56285 Class 121 Driving Trailer Second (Scrapped)

Last Location

Northampton Ironstone Railway

Location History

Mid Norfolk Railway Oct 96-May 97

Current Status

Scrapped at Northampton Ironstone Railway October 2009

Birmingham Railway Museum May 97-Jan 00

Last Livery

BR Blue (Full Yellow End)

Northampton Ironstone Railway Jan 00-Oct 09

Partner Vehicle(s)

None

Record Last Updated

20 June 2020

Preservation Modifications
Heavily modified for departmental (Sandite) use, the effects of which were never reversed in preservation.

Preservation Information
56285 was latterly numbered 977486, heavily converted by British Rail for use as Plymouth Laira’s Sandite unit.

Originally preserved at the Birmingham Railway Museum, the vehicle was always going to be a challenge to restore, with many components ether damaged or missing.

In January 2000, the vehicle changed hands and moved to the Northampton Ironstone Railway, who made optimistic claims that the coach would be carrying passengers by Mother’s day of that year! However restoration was not forthcoming and after many years in storage the railway later decided the restoration was beyond their resources and the vehicle was put up for sale.

With no buyers, the vehicle was cut up on site between May 2008 and October 2009.

Although fairly rare, the Class 121 DTS sub class was always small in number, and two other operational (as of 2012) examples operate with single units elsewhere in preservation.

Less than five months later, 977486 will be no more, 25/5/09. Daniel Adkins

Stripping of 977486 having started at the Northampton Ironstone Railway, 5/5/08. Kevin Smith

Stripping of 977486 having started at the Northampton Ironstone Railway, 5/5/08. Kevin Smith