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Vehicle 50974 / 53974

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

11/07/59	New to	26A (Newton Heath)
Aug-59	Transferred to	5D (Cockshute)
Oct-59	Transferred to	27F (Brunswick)
11/09/61	Transferred to	8H (Allerton)	- Brunswick closed
Sep-63	Depot code change	8J
w/e 06/01/68	Transferred to	10E (Accrington)
Oct-72	Transferred to	9D (Newton Heath)
May-73	Depot code change	NH
09/06/85	Transferred to	KD (Carlisle Kingmoor)
29/06/85	Transferred to	NH (Newton Heath)
14/05/89	Transferred to	TS (Tyseley) PTSX
01/10/89	Transferred to	NL (Neville Hill) PNLX
30/09/90	Transferred to	HT (Heaton) PHTX
25/11/90	Transferred to	NL (Neville Hill) PNLX
29/09/91	Transferred to	LO (Longsight) PLOX
02/07/92	Withdrawn from	LO (Longsight) RCLO

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

50974 - original number
53974 - from Feb-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Refurbished

At Derby Works dated 06/06/1978 released in white/blue stripe livery

Disposal

Scrapped by Gwent Demolition, Margam

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	50974	56257		As delivered to 26A - 11th July 1959
	50974	56257		Transfer to 27F - Oct-59
	50974	56261		Noted 04/06/71 - at Manchester Victoria¹
	50974	56257		Noted 01/09/74 - on Barrow depot²
	50974	56257		Noted 22/05/76 - at Carnforth¹
	50974	56257		Noted 27/09/1976 - at Preston ³
	50761	50974		Noted 27/09/1976 - at Preston ³
	50974	56257		Noted 09/07/79 - at Blackpool South
	50974	56227		Noted 29/06/80 - on 16:23 Lancaster to Carnforth with 50960 + 56241⁴
	50974	56227		Noted 05/07/80 - at Croston
	50974	56257		Noted 14/11/80 - at Derby Litchurch Lane
NH346	50974	56257		Noted 19/07/1982 - Manchester Victoria⁵
	50974	50499		Noted circa 12/1982⁵
	53974	59390	53634	Noted circa 04/1983⁵
	51934	59387	53974	Noted 11/03/1984 - LCGB Staffordshire Ranger Railtour 53974-59387-51934 + 51586-59583-51577
	53974	54180		Noted circa 06/1984⁵
	53974	56257		Noted circa 06/1984⁵
	53974	54504		Formed at KD Jun-85
	53974	54503		Formation change - NH - circa Oct-85
	53974	54503		Noted circa 01/1986⁵
	53974	54503		Listed at Newton Heath - Summer 1986
	53974	54503		Listed at NH - 10/05/87
N604	53974	54503		Listed at NH - May 1988
N604	53974	54503		Noted circa May-88
N604	53974	54503		Noted circa Jul-88
N604	53974	54503		Noted circa 11/1988⁵
T204	53974	54503		Listed at TS - 01/09/89
T204	53974	54503		Noted 28/12/89 - in Sheffield Midland²
	53974	54248		Noted 07/08/90 - at Melton Ross
	53974	54504		Noted 24/10/90 - on 09:10 Newcastle - Barrow-in-Furness with 53956 + 54238⁶
LO299	53974	54203		Listed at LO - Dec-91
LO299	53974	54203		Noted circa 02/1992⁵

Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Gerald Brown
3: Peter Wallwork
4: Shayne Lewis
5: Eddie Knorn
6: Graeme Phillips

Images:

9th July 1979

In refurbished white with blue stripe livery, a Class 108 two-car DMU formed of DMBS M50974 & DTCL M56257 was stood at end of the Coast Line at a sad-looking Blackpool South on a rather dull July 9th 1979. The tail lamp on the platform marked the limit of travel, the unit would form the 19.28 departure back to Kirkham. The former booking hall on Waterloo Road bridge was in use as a model railway shop with a large exhibition layout. The wooden buildings at platform level had survived the massive rationalisation that Blackpool South underwent during the period 1964-1970. Martyn Hilbert.

5th July 1980

With the former Jubilee Mill as a backdrop, a two-car Class 108 DMU formed of cars M50974 (closest) + M56227 was getting underway from Croston with an Ormskirk to Preston service on July 5th 1980. Martyn Hilbert.

16th August 1988

Set number: N604

A well filled two-car Class 108 (Newton Heath Depot set N604), formed of cars M53974 & M54503 was stood on the Up Slow at Leyland station with a tea-time Blackpool North to Manchester Victoria service on August 16th 1988. Martyn Hilbert.

20th May 1989

Set number: T204

Class 108 53974, set number T204, is seen outside the wheel lathe at Tyseley on 20.05.1989. Andy Cole.

20th May 1989

Set number: T204

Class 108 DMBS 53974, set number T204, is seen at Tyseley on 20.05.1989. The road it is on leads to the wheel lathe, and its partner, 54503 was on the lathe. The adjacent Class 116 (probably 53825) is missing a drivers door. Andy Cole.

18th May 1990

Set number: T204

A two-car Class 108 DMU departing from Barnetby on May 18 1990. Closest is DMBS 53974, allocated to Neville Hill but still carrying a Tyseley set number. John Carter.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: 9th July 1979

With the tail lamp on the platform marking the limit of travel on the East side of the remaining island platform, A two-car Class 108 formed of DTCL M56257 & DMBS M50974 had arrived at Blackpool South with the 18.58 from Kirkham, and with the tail lamp in place, was ready for working back along the Coast Line at 19.28 on the evening of July 9th 1979. The land to the left of the DMU was the site of through running lines and the Marton Direct Line from Kirkham, once a busy railway in the days when the terminus at Blackpool Central handled prodigious amounts of excursion traffic, right up until it closed in 1964. Martyn Hilbert.

Date: 14th November 1980

In amongst the DMU vehicles seen at Derby Litchurch Lane on the 14th November 1980 is a refurbished Class 108 set formed of 56257 and 50974. Chris Lings.

Date: 10th March 1984

On 10 March 1984, the LCGB "Staffordshire Ranger" rail tour is seen at Cheddleton station with a three-car Swindown Works "cross-country" and a Derby Works class 108 three-car. Six Bells Junction notes the vehicles as 51586 + 59583 + 51577 / 53974 + 59387 + 51934. Jeremy Chapter.

Date: 7th August 1990

A Class 108 DMU formed of 54248 + 53974 pass at Melton Ross on August 7th, 1990. Rex Holt.

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