Class 121 "Bubble Car" 55022 Passes Springs Branch - 16th April 2025

Locomotive Services Limited Class 121 bubble car unit 55022 aka 121022 I believe is seen speeding north along the west coast main line and through Springs Branch south of Wigan on the wet and miserable morning of Wednesday 16th April 2025.

The class 121 wearing it's Pullman livery was working an empty stock move from Crewe to Carlisle speeding beautifully along the fast lines around 14 early here running Infront of an Avanti late runner she was pathed behind.

This is my first ever capture of a 121 under its own power having only seen this example once before dragged behind a steam engine 45231 "Sherwood Forrester" That video is linked below.
https://youtu.be/zp4zziCVvDQ

The British Rail Class 121 is a single-car double-ended diesel multiple unit. 16 driving motor vehicles were built from 1960 at The pressed Steel Company Cowley Oxford and numbered 55020–55035. These were supplemented by ten single-ended trailer vehicles, numbered 56280–56289 (later re-numbered 54280–54289). They have a top speed of 70 mph, with slam-doors, and vacuum brakes. The driving motor vehicles were nicknamed "Bubble Cars" by some enthusiasts (a nickname endorsed and made official by final passenger service operator Chiltern Railways).

The Class 121 is Britain's longest serving DMU, operating in passenger service for 57 years until 2017.

The official working today Bubble Car 55022 "Flora" aka class 121022
5Z21 0950 Crewe H.S. to Carlisle Upperby Tmd Lsl

Passed 1039
Running 14 early

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Filmed at Springs Branch
Filmed Wednesday 16th April 2025

#locomotiveserviceslimited #class121
#wcml #121022 #55022 #bubblecar