1990 |
Manufacturer | Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company |
Order no. |
|
Family name | First generation |
Replaced | Steam locomotives and carriages |
Constructed | 1959-1960 |
Entered service | 1959 |
Scrapped | 1971-1991 |
Number built | 10 |
Number scrapped | All |
Formation | Single car: DMPMV |
Diagram |
|
Fleet numbers | 55987-55996 |
Capacity | Luggage space only |
Operators | British Rail |
Depots | |
Lines served | Western Region (1960-1988) London Midland Region Eastern Region (1988-1990) |
Specifications | |
Car body construction | Steel |
Car length | 64Β ft 6+1β8Β in (19.663Β m) (over body) |
Width | 9Β ft (2.7Β m) (over body at waist) |
Height | 12Β ft 8+1β4Β in (3.867Β m) (over vents) |
Floor height | 4Β ft 3+7β16Β in (1.307Β m) |
Doors | Slam for cab, sliding for luggage |
Wheelbase |
|
Maximum speed | 70Β mph (110Β km/h) |
Weight |
|
Prime mover(s) | 2 Γ 230Β hp (170Β kW) Leyland Albion RE901 |
Engine type | Diesel |
Cylinder count | 6 (horizontal) |
Power output | 460Β hp (340Β kW) |
Transmission | Mechanical |
HVAC | Oil burning air heater |
UIC classification | Bo'Bo' |
Bogies | Derby |
Braking system(s) | Vacuum |
Safety system(s) | AWS |
Coupling system | Screw |
Multiple working | β Blue Square |
Track gauge | 4Β ftΒ 8+1β2Β in (1,435Β mm) |
Last updated 24 June 2025. All information and images sourced from the relevant Wikipedia article(s) unless stated otherwise. If any information is incorrect, please let us know by emailing us: [email protected]. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0; additional terms apply.