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<- 50221 | 50222 | 50223 ->

Vehicle 50222 / 53222 / 977693


Class 101

Builder: Met-Camm
Layout: Low-Density
Length: 57ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: LMS
Engines: AEC 150 hp / Leyland 150hp
Transmission: Mechanical
Lot Number: 30261
Diagram: 523

Allocations

13/06/57 New to 54A (Sunderland)
13/06/57 On loan to 9A (Longsight)
3w/e 03/08/57 Ex-loan back to 54A (Sunderland)
3w/e 30/08/58 Transferred to South Gosforth
4w/e 26/11/60 Transferred to 56G (Hammerton Street)
3w/e 30/09/61 Transferred to South Gosforth
Feb-64Depot code change52J
28/02/65 Transferred to 51A (Darlington)
4w/e 04/12/65 Transferred to 52J (South Gosforth)
4w/e 26/03/66 Transferred to 51A (Darlington)
Aug-70 Transferred to 55H (Neville Hill)
May-71 Transferred to 32A (Norwich)
May-73Depot code changeNO
Sep-73Depot code changeNR
w/e 18/10/75 Transferred to BG (Hull Botanic Gardens)
w/e 06/05/79 Transferred to GF (South Gosforth)
w/e 16/09/79 Transferred to DY (Derby Etches Park)
2w/e 22/09/79 Transferred to TS (Tyseley)
p/e 24/12/83 Transferred to CH (Chester)
20/03/89 Withdrawn from CH (Chester) PCHX
28/08/91 To departmental stock RTC (Derby RTC)
by 08/11/93 Transferred to ZA

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

50222 - original number
53222 - from Jun-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)
977693 - from 28/08/91 (departmental stock)

Department Use as RDB977693

Lab Coach 19 - "Iris 2" From 4/91 to 4/08. Carried set number 901002

Refurbished

At Swindon Works dated 08/08/1980 released in blue/grey livery

Disposal

Preserved - more details.

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:


50222 56074 As delivered to 54A - 13th June 1957
50222 56074 Noted 17th June 1957
50222 56074 Transfer to 54A - 3w/e 03/08/1957 - ex-loan LMR
50222 56074 Noted 27th October 1957
50222 56076 Transfer to 56G - 4w/e 26/11/60
50222 56076 Transfer to South Gosforth - 3w/e 30/09/61
50222 56059 Transfer to 51A - 28/02/65
50222 59063 50183 Transfer to South Gosforth - 4w/e 04/12/65
50222 59063 50183 Transfer to 51A - 4w/e 26/03/66
50222 50161 Noted 03/09/71 - at March1
50222 59531 50161 Noted 24/06/72 - at Norwich2
50222 59531 50161 Noted 20/08/1972 - at Birmingham New Street3
83 50222 59531 50161 Noted 06/10/73 - at Bury St Edmunds4
83 50222 59531 50161 Noted 13/10/73 - at Bury St Edmunds4
83 50222 59531 50161 Noted 24/11/73 - at Bury St Edmunds4
50222 59531 50161 Noted 02/1974 - at Peterborough3
50222 59531 50161 Noted 30/05/1974 - at Birmingham New Street5
50222 59531 50161 Noted 15/06/74 - at Peterborough1
50222 59531 50161 Noted 07/07/74 - at Birmingham New Street1
83 50222 59531 50161 Listed at NR - 19/07/75
50222 59065 50160 Noted 19/11/75 - at Brough1
50222 59542 50750 Noted 05/01/76 - at Brough1
50222 59200 50160 Noted 10/09/76 - at Brough1
50222 59531 50260 Noted Sep-76 - at Sheffield with 50167/59048/507511
50222 59536 50237 Transfer to DY - w/e 16/09/79 - from GF
50222 59536 50237 Noted 11/12/79 - on 18:30 Birmingham New Street - Stourbridge Junction6
TS403 50222 59536 50237 Noted circa 01/19817
TS406 50222 59127 50337 Noted circa 10/19817
50222 59127 50337 Noted 08/05/1982 - 50222-59127-50337 + 50320-59130-50330 Special train from Banbury to Spalding
TS406 50222 59127 50337 Noted 03/07/82 - at Norwich, DMBS in B/G, others in blue4
TS406 50222 59127 50337 Noted 26/09/82 - at Norwich4
TS406 50222 59127 50337 Noted circa 01/19837
TS406 50222 59127 50337 Listed at TS - Jan-83
TS406 53222 59127 53337 Listed at TS - 14/07/83
53222 53337 Noted circa 01/19847
53222 53337 Noted circa 01/19867
53222 53337 Noted 26/04/86 - on 10:50 Shrewsbury - Chester with 51911 + 54496 / 53938 + 544118
53222 53337 Listed at Chester - Summer 1986 - Relief set
53222 53337 Noted circa 02/19877
290 53222 53337 Noted 09/04/19887
CH290 53222 53337 Listed at CH - May 1988
53222 53337 Noted 21/05/88 - on 16:12 Manchester Piccadilly - Cardiff8
CH290 53222 53337 Noted circa Jul-88
LAB19 977693 977694 Noted 22/07/1991 - Eastbound at Pirbright on Southern Region

Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Ipswich Transport Society
3: Peter Wallwork
4: Gerald Brown
5: Jeremy Goodyear
6: Phil Shatford
7: Eddie Knorn
8: Martin Baumann

Images:

Class 101 DMU at Basingstoke

circa 1991

Iris II 977693 / 977694 at Basingstoke, circa 1991. Walter Burt Collection.

Class 101 DMU at London Victoria

Unknown date

Iris II 977693 / 977694 seen in platform 2 of London Victoria station. Undated. Chris Adams.

Class 101 DMU at Derby RTC

1991

Laboratory 19 is also known as "Iris II", and 977693 (ex-50222) is seen here at the RTC in 1991. Simon Barnes.

Class 101 DMU at Greaves Siding

6th September 1991

Lab 19 IRIS II 977693 (ex-53222) and 977694 (ex-53338) seen just after their conversion at Greaves Siding, between Banbury and Leamington Spa, on 6 September 1991. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Class 101 DMU at London Bridge

23rd March 1993

"Lab 19 Iris II" might sound like a specialist wing of the Porton Down Experimental Establishment but this was in fact the name of a DMU converted in 1991 from a power twin Metropolitan-Cammell class 101 unit (units 53222-53338). Rebuilt by the Research & Development Division of British Rail at Derby as a test train, it was initially used for radio survey work particularly with the National Radio Network (NRN) and later for video survey work including extensive signal sighting on the WCML prior to the introduction of 125 mph. Bearing the BR Research's silver and grey livery, it is seen passing through London Bridge station on 23 March 1993. Withdrawn and stored at Derby's Railway Technical Centre, it was sold by Network Rail to a private buyer in early 2008. After a short spell at Dunster station on the West Somerset Railway, it was moved to the Barry Tourist railway. Gordon Edgar.

Class 101 DMU at Bletchley

circa 1996

Lab 19 - Iris II - (977693 and 977694) and two Railtrack liveried sandite bubbles sitting on Bletchley tank road circa 1996. Graham Baker.

Class 101 DMU at Old Oak Common

5th August 2000

Lab 19 - Iris II (977693 / 977694) at Old Oak Common Open Day on 5 August 2000. S Gaskell.

Class 101 DMU at Old Oak Common depot

5th August 2000

Class 101 SERCO Test Train Old Oak Common 5 August 2000. This is RDB977693 (ex 50222) Lab 19 IRIS 2 with RDB977694 (ex 50338) behind. Alistair Ness.

Class 101 DMU at Old Oak Common depot

5th August 2000

Class 101 SERCO Lab 19 Iris 2 Test Train (RDB977693 + RDB977694) at Old Oak Common open day on 5 August 2000. Murray Liston.

Class 101 DMU at Old Oak Common

6th August 2000

IRIS II Class 101 977693 and 977694 is seen on display at Old Oak Common open day on 06/08/2000. Andy Cole.

Class 101 DMU at Derby

7th September 2000

977693 and 977694 (IRIS II) is seen at Derby on 07.09.2000. Andy Cole.

Class 101 DMU at Carlisle

21st March 2003

Iris II - 977693 + 977694 - in Carlisle station on 21 March 2003. David Bellamy.

Class 101 DMU at Carlisle

November 2005

Set number: 901002

977693 / 977694 at Carlisle in November 2005. Alan Ross.

Class 101 DMU at Grantham

18th December 2005

977693 at Grantham on December 18, 2005. Nicholas Youngman.

Class 101 DMU at Grantham

18th December 2005

977693 at Grantham on December 18, 2005. Nicholas Youngman.


The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

DMU

Date: 1st October 1979

Set number: TS405

M50337 (presumably with 59127 + 53222) at Worcester Shrub Hill on 01/10/79. Steve Jones.

DMU

Date: 8th May 1982

Set number: 403

Class 101 DMS (ex DMC) M50237 leads mixed liveried Tyseley set 403 (unknown TS & DMBS M50222) away from Didcot towards Oxford. Tyseley based unit on loan in London area? Saturday 8th May 1982 Iain Reid.

DMU

Date: 8th June 1986

Displaying 'Special' on the blinds, M53337 leads three two-car Class 101 sets (the other vehicles being M53222 + M51177 + M54351 + M51187 + M54322) at Stoke to form the 08:48 to Llandudno on 8/6/86. Hamish Stevenson.

DMU

Date: 3rd September 1991

RTC-allocated unit 901002 (977694/977693) (aka “Iris 2”) at Basingstoke on 3 September 1991. Lewis Bevan.

DMU

Date: 22nd March 1993

Class 101 Lab 19 Iris II (977694 and 977693) seen leaving London Bridge Station on 22-3-93. Ian Cuthbertson.

DMU

Date: 9th May 1996

Lab 19 Iris II (977694 + 977693) at Lewes (East Sussex), 9/5/96. Sparegang.

DMU

Date: 9th May 1996

Lab 19 Iris II (977694 + 977693) at Lewes (East Sussex), 9/5/96. Sparegang.

DMU

Date: 15th October 1998

Iris II - 977694 + 977693 is seen at Crewe on 15.10.1998 in SERCO livery. Andy Cole.

DMU

Date: 6th November 1998

Set number: Lab Coach

RDB977693/4 "IRIS 2" seen in action at Rye on 6th November 1998. Steve Carter.

DMU

Date: 18th November 1998

IRIS II 977694 + 977693 at Didcot on 18 November 1998. Brian Daniels.

DMU

Date: 27th September 1999

Lab 19 - Iris II (977694 / 977693) berthed at Derby on 27th September 1999. Ian Buck.

DMU

Date: 31st July 2000

LAB 19 IRIS II 977694 and 977693 at Didcot on 31 July 2000. Brian Daniels.

DMU

Date: 5th August 2000

Lab 19 - Iris II (977694 / 977693) at Old Oak Common Open Day on the 5th August 2000. Steve Hodgson.

DMU

Date: 5th August 2000

Lab 19 - Iris II (977694 / 977693) at Old Oak Common Open Day on 5 August 2000. S Gaskell.

DMU

Date: 7th September 2000

Iris II - 977694 + 977693 - is seen at Derby on September 7, 2000. Andy Cole.

DMU

Date: 21st March 2003

Iris II - 977694 + 977693 - in Carlisle station on 21 March 2003. David Bellamy.

DMU

Date: 22nd July 2004

Set number: 901002

Class 101 Laboratory 19 'IRIS 2' former DMCL 977694 (50338) with former DMBS 977693 (50222) at Rugby on 22 July 2004. Dave Warby.

DMU

Date: November 2005

Set number: 901002

Iris II 977694 / 977693 at Carlise in November 2005. Alan Ross.

DMU

Date: 18th December 2005

Set number: 901002

Iris 2 (977694 + 977693) at Grantham on December 18, 2005. Nicholas Youngman.

DMU

Date: 18th March 2008

The class 101 DMMU known as Iris II (977693 + 977694) was taken from Derby to Bishops Lydeard for a new live in preservation on Tuesday 18 March 2008. The power provided was 31459 which, in its black livery, provided a nice contrast to the two different yellows of the unit. I wanted to be in the Evesham or Pershore area at some point during the day so just went to the nearest point to my home where a reasonably wide view could be obtained so as to show all 3 vehicles. Here is 5Z08 passing Croome Perry wood after being in the loop at Abbotswood for some time to allow the passage of a class 170 on a Cardiff service and an Arriva Voyager on a Cross Country train. I came very close to being bowled out by a northbound Arriva-liveried 170 105 which was outside the frame by no more than a few inches. Peter Tandy.