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| British Rail Class 129 | |
|---|---|
| In service | 1958–1973 |
| Manufacturer | Cravens |
| Order no. | 30418 |
| Family name | First generation |
| Replaced | Steam locomotives and carriages |
| Constructed | 1955 |
| Entered service | 1958 |
| Scrapped | 1975 1986 |
| Number built | 3 |
| Number scrapped | All |
| Formation | Single car: DMLV |
| Diagram | BR531 |
| Fleet numbers | 55997-55999 |
| Capacity | Luggage space only |
| Operators | British Railways |
| Depots | |
| Lines served | London Midland Region |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Steel |
| Car length | 57 ft 6 in (17.53 m) (over body ends) |
| Width | 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) (overall) |
| Height | 12 ft 4+1⁄2 in (3.772 m) (over roof) |
| Doors | Slam |
| Wheelbase |
|
| Maximum speed | 70 mph (113 km/h) |
| Weight | 30 long tons (30 t; 34 short tons) |
| Prime mover(s) | 2 × BUT (AEC) 150 hp (110 kW) |
| Power output | 300 hp (220 kW) |
| Braking system(s) | Vacuum |
| Coupling system | Screw |
| Multiple working | ♦ Yellow Diamond |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
The British Rail Class 129 was a class of single car diesel multiple units (DMU) built in 1955 for British Rail. Only three were built by Cravens and were introduced in 1958. The class was built for parcels traffic like the Class 128. One unit (55997) survived into departmental service being named 'Hydra'. The driving ends of a Class 129 car bore a visible similarity to that of the Class 105, also built by Cravens.
| Lot No. | Type | Diagram | Qty | Fleet numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30418 | Non-ganwayed Motor Parcel Van | 531 | 3 | M55997–55999 |
One unit, M55997, was converted as a test bed for hydrostatic drive in 1980, was renumbered RDB 975385, and named Laboratory 9 ‘Hydra’.
It was fitted hydrostatic transmission having the normal Leyland Motors 680 six-cylinder engine driving two Bosch Rexroth Hydramatic axial piston pumps. Each pump supplied fluid to a Volvo fixed displacement compact axle-end motor which drove the axle directly. The maximum system pressure was in the order of 400 bar (40 MPa; 5,800 psi).
This arrangement was only fitted to one bogie, the other one retaining its normal drive but with the cardan shaft disconnected.
The unit was finally withdrawn in January 1986 and scrapped in August that year by Vic Berry at Leicester.
| British Rail Class 129 | |
|---|---|
| In service | 1958–1973 |
| Manufacturer | Cravens |
| Order no. | 30418 |
| Family name | First generation |
| Replaced | Steam locomotives and carriages |
| Constructed | 1955 |
| Entered service | 1958 |
| Scrapped | 1975 1986 |
| Number built | 3 |
| Number scrapped | All |
| Formation | Single car: DMLV |
| Diagram | BR531 |
| Fleet numbers | 55997-55999 |
| Capacity | Luggage space only |
| Operators | British Railways |
| Depots | |
| Lines served | London Midland Region |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Steel |
| Car length | 57 ft 6 in (17.53 m) (over body ends) |
| Width | 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) (overall) |
| Height | 12 ft 4+1⁄2 in (3.772 m) (over roof) |
| Doors | Slam |
| Wheelbase |
|
| Maximum speed | 70 mph (113 km/h) |
| Weight | 30 long tons (30 t; 34 short tons) |
| Prime mover(s) | 2 × BUT (AEC) 150 hp (110 kW) |
| Power output | 300 hp (220 kW) |
| Braking system(s) | Vacuum |
| Coupling system | Screw |
| Multiple working | ♦ Yellow Diamond |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
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.