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Vehicle 51551 / 78720

Class 111

Builder: Met-Camm
Layout: Low Density
Length: 57ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: LMS
Engines: Rolls Royce 180hp
Transmission: Mechanical
Lot Number: 30509
Diagram: 617

Allocations

18/12/59	New to	56G (Hammerton Street)
May-60	Transferred to	51A (Darlington)
Sep-60	Transferred to	55H (Neville Hill)
3w/e 24/09/60	On loan to	66C (Hamilton)
3w/e 17/12/60	Ex-loan back to	55H (Neville Hill)
15/06/69	Transferred to	30A (Stratford)
4w/e 05/12/70	Transferred to	55H (Neville Hill)
May-73	Depot code change	NL
28/09/86	Withdrawn from	NL (Neville Hill)

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

51551 - original number
78720 - from circa Nov-83 (single engine conversion)

Refurbished

At Doncaster Works dated 22/12/1978 released in white/blue stripe livery

Disposal

Scrapped by Mayer Newman, Snailwell

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

51541	59569	51551	As delivered to 56G - 18th December 1959
51541	59569	51551	Transfer to 55H - Sep-60
51541	59569	51551	Transfer to 66C - 3w/e 24/09/60
51541	59569	51551	Transfer to 55H - 3w/e 17/12/60
51541	51551		Noted 12/07/68 - in Leeds City¹
51541	59534	51551	Noted 27/07/68 - in Leeds City¹
51541	59569	51551	Transfer to 30A - 15/06/69
50271	59212	51551	Noted 24/12/69 - at Southminster
50280	59101	51551	Noted 27/09/70 - at Ipswich²
51541	59569	51551	Transfer to 55H - 4w/e 05/12/70
51541	59569	51551	Noted 18/09/1971 - at Leeds³
51541	59569	51551	Noted 02/10/1971 - at Sheffield³
51541	59569	51551	Noted 28/08/1972⁴
51541	59569	51551	Noted 28/04/73 - at Leeds¹
51541	59569	51551	Noted 11/08/73 - at Doncaster¹
51541	59569	51551	Noted 16/03/1974 - at Doncaster ⁴
51541	59569	51551	Noted 26/08/74 - at York⁵
51541	59569	51551	Noted 27/08/1974 - at York⁴
51541	59569	51551	Noted 23/10/74 - at Bury St Edmunds, possibly covering for vehicle having asbestos removed at CA⁵
51541	59569	51551	Noted 01/12/75 - at York¹
51541	59569	51551	Noted 30/12/75 - at York¹
51541	59569	51551	Noted 23/02/76 - at Leeds¹
51541	59569	51551	Noted 10/04/76 - in Manchester Piccadilly¹
51541	59569	51551	Noted 17/07/76 - at Leeds¹
51541	59535	51551	Noted 28/04/1979 - R.C.T.S. North Eastern No.4 Railtour 51826-59708-51844 + 51551-59535-51541
51541	59535	51551	Noted circa 10/1979⁶
51541	59535	51551	Noted circa 10/1981⁶
51541	51551		Noted circa 10/1982⁶
51541	51551		Noted circa 02/1983⁶
51541	51551		Noted 08/02/83 - on 09:19 Morecambe - Leeds
51541	51551		Noted circa 10/1983⁶
78970	78720		Noted 02/08/84 - at York
78970	78720		Listed at NL - 01/01/85
78970	78720		Noted circa 02/1986⁶
78970	78720		Noted 19th August 1986
78970	78720		Noted 30/08/1986 - R.C.T.S. The Mancunian Railtour 53171-51222 + 78720-78970

Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Ipswich Transport Society
3: Jeremy Goodyear
4: Peter Wallwork
5: Gerald Brown
6: Eddie Knorn

Images:

circa 1969

A Class 111 and a Class 31/0 at Stratford, London, in the late 1960s. More commonly associated with operations in Yorkshire, Rolls-Royce engined set 51541 + 59569 + 51551 was allocated to 30A from June 1969 till late 1970, and seen on the left in a mixture of green and blue liveries, whilst railwaymen look on at a Class 31/0 leading a short freight train - note the red circle coupling code confirming it as a Class 31/0. Graeme Phillips Collection.

27th November 1970

DMU at Stratford (Low Level) on November 27, 1970. The autumn early afternoon sun lights up the clouds of exhaust from the two power cars as a 3-car diesel set leaves the Low Level platforms at Stratford for North Woolwich. Closest is Class 111 DMCL E51551, it would be transferred from Stratford to Neville Hill very soon after. It is working with two Class 104 vehicles, a TBSL and DMCL. Tom Burnham.

circa 1971

Met-Camm and BRCW DMUs at Hull Botanic Gardens circa 1971. Note the destination blind on the BRCW unit displays Hornsea, the line having closed some 7 years previously. John Grey Turner.

14th June 1973

Class 111 DMCL E51551 leads the 08:00 Scarborough-Leeds City service into York station on 14 June 1973. Robert Thomas.

16th July 1981

A Rolls-Royce powered Class 111 Met-Cam set at Ilkley on 16/7/81. 51551 is closest to the camera. Chris Lings.

Unknown date

A three-car Class 111 DMU with a Scarborough service in Hull (Paragon) station, date unknown. DMCL E51551 is closest, allocated to Neville Hill depot. Paul Redmond.

30th August 1986

Travelling towards Buxton on the freight only on the very sharp curve at Blackwell Mills on 30th August 1986, we're travelling on the RCTS railtour "Mancunian Railtour" which was made up of 2 Metro-Cammell 2 car dmu's, the front unit being E53171 and E51222, the rear set 78720 + 78970. Andrew J Crowther.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: March 1976

Metro-Cammell Local Passenger 3-car dmu Class "111" Nos.E51541 (Class 111/2), E59569 (Class 164), E51551 (Class 111/1) of the 1959/60 batch with roof mounted 4-character headcode panel, in Rail Blue livery with all yellow front end at Leeds ready to depart on a York via Harrogate service, 03/76. Hugh Llewelyn.

Date: March 1976

Date: 28th April 1979

The RCTS "North Eastern No 4" railtour from Leeds is seen at Saltburn on 28 April 1979 before continuing to Skinningrove. The train was formed of a 3-car class 110 and a 3-car class 111 set. Six Bells lists the vehicles as 51826 + 59708 + 51844 / 51551 + 59535 + 51541. Jeremy Chapter.

Date: 10th April 1986

Class 111 single-engined power cars 78970 + 78720 stabled in one of the centre roads at Huddersfield on 10 April 1986. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 25th July 1986

A two-car Class 110 (E51828 + E51847) and Class 111 (E78970 + E78720) at Doncaster on 25 July 1986. Keith Miller.

Date: 30th August 1986

Approaching New Mills South Junction, we're travelling on the RCTS "Mancunian Railtour" on 30th August 1986 which was made up of 2 Metro-Cammell 2 car dmu's, (E53171 & E51222) and (E78720 & E78970), a few miles up at Chinley we will crossover and head back down through here. Andrew J Crowther.

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