Served by Chiltern Trains to commemorate the last day of the Class 121 "Bubble Car" DMUs on 19th May. As you can see, it's a pretty creditable model:
The first slices of the cake were cut by Chiltern MD Dave Penny:
And then served up to those who had made the trip to a damp Princess Risborough station to witness the final running of these venerable machines on the national rail network.
Your corespondent had to taste the cake of course and can report it was a particularly delicious chocolate:
No I didn't save you any...
I very much approve of the cake, even if the DMUs are being retired from service
ReplyDeleteI suspect the passenger windows behind the cab might have been the wrong length. Wait a second - it was a cake, not a Lima model.
ReplyDeleteSeeing some guy cutting up the cake, I just hope the railcars don't meet a similar fate.
Seriously though, I've always liked the Modernisation Plan DMUs.
I'm not exactly sure what it was about them. Perhaps it might have been familiarity - like the fact that I encountered them I was at school. Even when I started at college, they were modern enough not to be in a museum. In fact, with the production versions going into service after 1950, some people might still refer to them as "modern image".
However, they were also old enough to be interesting and have "character". Additionally, from this passenger's viewpoint, they still seemed to have been designed by and for humans - unlike the Sprinters and Pacers which replaced them in a number of places. I suspect the fact that passengers were able to see where they were going might also have helped.
OK - I know some people will disagree with my personal views - and that's fine by me. Somehow though, in 2 1/2 years' time - when PRM-TSI kicks in - and Pacers finally get their marching orders (yes, right), I can't imagine too many people mourning their passing. Time will tell.
Whatever the score, I hope the "bubble cars" get preserved for future generations to enjoy.
Ah so the caption about cake was true Phil!
ReplyDeleteShall await the report on the cake show
Pete
Well, there is a Pacer preservation group Huw, although I am with you, I think they're a poor relation and I won't mourn their loss on Lincoln to Sheffield services one bit.
ReplyDeleteThe good news is that all the Bubbles will go into preservation, there is a queue for them.
ReplyDeletePacer preservation is the next step. I've never riden on one but do want to try. I've always thought they look quite nice too, but then I get rather better units around here.
Pacer cake though - bring it on!
I'm not against preserving Pacers - in fact, I hope some are preserved - as a warning from history.
ReplyDeleteI can remember the first time I saw one - a 142, calling at Northwich early in 1987. I thought it looked quite nice - until a few months later, when I endured travelling on an overcrowded example from Manchester Victoria to Morecambe.
Since then, I've encountered the things lots of times - it would be fair to say that I am still not a fan.
As for that Pacer cake, I suspect there'd probably be no shortage of volunteers to do the first cut (and any others they seem necessary). There'd probably also be no shortage of volunteers to eat it (even if I'd personally prefer a nice heavy fruit cake, as opposed to chocolate flavour …).
Saying that, some people wouldn't be happy until those guys at the scrapyard get busy with the crunching jaws and the gas axes - then the real celebrations would start.
OK - my personal views - controversial views to some people - and rather more controversial than my views on most issues.
They are, however, my views - something which passengers travelling behind the drivers of modern trains have been denied for far too long - and I'm far from happy about that.