Vehicle 50978 / 53978

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Class 108

Builder: BR Derby Works
Layout: Low Density
Length: 57ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: LMS
Engines: Leyland 150hp
Transmission: Mechanical
Lot Number: 30465
Diagram: 543

Allocations

22/08/59	New to	26A (Newton Heath)
4w/e 28/11/59	Transferred to	14E (Bedford)
5w/e 04/02/61	Transferred to	18A (Toton)
4w/e 01/07/61	Transferred to	6A (Chester)
3w/e 02/07/66	Transferred to	8J (Allerton)
3w/e 01/07/67	Transferred to	10E (Accrington)
Oct-72	Transferred to	9D (Newton Heath)
May-73	Depot code change	NH
4w/e 11/11/78	Transferred to	LO (Longsight)
12/05/85	Transferred to	NH (Newton Heath)
14/05/89	Transferred to	TS (Tyseley) PTSX
01/10/89	Transferred to	CH (Chester) PCHX
14/05/90	Transferred to	LO (Longsight) PLOX
06/07/92	Transferred to	HQ (Headquarters) RFXX
28/07/92	Withdrawn from	HQ (Headquarters) RFXX

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

50978 - original number
53978 - from 1983 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Refurbished

At Swindon Works dated 18/08/1978 released in white/blue stripe livery

Disposal

Scrapped by Booth Roe Metals, Rotherham

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	50978	56261							As delivered to 26A - 22nd August 1959
	50978	56261							Transfer to 18A - Feb-61
	50978	56261							Noted 19/12/67 - at Manchester Victoria1
	50978	56261							Transfer to LO - 4w/e 11/11/78
	50978	56261							Noted 21/08/1979 - at Manchester Piccadilly 2
	50978	56261							Noted 24/05/80
LO309	50978	56261							Noted circa 05/19823
LO309	50978	56261							Noted 19/07/1982 - Manchester Picc3
	50978	56232							Noted circa 12/1982 - Temporary formation operating from Longsight.3
	50978	56261							Noted circa 02/19833
	53978	56261							Noted 27/08/83 - on 7.24 Chester to Manchester Oxford Road
	53978	54261							Listed at LO - 01/01/85
	53978	54261							Listed at Newton Heath - Summer 1986
	53978	54261							Listed at NH - 10/05/87
N608	53978	54261							Listed at NH - March 1988
N608	53978	54261							Listed at NH - May 1988
N608	53978	54261							Noted circa Jul-88
N608	53978	54261							Noted circa 04/19893
T210	53978	54261							Listed at TS - 01/09/89
CH274	53978	54261							Listed at CH - 14/10/89
CH274	53978	54261							Noted circa 12/19893
LO274	53978	54261							Listed at LO - mid May-90
LO274	53978	54261							Listed at LO - Jul-91
LO274	53978	54261							Listed at LO - Aug-91
	53978	54261							Noted 07/08/914
LO274	53978	54261							Noted circa 09/19913
LO282	53978	54485							Listed at LO - Dec-91
LO282	53978	54485							Listed at LO - 02/07/92

Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Peter Wallwork
3: Eddie Knorn
4: Graeme Phillips

Images:

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August 1982

BR (Derby) Class 108 2-car Local Passenger dmu with DMBS M50978 in Rail Blue & Grey livery with all yellow front ends leaving Manchester (Piccadilly), 08/82. Hugh Llewelyn.

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27th August 1983

Class 108 Derby 2-car DMU M53978 + M56261 at Chester with the 7.24 to Manchester Oxford Road on 27-8-83. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.

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27th June 1990

Set number: LO274

Leaving Grindleford behind on the 27th June 1990 is a rather battered Longsight allocated Derby Class 108 DMU LO274 (53978 + 54261) on a Sheffield - Manchester local service through the Hope Valley. Andrew J Crowther.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

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Date: 11th June 1988

Set number: N608

DTS(L) M54261 (presumably with M53978) leads a four-car formation calling at Kent's Bank (Cumbria) with the 12:07 Lancaster-Barrow, 11/6/88. The Class 108s allocated to Carlisle Kingmoor (KD) depot were the mainstay of local services in Cumbria and North Lancashire for many years. In May 1988, shortly before this image was taken, KD closed, and the fleet was split between Heaton (HT) depot at Newcastle for Cumbian Coast / Windermere routes, and Chester (CH) for north Lancashire routes, such as the service illustrated. Graeme Phillips Collection.

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Date: 31st July 1988

Set number: 808

A gathering of first & second generation DMU's at Southport on July 31st 1988. Left to right are - Derby Class 108 formed of cars 53978 & 54261, Class 142 142047, Metro-Cammell Class 101 formed of cars 51801 & 51519, whilst in the background former Devon & Cornwall 'Skipper' Class 142 142027 was providing a shuttle service between Southport station and the Steamport Museum during a Diesel Day event. Martyn Hilbert.

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Date: 29th March 1989

Set number: N664

Newton Heath TMD allocated Class 104 set No. N664 formed of Class 104 DMBS M53442 and DMCL M53516 along with Class 108 set No. N608 formed of DMBS M50978 and DTCL M54261 await departure time from Manchester Victoria Station with an afternoon service to Southport on the 29th March 1989. All four vehicles would be scrapped within two and a half years. Bob Woolnough.

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Date: circa summer 1989

Set number: T210

Class 108 set T210 (54261 and presumably 53978) in Derby station, circa summer 1989. Malcolm Clements.