Class 127 (8 vehicles)
The Class 127s were an interesting mix of standard and non standard components. In appearance they were built to standard Derby designs but were mechanically very different to other DMUs, having unusual hydraulic transmission and larger engines. They were built as 4-car sets dedicated to the Bedford-London St Pancras (Bed-Pan) route, which they operated on for all of their working lives. Surprisingly for non standard vehicles, they survived long enough for four sets to be saved for preservation, although the centre cars didn't escape so well, with all the TS vehicles being scrapped preventing an authentic 4-car set ever being recreated.
Most initially led a healthy preservation life with several to be found in operational condition around the UK. Sadly the mechanical difficulties saw these numbers thinned down, vehicles scrapped and others stored, so there are now far less running in regular service.
In earlier years the Red Triangle Society were leaders in the field. Formed of a large group of railwaymen comprising of maintenance staff (fitters, electricians, supervisors and managers) based at Cricklewood depot (a 127 depot) along with senior staff from Derby Litchurch Lane (the builders of the 127), they owned half of the preserved sets. Unfortunately old age caught up with the group and the lack of newer members led to the group selling all the vehicles to other parties.
A sign of the increased challenges of keeping suburban sets such as these in good condition was the scrapping of a full set in preservation, when the Mid Hants Railway disposed of theirs in 2012 due to the poor condition of the body and the number of doors which required expensive attention. This left three sets in preservation at least on paper, however today there is only one complete set, a restored 3-car at the Midland Railway Butterley whose owners have even inserted a similar Class 115 TS vehicle to fill the missing gap and represent an original 4-car 127 set as close as is possible today.
The remaining vehicles outside of the Midland Railway Butterley are somewhat split up with most not in an operating condition.
Now Scrapped
| Number | Type | Last Location |
| 51592 | DMBS | Mid Hants Railway |
| 51604 | DMBS | Mid Hants Railway |