Vehicle 50439 / 53439
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: 30293
Diagram: 556
Allocations
| Jul-57 | New to | 9A (Longsight) | |
| Sep-57 | Transferred to | 5A (Crewe North) | |
| Jun-58 | Transferred to | 9A (Longsight) | |
| 4w/e 01/07/61 | Transferred to | 9D (Buxton) | |
| Jul-61 | Transferred to | 5A (Crewe North) | |
| Apr-63 | Transferred to | 5D (Cockshute) | |
| 3w/e 30/04/66 | Transferred to | 2H (Monument Lane) | |
| w/e 07/01/67 | Transferred to | 2A (Tyseley) | |
| 2w/e 09/03/68 | Transferred to | 9D (Newton Heath) | |
| Dec-72 | Transferred to | 9L (Buxton) | |
| 06/05/73 | Depot code change | BX | |
| circa Sep-82 | Transferred to | NH (Newton Heath) | |
| 24/10/83 | Transferred to | BY (Bletchley) | |
| 24/05/87 | Transferred to | NH (Newton Heath) | |
| 14/05/89 | Transferred to | CH (Chester) PCHX | |
| 26/01/90 | Withdrawn from | CH (Chester) PXXZ |
Notes
1st January 1988 - Has NSE symbol
The vehicle carried the following numbers:
50439 - original number
53439 - from Jan-85 (53xxx / 54xxx change)
Disposal
Scrapped by Vic Berry, Leicester
Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:
| 50439 | 59147 | 50491 | As delivered to 9A - July 1957 | ||||||
| 50439 | 59147 | 50491 | Transfer to 9L - Dec-72 | ||||||
| 50439 | 59147 | 50491 | Noted 28/08/75 - on Longsight depot1 | ||||||
| 50426 | 59137 | 50439 | Noted 17/07/76 - in Manchester Piccadilly2 | ||||||
| 50426 | 59137 | 50439 | Noted 17/07/76 - in Manchester Piccadilly2 | ||||||
| 50426 | 59137 | 50439 | Noted Sep-76 - at Stockport2 | ||||||
| 50439 | 59137 | 50490 | Noted 21/08/1979 - at Preston 3 | ||||||
| 50439 | 59203 | 50488 | Noted 25/10/1980 - At Crewe Station4 | ||||||
| BX491 | 50439 | 59187 | 50425 | Noted circa 05/19825 | |||||
| 50439 | 59187 | 50425 | Noted 19/07/1982 - Manchester Victoria5 | ||||||
| 50439 | 59187 | 50425 | Noted circa 10/19825 | ||||||
| 50439 | 59187 | 50425 | Noted 13/10/1982 - Worked 07.51 Blackburn to Manchester Victoria5 | ||||||
| 50439 | 59187 | 50425 | Noted circa 12/19825 | ||||||
| 53439 | 53425 | Noted circa 01/19845 | |||||||
| 53425 | 53439 | Noted 18/08/84 - at Norwich1 | |||||||
| 53439 | 53425 | Noted 22/12/84 | |||||||
| 53439 | 53425 | Noted circa 01/19855 | |||||||
| 53439 | 59163 | 53425 | Noted circa 09/19855 | ||||||
| 53439 | 59163 | 53425 | Noted circa 12/19855 | ||||||
| 53439 | 53425 | Noted circa 02/19865 | |||||||
| 53439 | 59163 | 53532 | Noted circa 06/19865 | ||||||
| 53439 | 59163 | 53532 | Noted 14/02/19875 | ||||||
| 53439 | 53492 | Listed at NH - 1st January 1988 | |||||||
| 53439 | 53492 | Noted 20/01/88 - on 19:59 Manchester Victoria - Southport | |||||||
| 53439 | 53492 | Noted 05/04/19885 | |||||||
| N663 | 53439 | 53492 | Listed at NH - May 1988 | ||||||
| N663 | 53439 | 53492 | Noted circa May-88 | ||||||
| N663 | 53439 | 53492 | Listed at NH - May-88 | ||||||
| N663 | 53439 | 53492 | Noted circa Jul-88 | ||||||
| N663 | 53439 | 53492 | Listed at NH - 16th July 1988 | ||||||
| CH607 | 53439 | 53499 | Listed at CH - 1st July 1989 | ||||||
| CH607 | 53439 | 53499 | Noted 24th September 1989 | ||||||
| CH607 | 53439 | 53499 | Listed at CH - 01/10/89 |
Formation Sources
1: Gerald Brown
2: Leonard Rogers
3: Peter Wallwork
4: Shayne Lewis
5: Eddie Knorn
Images:
August 1982
Two Class 104s (M50439 leading) passing Manchester Exchange on its way to Manchester Victoria in August 1982. Hugh Llewelyn.
22nd December 1984
53439 + 53425 are seen at Leicester on the 22nd December 1984. Dennis Taylor.
22nd December 1984
Class 104 DMBS M53439 seen at Leicester on the 22nd December 1984. Dennis Taylor.
23rd December 1984
From left to right: Class 116 53826, Class 104 53439 and Class 105 54417. Seen at Leicester on the 23rd December 1984. Dennis Taylor.
23rd March 1986
Class 104 DMBS M53439 is seen at Leicester on the 23rd March 1986 in the company of a Class 150 unit. Dennis Taylor.
9th June 1986
Class 104 3-car DMU (50439 closest) stands at Bedford Midland having come up the then-new curve from the Bletchley line, 9th June 1986. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.
13th May 1988
Set number: N663
Class 104 set N663 is formed of M53439 + M53492 when seen at Manchester Victoria on May 13, 1988. It is working with a Met-Camm set, on the left is a Class 108. John Carter.
6th August 1989
Set number: CH607
Class 104 CH607 (M53439 + M53499) and Class 108 CH251 (M54498 + M51418) inside Llandudno Junction depot, 6-8-89. Kevin Dowd.
The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:
Date: April 1967
Set number: 418
A BRC&W three-car DMU (power cars M50491 and presumably M50439) enters Birmingham Snow Hill in April 1967. Tyseley set number 418 is in the cab window. The centre car is noted as M59148 which casts in doubt whether it or M59147 was transferred from Tyseley to Etches Park the previous month. Hugh Llewelyn.
Date: 9th June 1968
Cravens and Birmingham R.C.W. DMUs in Blackpool North excursion platforms on Sunday 09 June 1968. Vehicles are M50805 / 50439 / 59175 / 59148 / 50438 (order not known). Possibly M50805 + 59148 + 50439 (three recent arrivals at Newton Heath) then 50438 + 59175 forming the start of the set behind. Talbot Road Bus Station / Car Park is in the background. Ian 10B.
Date: August 1975
With the numbers recorded as M50487 + M59147 + M50439 a three-car Class 104 DMU arrives into Manchester Piccadilly station with a service from Whaley Bridge via Stockport in August 1975. Hugh Llewelyn.
Date: 12th May 1984
53425/53439 at Bedford St Johns on 11.00 ex-Bletchley on 12 May 1984. On this date the "old" St Johns station closed, to be replaced by a basic halt on the direct curve from Midland station to the Bletchley line. Lewis Bevan.
Date: 12th May 1984
DMU 53425/53439 stand at the old Bedford St Johns station on the 11.00 to Bletchley on 12 May 1984 - the last day. Lewis Bevan.
Date: 22nd December 1984
Bletchley allocated 53425 + 53439 at Leicester on the 22nd December 1984. Dennis Taylor.
Date: 13th June 1986
Running through the haze of an early Summer morning, the 0924 Kettering - Bedford service is just about to arrive at Wellingborough station formed of an all blue 3 Car Class 104 BY allocated DMU set M53532+M59163+M53439 .... 13th June 1986. Nigel Mack.
Date: 25th February 1988
With the part-dismantled former Up line in the foreground, a Class 104 two-car DMU formed of 53492 + presumably 53439 were climbing the gradient from Farington Curve Junction as they approached the Occupation Crossing at Lodge Lane with a Preston to Ormskirk service on February 25th 1988. Double track was retained along the former main line from Farington Curve Junction to Midge Hall until 1983. Martyn Hilbert.
Date: 31st March 1988
With Globe Mill at Midge Hall visible in the left background, a two-car BRCW Class 104 DMU formed of cars M53492 & M53439, was passing the Cocker Bar at Ulnes Walton whilst running through the flat agricultural landscape onwards to its next call at Croston, with a Preston to Ormskirk service on March 31st 1988. Martyn Hilbert.
Date: 20th July 1988
A scene in the east end bays at Manchester Victoria, around 16.25 on 20/7/88. Three cl.104 power-twins are seen, at work on Oldham Loop services that afternoon. The numbers of the cars visible are uncertain but the sets are thought to be 53476/53425, 53522/53541 and 53439/53492. Leonard Rogers.
Date: 7th August 1988
Set number: N600
At 8.28pm towards the end of a fine Summer evening with the sun setting in the West, an eight-car DMU forming a Carlisle to Preston 'Dalesrail' service was stood at Bamber Bridge on August 7th 1988. With the rear of the train standing on the level crossing, the driver was looking back along the train. The formation was M54268 & M53934, M53334 & M51206, M53492 & M53439, M53948 & M53944. Martyn Hilbert.
Date: 19th June 1989
Set number: CH607
A class 104 power twin formed of 53499 (nearer camera) and 53439 is seen stabled at Lancaster on 19/6/89. The unit was later seen at Morecambe. Leonard Rogers.