The Bubble Cars - Class 121 and 122

[@domself9611]

I had the pleasure of driving one of these units at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, it was a fabulous experience!!

[@gc7820]

Successful and characterful and if you ever ride on one very comfortable with huge picture windows giving brilliant views of the countryside going by.

[@robertp.wainman4094]

Yes, comfortable seats and a better ride quality than many modern trains.

[@duncancurtis5108]

Then there were the now extinct single car Cravens parcels cars, the last scrapped at Vic Berry's in 1986.

[@bingbong7316]

I remember a regular Saturday afternoon stock move at the western end of Reading station, probably after refuel and service, 12 cars of "loose change", ones and twos, laying down a smokescreen. Magnificent sight and sound!

[@laurieharper1526]

I've always had a soft spot for those old 120s. They remind me of family holidays when I was a kid, as they worked the branch lines we used to travel on before we had a car.

[@petersmith4455]

hi there, i remember these in 1968 as a teenager on the Henley-on -thames branch, it was great sitting at the front and viewing the road ahead.a lovely branch line and the train was never overcrowded,great memories, i worked at AEC ltd in the 70's and we did close down in may 1979.which was not our fault and then Scammell trucks got the chop in Watford,luckily i have Hornby cl 121 in green on the mantlepiece.

[@abloogywoogywoo]

Incredibly versatile for heritage lines!

[@iandavis4419]

I was a regular user of the Ealing Broadway to Greenford branch where it provided more than enough accommodation. Fine little train.

[@johnrafferty8087]

I went to Gurnel middle school in the 80s. Many hours watching them go up and down. Sevral cab rides and a little go. Now been on the Railway 30 years

[@justme-hh4vp]

who knew that was one of the original routes for that type!

[@johnrafferty8087]

@@justme-hh4vp they were on there a good long time clearly

[@garethaethwy]

I had a weekend in Cardiff back in January 2009, staying in the Bay. I think I must have been very lucky because it was the bubblecar on each and every run I made to Queen Street!

[@Transportationspotting]

Very interesting to see the full history of the bubble cars, they really are amazing units!

[@stevecooksley]

That final shot was just magnificent - thank you.

[@michaeloreilly657]

Nice to see so much of your work included in the video.

[@blpblp-tj7ux]

Motion History keeps me rolling..

[@roberthuron9160]

Like the US equivalent,the Budd RDC's,they just keep going,and going! There are ex-New Haven units,still operating,in Oregon,and in commuter service! Long lived,and never say die!! Thank you 😇 😊!

[@joelightrailway2362]

I really like this type of diesel Railcar as they are incredibly prefect on branch lines as well commuter services.

[@Andrewjg_89]

I have see a Bubble Car DMU several times including when they were used on the Gainsborough line (Marks Tey-Sudbury).

[@PANTECHNICONRecordings]

This raises some interesting semantic issues. I suppose that, strictly speaking, a single car unit can’t really be a DMU - it’s not a multiple unit. Indeed, could it even really be called a train?

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

@PANTECHNICONRecordings yes, interesting point. But as they were built with driving trailers and couple operate in multiples with other DMUs with the same operating system, we can consider them DMUs unlike the HSTs and the BR(WR) Blue Pull man's.

[@FortunaFortesJuvat]

As a single, it would be called a diesel railcar

[@peterharris3563]

The original GWR railcars weren't fitted with MU equipment so can't be called DMUs. The 121s & 122s were both fitted with MU equipment to work with the Driving trailers and other DMUs so were both DMUs and railcars.

[@Charliecomet82]

Here in the States, a train is "An engine, with or without cars, displaying markers," so it would be a train.

[@vincitveritas3872]

Suppose a single car unit is a tram lol

[@nnnormski2208]

I might be mistaken, but I seem to remember one of them , in the Scottish Region mid 80s operating around Greater Glasgow as a ‘ Q ‘ train , which would contain BTP officers , to catch trespassers , vandals etc .

[@howardsimpson489]

As a kid 60 years ago I traveled on similar railcars in NZ. They accelerated well and the gear changes were like a bus. Very sorry when they disappeared.

[@MrTumnus1987]

Seriously the content you put out of consistently good quality is awesome! Well done bud! Maybe a BR Class 14 Teddy Bear bud at some point? Quite an interesting history!

[@Northerner_Transport_Hub]

I never knew the bubble cars worked the Stockport-Stalybridge route. You have no idea how pleased I am to learn this

[@TrevorBagley-h6j]

During the early 1980's we had 55032 and 55033 on the Severn Beach Branch Line, then later a 3 car plus 55026

[@johndavidbaldwin3075]

When the DMU were being run down during the electrification of the Birmingham cross-city line DB975042 was used as a power car with the assorted 116 and 127 vehicles, especially during the rush hour.

[@Razer_-fe9mo]

Served for an amazingly long time! Awesome trains!

[@boosteraxledoesstuff2769]

Smart move for Arriva to adapt central locking for the slam doors of the 121s so safety is present

[@PaulBatham]

In December 2023 I rode from Stourbridge Junction to Stourbridge Town on a single coach service. It may be neither of these, but I took a video of it

[@TimothyWorel-f8j]

121 032 was a regular performer on the Queen Street to Cardiff Bay service.

[@limeyfox]

Class 121 and 122. The 120 was a Swindon-built multiple unit.

[@macjim]

I remember the old DMU’s with fondness as I used to travel to and from work in Glasgow on them. We passengers vied for the de-regulated first class seats as they were like big soft armchairs… unlike the modern DMU/EMU trains hard and thin seats… 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@SteamTrainsNStuff]

Love the Bubblecars, remember there used to be a Load Haul liveried one stabled at Thornaby yard.

[@duncancurtis5108]

Leamington Spa, Bletchley, Doncaster and many early 90s locations on my own records.

[@EM-yk1dw]

Great documentary again 😊

[@lewisc1997]

Been looking forward to this one!

[@ash.l2175]

I think if i remember correctly these used to work on the Kettering to Cambridge route before it closed.

[@chrisrichmond403]

P106 , 55006 was the last 122 bubble car i traveled on from Taunton - Yatton .

[@kevanhubbard9673]

That Chiltern one once worked into Oxford as a route learner .I am guessing it either came via Banbury or the Quainton freight lines as I don't think that the curve from the Bicester Town to the Bicester North to Marylebone section had been built at that point.

[@DetlefBusch]

Very interesting video! 👍

[@BobAbc0815]

First the Steam and then the Asbestos.

[@macjim]

That unit, 020, where is that based? It’s immaculately restored… Although we don’t have single car units at the Bo’ness and Kinneil railway, we do have a four car Swindon set and, just newly bought, a three car DMU and a spares donation driving car too. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@NiallWardrop]

Ecclesbourne Valley up to this year although I think it might be moving. The most recent shots of it in green in the video are at Duffield.

[@TrainLifeGB]

I never saw a 121 but i did see the SWT 960 bubble car.

[@kenh3344]

Very interesting video . Top marks. 10/10 . 😊

[@ak5659]

I remember seeing Budd Cars on the New London, Conn. - Worcester, Mass. line when I was a kid. I wonder how much today's tech would increase efficiency. Maybe enough to restore service on lines that have been cut?

[@daystatesniper01]

Strange that these bubble cars were quite cuccesful yet their modern replacements the 153s are scorned upon .

[@garrymartin6474]

It was odd seeing that example with Sheffield on the route blind, I do not recall seeing one anywhere near there.

[@12crepello]

Thanks for this, very interesting. "Self changing gearbox", I was under the impression that most, if not all, first generation DMMU's were manual change by the driver?

[@teflonlettuce4197]

Self-changing gears were a company that produced Wilson type epicyclic gearboxes. Not an expert on the railway applications but on buses there were 2 types.. pre-selector and semi-automatic. On a pre-selector the gear lever could be put into the next gear at any point but then a pedal had to be depressed for the gear to be engaged. With a semi-automatic the selector pedal would be removed and the gearbox would respond directly to movements of the selector lever.. with a pause required in neutral between each gear. Having travelled many times on the Cardiff bay shuttle my guess is that the bubble cars had semi-automatic boxes. Hope this helps

[@RedArrow73]

That GWR design resembles somewhat the US-based Brill Bullet cars.

[@eattherich9215]

The earlier bubble cars were quite elegant.

[@firecamp2]

Class 76 next please!

[@EM-yk1dw]

Definitely 👍

[@jasonmfalconer]

Worked on em from Bletchley late 80s

[@lmn28021992]

Lima made excellent 00 gauge models of these!

[@robertbalazslorincz8218]

Is it the 120 and 121 or the 121 and 122? are these the British RDCs-

[@johncastle3613]

121 and 122 - the 120s were 3-car Cross-Country sets built by Swindon Works to a different design for longer services.

[@markcaldwell2831]

I do miss the old diesel DMUs.

[@myriaddsystems]

Is this the loco that makes a long drawn out farting sound as it pulls the station?

[@dj_efk]

Was that last shot the Bourne End / Marlow train leaving Maidenhead?

[@steverob5]

Looks like leaving Princes Risborough heading towards Aylesbury

[@lordcaptainvonthrust3rd]

The Pacer's must've done more to promote private car ownership than anything else any government ever thought of I remember the bubble cars and they at least had some merit of their day As a child I always thought they looked "friendly"

[@stuew6]

Also saw on Midsummer murders show

[@ethmister]

Longest serving DMU class I belive

[@Danceup-dh6kn]

Were these on the goblin line?

[@cedriclynch]

121s did occasionally appear on the Gospel Oak to Barking line in the late 1980s. It was at the time normally operated by class 104s (L701, L702, L703 and L704, of which three were needed to work the half-hourly service) but other trains would appear if two or more of the 104s were undergoing maintenance or repair.

[@RedArrow73]

The same Pressed Steel firm that made rolling stock for Philadelphia's Subways?

[@andrewnelson4057]

Have you forgotten the Waggon & Maschinenbau Diesel Railbuses (1958)...?

[@johnkeepin7527]

They were useful for test movements when brand new layouts were being commissioned. The last time I went on one was from London Marylebone to High Wycombe and all the possible movements around there, and back to Marylebone. At the time, I worked on the new Marylebone IECC system, and it was one of the weekends when we commissioned that part of the scheme in the early 1990s.

[@sidney001]

It's class 121 & 122 The class 120's were 3 car units

[@paulrobinson3649]

A platform gauging nightmare due to the doors between the bogies. Good riddance from the PWay!

[@maverick76er83]

We need the Boeing 777 next

[@MidlandProductions]

I can here an echo as you talk in the video on headphones, other than that great video!

[@SabotsLibres]

Not sure if a Bubble Car should be called a DMU... the term Railcar is more appropriate since it is not strictly speaking a Multiple Unit unless coupled with another - a true DMU will normally run at least two power cars in its formation

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

@SabotsLibres the majority of 2-car 1st generation DMUs had one power car and one trailer, so your definition doesn't work. The same is true for most EMUs and DEMUs built or operated by BR.

[@SabotsLibres]

@@neiloflongbeck5705 Yes, I agree, and don't! Strictly, a two-car unit should be a railcar with trailer (a DVT in modern parlance) but, as I said, that is STRICTLY speaking...reality is another thing. Always the question whether HST were DMUs or fixed sets with class 43 power cars at each end (as a train spotter, did you spot a set or each individual power car?); likewise the old Push-Pull class 27 setups for the Glasgow-Edinburgh route, could that too be considered as two locos with a set of coaches in between or as a glorified DMU... My comment was actually more related to the commentary about what '...used to be referred to as railcars...'

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

@SabotsLibres I think you're getting too hung up on term that is ill-defined. I've always taken multiple to mean not multiple vehicles in a set but multiple sets capable of being operated by a single driver. Where a set could have between 1 and 6 vehicles within each set. This would preclude the HST, and the Glasgow-Edinburgh push-pull sets powered by Class 27s and any diesel railcard or railbus incapable of operating together with just one driver as being a DMU.

[@Shed87AProductions]

ATW 121 wasnt 55020, it was 55032

[@chriswilliams115]

The audio on this is a bit wierd and echoy. Excellent as always but audio quality issues this time out.

[@melodymonger]

I second that. There is something very strange going on with the audio in this video.

[@drstevenrey]

Nothing wrong with a rail bus.

[@DicuAndrei]

Classic locomotive 🙂👍 kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3LFlmSLjqqAj6Msi=Mqjpmnyf0wQPDf-6

[@w00df0rd]

Such a shame you've AI-ed your voiceovers, Ruiariah. I now watch on mute with subtitles. Still, great content.👍

[@simonwass6315]

It sounds terrible

[@voidjavelin23]

its not even AI

[@mipmipmipmipmip-v5x]

This is a bus on rails

[@eattherich9215]

That was the Pacer units.

[@mipmipmipmipmip-v5x]

@eattherich9215 ok ok this is a bus on rails trying real hard to be a train

[@voidjavelin23]

except theyre lovable than pacer units

[@IsMiseStiùbhart]

"Across all corners of the UK" I don't think that's true...

[@steveluckhurst2350]

Copied from Wiki ? Nothing new here.

[@voidjavelin23]

whats so wrong having research with wiki?

[@johnmoruzzi7236]

Weird audio on this…. review needed ?

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

Can't even get past the first minute before a misread. The Class 120s were a cross-country unit built at Swindon. The Bubble cars were Classes 121 and 122.

[@flemmingsorensen5470]

Then go watch something else.

[@ethmister]

Tbh a single car unit on a cross country operater namely by the current operater wouldn't be out of the question 😂

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

@flemmingsorensen5470 our presenter fails to notice in the editting and put it out is as bad as when he misrepresents the facts as he has done on many occasions.

[@flemmingsorensen5470]

@ So why not simply choose not to watch his videos? By the way, you made a typo in your comment, but I wont hold it against you.....

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

@ethmister blame the crappy nature of franchising.