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<- 50555 | 50556 | 50557 ->

Vehicle 50556 / 53556


Class 104

Builder: BRC&W
Layout: Low Density
Length: 57ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: LMS
Engines: Leyland 150hp
Transmission: Mechanical
Lot Number: 30298
Diagram: 580

Allocations

10/10/58 New to South Gosforth
3w/e 16/05/59 Transferred to 51A (Darlington)
4w/e 31/10/59 Transferred to South Gosforth
4w/e 04/08/62 Transferred to 55H (Neville Hill)
w/e 07/12/63 Transferred to 51A (Darlington)
w/e 07/03/64 Transferred to 55H (Neville Hill)
4w/e 11/09/65 Transferred to 50C (Hull Botanic Gardens)
4w/e 05/12/70 Transferred to 55H (Neville Hill)
4w/e 31/01/71 Transferred to 30A (Stratford)
May 1973Depot code changeSF
2w/e 20/11/77 Transferred to GF (South Gosforth)
w/e 10/08/80 Transferred to DN (Darlington)
w/e 15/02/81 Transferred to NH (Newton Heath)
circa 1984 Transferred to BX (Buxton)
11/05/86 Transferred to NH (Newton Heath)
04/02/87 Transferred to AY (Ayr)
Mar-87 Transferred to ED (Eastfield)
02/10/88 Transferred to NH (Newton Heath)
31/03/89 Transferred to CP PSPX
17/05/89 Withdrawn from CP PXXZ

Notes

1st January 1988 - Has roofed exhausts
1st January 1988 - Last Tyneside 104 power car in service
19th June 1989 - Stored serviceable at Crewe Brook Sidings
1st July 1989 - Listed as withdrawn at Chester depot
19th October 1989 - Listed as withdrawn/out of use
12th October 1990 - Listed as condemned at Longsight depot

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

50556 - original number
53556 - from Dec-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Disposal

Preserved - more details.

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:


50556 59202 59223 50577 As delivered to South Gosforth - 10th October 1958
50556 59202 59223 50577 Transfer to 51A - 3w/e 16/05/59
50556 59202 59223 50577 Transfer to South Gosforth - 4w/e 31/10/59
50556 59202 59223 50577 Transfer to 55H - 4w/e 04/08/62
50556 59213 59089 50577 Transfer to 51A - w/e 07/12/63
50556 59089 59213 50577 Transfer to 55H - w/e 07/03/64
50556 59202 59223 50577 Transfer to 50C - 4w/e 11/09/65
50556 59205 59228 50561 Noted 15/08/19701
50556 59214 50565 Transfer to 30A - 4w/e 31/01/71
50556 59212 50577 Noted 12/09/76 - on Stratford depot2
50556 59212 50589 Noted 24/10/1980 - At Shrewsbury Station3
50474 50556 Noted 13/10/1982 - Manchester Victoria - Oldham / Rochdale service4
50474 50556 Noted circa 03/19834
53474 53556 Noted circa 05/19834
53504 59228 53556 Noted 03/03/19844
53504 59228 53556 Noted circa 11/1984 - listed at BX4
BX487 53514 59228 53556 Listed at BX - circa Jul-85
53556 59228 53514 Noted 09/11/85 - on 15:08 Buxton - Manchester Piccadilly service5
BX487 53514 59228 53556 Noted 01/12/85
BX487 53514 59228 53556 Listed at BX - circa Dec-85
BX487 53514 59228 53556 Noted circa 03/19864
53504 59228 53556 Listed at Newton Heath - Summer 1986
457 53504 59228 53556 Formed at AY Feb-86
457 53504 59228 53556 Listed at ED - 23/03/87
457 53504 59228 53556 Noted 04/04/19874
457 53504 59228 53556 Noted 04/05/19874
53504 59228 53556 Noted 01/06/87 - on 07:07 Glasgow Queen Street - Edinburgh via Falkirk Grahamston5
457 53504 59228 53556 Listed at ED - Jan-88
457 53504 59228 53556 Listed at ED - 1st January 1988
457 53504 59228 53556 Listed at ED - 16th July 1988
457 53504 59228 53556 Listed at ED - circa August 1988
457 53504 59228 53556 Noted 16th August 1988
N682 53504 59228 53556 Noted circa 11/19884
53848 53556 Noted 6th February 1989
457 53504 59228 53556 Noted March 1989

Formation Sources
1: Peter Wallwork
2: Leonard Rogers
3: Shayne Lewis
4: Eddie Knorn
5: Martin Baumann

Images:

Class 104 DMU at Southminster

8th June 1974

The 3-car BRCW diesel unit forming the 12.31 to Wickford at Southminster on 8 June 1974 comprises E50556 (nearest), 59215 and 50568. Tom Burnham.

Class 104 DMU at Southminster

8th June 1974

In a once familiar scene, the Southminster signalman is handing the single line token (in the pouch attached to the loop) to the driver of E50556 on the 12.31 departure for Wickford on 8 June 1974. Tom Burnham.

Class 104 DMU at Chester TMD

26th June 1983

Class 104 BRC&W DMU DMC 53556 at Chester TMD 26-6-83. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.

Class 104 DMU at Buxton

20th March 1984

Class 104 DMUs in Buxton station on 20 March 1984, left to right are M53429 (BX482), M53556, M53432 (BX485). An image from the Jim Freebury Railway Slide Collection. David Page.

Class 104 DMU at Leyland

16th May 1986

In time-honoured fashion, a three-car Class 104 DMU, with Driving Motor Second Lavatory M53556 at the rear, was stood on the Down Fast at Leyland station with a Manchester Victoria to Blackpool North service on May 16th 1986. M53556 was originally fitted with a First Class saloon, located behind the cab, but by 1986 had been downgraded to Second, although the better seats remained. Martyn Hilbert.

Class 104 DMU at Edinburgh Waverley

circa 1987

Set number: 457

BRC&W set 457 departs from Edinburgh Waverley circa 1987 led by 53556. S Saunders.

Class 104 DMU at Falkirk Grahamston

25th May 1987

Set number: 457

Class 104 set 457 enters Falkirk Grahamston station on May 25th 1987. Formed M53556 + M59228 + M53504, it is working the 20:31 to Glasgow Queen Street. Hamish Stevenson.

Class 104 DMU at Dalmeny

August 1987

A BRCW Class 104 DMU headed by 53556 arrived at Dalmeny from Edinburgh in August 1987. We boarded for the short journey across the bridge to North Queensferry. Alistair Ness.

Class 104 DMU at Forth Bridge

August 1987

The view from the front saloon of Class 104 53556 as it crosses the Forth Bridge in August 1987. Alistair Ness.

Class 104 DMU at Edinburgh Waverley

31st October 1987

Set number: 104457

Waverley station, Edinburgh, on the evening of 31/10/87, with set 104 457 ready to depart on the 17.17 to North Berwick. 53556 is nearest the camera, with 59228 and 53504 behind. Leonard Rogers.

Class 104 DMU at Edinburgh Waverley

1988

Set number: 457

Class 104 set 457 arrives into Edinburgh Waverley in 1988. S Saunders.

Class 104 DMU at Kirkcaldy

circa spring 1988

Set number: 457

In fading light Class 104 DMU set 457 (with 53556 closest) is seen in Kirkcaldy station with a terminating service circa Spring 1988. Brian Ward.

Class 104 DMU at Edinburgh Waverley

7th May 1988

Set number: 457

Set 457 heads out of Edinburgh Waverley on the 7th May 1988 formed 53504, 59228 and 53556 on the rear (closest). Dennis Taylor.

Class 104 DMU at Glasgow Queen Street

7th May 1988

Set number: 457

Class 104 set 457 (53556 + 59228 + 53504) emerges from the tunnel into Glasgow Queen Street station on the 7th May 1988. Dennis Taylor.

Class 104 DMU at Glasgow Queen Street

7th May 1988

Set number: 457

Class 104 set 457 (53556 + 59228 + 53504) emerges from the tunnel into Glasgow Queen Street station on the 7th May 1988. Dennis Taylor.


The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

DMU

Date: 1st March 1980

E50564 + E59206 + E59214 + E50556 with the 13:29 to Newcastle at Manors on March 1st, 1980. John Carter.

DMU

Date: circa April 1985

A Class 104 TBSL set (53504 + 59228 + 53556) thought to be at Barmoor Clough on the Buxton line, looking north west towards Eaves Tunnel and Chapel-en-le-Frith. The slide process date was April 1985. Stuart Mackay Collection.

DMU

Date: 9th April 1985

Set number: BX485

Buxton based BRC&W class 104 3 car dmu BX485 (M53514, M59228, M53556), climbs the 1-60 bank up towards Disley whilst working a Manchester Piccadilly-Buxton service. These units truly worked nationwide, but it was the Buxton route which they became synonymous with. 9th April 1985. Andrew J Crowther.

DMU

Date: 28th December 1985

Set number: BX487

Heading down the gradient with frost on the roof, between Disley and Middlewood is a BRC&W Buxton allocated 3 car set BX487 (53556,59228,53514), with the 15.08 Buxton-Manchester Piccadilly service. 28th December 1985 Andrew J Crowther.

DMU

Date: 23rd February 1986

Set number: BX487

With Oxford Road showing on the blind, Buxton based BRC&W class 104 dmu BX487 (M53514, M59228, M53556) slows for the Chapel-en-le-Frith stop, with a Sunday working to Manchester Oxford Road on 23rd February 1986. This set was unique at Buxton for in it's formation was M59228 a TBSL one of only 14 built for the North Eastern Region 4 car sets it was the last of it's kind in service. Andrew J Crowther.

DMU

Date: 28th July 1986

53504 with 59228 and 53556 at Blackpool North station on the 28th July 1986. Dennis Taylor.

DMU

Date: circa 1987

Set number: 457

Class 104 DMU set 457 (53504 and presumably 59228 + 53556) departs from Haymarket station circa late Autumn 1987. Brian Ward.

DMU

Date: August 1987

Set number: 457

Class 104 (53504 + 59228 + 53556) at North Queensferry in August 1987. This BRCW class was unheard of north of the border when we cut our spotters teeth but by the mid 80s it was a case of "anything goes". Here we see a former Buxton based driving motor bringing up the rear of a Fife Circle train which is heading towards Inverkeithing. Alistair Ness.

DMU

Date: August 1987

Set number: 457

In the &quot;anything goes&quot; period before Sprinterisation, this view taken alongside Haymarket depot in August 1987 shows just what a variety of DMUs and liveries could be found. In the centre, a 6 car set is forming a rush hour service to Fife, an all blue &quot;Buxton&quot; BRCW class 104 triple (Set 457 53504 + 59229 + 53556) on the rear and (most of) a Strathclyde red Derby class 107 in front, but with a Met Camm class 101 car leading. On the left is a Stirling to Edinburgh working formed of a blue / grey Met Camm 101, with some more of these on the right awaiting repairs at the depot. Murray Liston.

DMU

Date: 1st October 1987

Set number: 457

Croy wood veneer 104457. During four years living in Ayrshire 1986-90, photography of first generation DMUs was a must. Two were right at the top and both were BRCW Class 104 sets. One was the Mexican Bean and the other was 104457 which I called the wood veneer set, took photos to prove it. In this instance on 1st October 1987. This is at Croy. I was travelling Stirling Glasgow and had just been decanted from a failed 101. Closest is 53504, the other two vehicles are presumably 59228 + 53556. Robert Forsythe.

DMU

Date: circa late Autumn 1987

Set number: 457

Class 104 DMU set 457 (53504 and presumably 59228 + 53556) departs from Haymarket station circa late Autumn 1987. Brian Ward.

DMU

Date: 7th May 1988

Set number: 457

53504, 59228 and 53556 in Edinburgh Waverley on the 7th May 1988. Dennis Taylor.

DMU

Date: 11th June 1988

Set number: 104457

The scene in the high level platforms at Queen St station in Glasgow, around about 17.25 on 11/6/88. Set 104 457 (53556/59228/53504) waits to form the 17.37 to Dunblane. 53504, still with its Buxton white cab roof, is nearest the camera. Leonard Rogers.

DMU

Date: 7th September 1988

Set number: 104457

Pictured just starting away from Edinburgh Waverley Station on the 7th September 1988 is Glasgow Eastfield TMD based 3 car Class 104 set number 104457. Formed of DMCL M53504 (leading), followed by TBSL M59228, with DMCL M53556 at the rear they are coupled to another unidentified unit. Bob Woolnough.