Departmental Use
A number of cars from these units were subsequently transferred to departmental (non-revenue earning) use after withdrawal from normal service:
- 79018 + 79612 were rebuilt as an ultrasonic test train based at Reading, numbered 975007 + 975008. Replaced by unit 901001.
- 79900 was rebuilt as test coach "Iris", based at Bletchley, numbered 975010. Later transferred to the BR Research Division at the Railway Technical Centre at Derby, for its last few years in traffic, it was repainted into original BR Green livery. Replaced by unit 901002.
- 79185 was taken into departmental use for brake trials, numbered 975012. It was scrapped in 1970.
- 79250 and 79252 were taken into departmental use as staff messrooms, numbered 975013 and 975014. They were scrapped in 1978 and 1982 respectively.
- 79649, the inspection saloon mentioned above, took its place in the departmental series as 999510.
Read more about this topic: British Rail Derby Lightweight