British Rail Class 125


The British Rail Class 125 was a design of three car Diesel Multiple Unit built by Derby Works in 1958. They were almost identical in appearance to the Class 116.

History

They were high-density units, externally very similar to the Class 116. They were built specifically for the Lea Valley Line based at Stratford, but were displaced to the ECML suburban lines out of Kings Cross when the Lea Valley Line received 25 kV overhead electrification in May 1969. The class were all withdrawn in 1977 when the ECML suburban lines received 25 kV overhead electrification, and none survive to this day. Like many first-generation DMU classes, they never carried their 125xxx TOPS set numbers.

Departmental use

Two trailers were taken into departmental service in November 1982 and March 1984 as 975993 + 975964. They were used at the Railway Technical Centre in Derby and used as fire test vehicles. They were both withdrawn and scrapped in February 1986 and August 1988.

Numbering

Lot No.TypeDiagramFleet NumberTOPS ClassSeatsNotes
30462Driving Motor Second 59650988–51007125/191
30463Trailer Second 59759449–59468185110
30464Driving Motor Brake Second 59551154–51173125/165

Liveries

They were delivered in an unlined medium shade of Brunswick green with white cab roofs and yellow speed whiskers. The whiskers were replaced during the early 1960s by split yellow warning panels, one either side of the central character train describer which remained green.
During the mid 1960s rail blue appeared, and white cab roofs were gradually dispensed with and buffer beams became black. Initially the yellow warning panels were expanded to cover the complete lower front of the driving cabs and later the whole cab fronts became yellow.