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Swindon 120

Class 120 C504 at Hereford in 1975. Photo Hugh Llewellyn used under Creative Commons

Revolution Trains is offering the Swindon-built Class 120 cross-country units as its next powered model aimed at transition era enthusiasts.

This model builds on the development carried out for our Class 128 Diesel Parcels Unit, and will use the same tried and tested chassis to speed development and allow us to keep costs as low as possible while retaining the performance, specification and detailing expected of Revolution models.

Two-car Class 120 unit at Newport in 1966. Photo courtesy Hugh Llewellyn used under Creative Commons.

The units were built in 3 batches for the Western Region and Scottish Region and were introduced starting in 1958 with the final units being withdrawn in 1989. The units were in several variations of green before being repainted into BR’s new corporate colours – initially all blue followed by BR blue.

The fleet totalled 194 cars and these were built in three batches: 49 sets in 1958 for the Western Region; 7 sets in 1959 for the Scottish Region and an additional 9 sets in 1961 for the Western Region.

Three-car Class 120 in blue-grey at Birmingham New Street in 1985. Photo Steve Jones, used under Creative Commons.

The trains operated in formations comprising Driving Motor Standard Lavatory, Trailer Second Buffet Lavatory and Driving Motor Brake Composite.

The Revolution models will be offered in two-car and three-car sets in liveries reflecting the working lives of these stalwart workhorses; a selection of possible liveries is shown and they are expected to be available to pre-order from early next year. Please note these graphics are illustrative and not based on actual CAD design, which has not been completed yet.

BR green livery with whiskers. Approx 1958-64.
BR green livery with small yellow panel. Approx 1964-68.
BR early blue lviery with small yellow panel. Approx 1964-69.
BR blue. Approx 1968-1976.
BR Blue-Grey. Approx 1970-1989.

Unfortunately, no complete Class 120 units survived into preservation; the only remaining vehicle from the entire fleet is TSLRB 59276 at the Great Central railway in Leicestershire.

However, several vehicles – including a complete set – of the similar Swindon-built Class 126 units are preserved at the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway, and Revolution visited earlier this year as part of our preliminary research, however we are aware there are numerous differences between these and the Class 120s.

Revolution’s Mike Buick taking dimensions at the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway.

The Revolution Class 120 is in CAD design and once the prices and livery selections are finalised we will open up the order book, with the models expected late next year or early in 2024.