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| British Rail Class 126 | |
|---|---|
 Class 126 at Glasgow Central in March 1982 | |
| In service | 1959–1983 |
| Manufacturer | BR |
| Built at | Swindon Works |
| Family name | First generation |
| Replaced | Steam locomotives and carriages |
| Constructed | 1959–1960 |
| Entered service | 1959 |
| Number built | 132 vehicles |
| Number preserved | 4 vehicles |
| Formation | 3-car |
| Operators | British Rail |
| Depots | Ayr |
| Lines served | Glasgow - Ayr - Girvan - Stranraer |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Steel |
| Car length | 64 ft 6 in (19.66 m) |
| Width | 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) |
| Height | 12 ft 9+1⁄2 in (3.899 m) |
| Doors | Slam |
| Maximum speed | 70 mph (113 km/h) |
| Weight | 38 long tons (39 t; 43 short tons) |
| Prime mover(s) | 150-horsepower (110 kW) BUT (AEC), 2 per power car |
| Cylinder count | 6 |
| Power output | 300 hp (220 kW) |
| Transmission | 4 speed mechanical |
| Multiple working | White Circle |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
The British Rail Class 126 diesel multiple unit was built by BR Swindon Works in 1959/60 to work services from Glasgow to Ayrshire and comprised 22 3-car sets and were a development of the earlier Swindon-built trainsets that had been introduced in 1955 to work the Edinburgh Waverley - Glasgow Queen St services. These vehicles formed the first Inter City service to be operated by diesel units in Great Britain.
The introduction of these early diesel multiple units originated in a British Transport Commission report of 1952 that suggested the trial use of diesel railcars. BR's Swindon Works were chosen to design and build express units for the ex-North British Railway Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street route.