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Vehicle 56203 / 54203

Class 108

Builder: BR Derby Works
Layout: Low Density
Length: 57ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: LMS
Lot Number: 30409
Diagram: 640

Allocations

14/08/58	New to	56G (Hammerton Street)
2w/e 30/04/60	Transferred to	55F (Manningham)
05/03/67	Transferred to	55H (Neville Hill)	- Manningham closed
w/e 01/04/67	Transferred to	South Gosforth
w/e 02/08/69	Transferred to	32A (Norwich)
4w/e 05/12/70	Transferred to	52J (South Gosforth)
May-73	Depot code change	GF
w/e 24/10/76	Transferred to	NL (Neville Hill)
13/05/84	Transferred to	BG (Hull Botanic Gardens)
10/05/87	Transferred to	BR (Bristol Bath Road)
14/05/90	Transferred to	CF (Cardiff Canton) PCFX
07/07/91	Transferred to	LO (Longsight) PLOX
07/06/93	Transferred to	HQ (Headquarters) RFXX
23/06/93	Withdrawn from	HQ (Headquarters) RFXX

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

56203 - original number
54203 - from May-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Modifications

Dec-74 - AWS fitted

Refurbished

At Doncaster Works dated 19/10/1976 released in white/blue stripe livery

Disposal

Scrapped by Coopers Metals, Attercliffe

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	50612	56203	As delivered to 56G - 14th August 1958
	50612	56203	Transfer to 55F - 2w/e 30/04/60
	50612	56203	Noted 05/08/66 - at Leeds City¹
	50612	56203	Transfer to 55H - 4w/e 25/03/67
	50606	56203	Transfer to South Gosforth - w/e 01/04/67
	51108	56203	Transfer to 32A - w/e 02/08/69
	50368	56203	Noted 11/09/70 - at Ipswich²
	50605	56203	Noted 24/08/75 - in Newcastle Central³
	50205	56203	Noted 01/04/1976 - at Haltwistle⁴
	50604	56203	Noted circa 01/1977⁵
	50604	56203	Noted 05/01/77 - at Leeds¹
	50604	56203	Noted 25/02/78 - on 2L57 2120 Doncaster-Leeds with 50619 + 56198
	50604	56203	Noted 04/02/79 - on 16:15 Skipton - Leeds⁶
	50604	56203	Noted circa 10/1982⁵
	50604	56203	Noted circa 03/1983⁵
	53620	54203	Noted circa 10/1986⁵
	53620	54203	Noted 30/11/1986⁵
	53620	54203	Noted 08/12/86 - on 10:38 Sheffield - Hull⁷
B968	53620	54203	Formed at BR circa 10/87
B965	53616	54203	Listed at BR - 29/02/88
B968	53620	54203	Formation change - BR - 2w/e 13/03/88 - 54203 (ex-B969) replaced 54201 (to B969)
B968	53620	54203	Listed at BR - 15/05/89
C968	53620	54203	Noted circa 03/1991⁵
968	53620	54203	Noted 22/05/91 - at Cardiff⁸
LO287	51911	54203	Noted circa 09/1991⁵
LO299	53974	54203	Listed at LO - Dec-91
LO299	53974	54203	Noted circa 02/1992⁵
LO286	51903	54203	Noted circa 07/1992⁵
LO241	53202	54203	Listed at LO - November 1992
LO241	53202	54203	Noted circa 12/1992⁵
	53202	54203	Noted 04/12/92 - on 10:18 Manchester Piccadilly - Rose Hill⁹
LO241	53202	54203	Listed at LO - 10/12/92

Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Ipswich Transport Society
3: Gerald Brown
4: Peter Wallwork
5: Eddie Knorn
6: Phil Shatford
7: Martin Baumann
8: Aaron Calder
9: David Bellamy

Images:

21st April 1970

11.53 Cambridge - St Ives has just taken the St Ives line at Chesterton Junction on 21 April 1970. Class 108 DTCL E56203 leads working with a Class 105 DMBS. Tom Burnham.

31st May 1982

E56203 + E50604 with a Hartlepool train in Darlington station on May 31st, 1982. John Carter.

29th March 1988

Set number: B965

The new order at Weston-super-Mare. It’s Tuesday March 29 1988 and Leyland 155325 has just arrived on a press demonstration run from Westbury. Meanwhile, B965 (54203 + 53620) arrives on a Taunton train. Just visible in the ‘six-foot’ are tubs of daffodils, the station staff’s attempt to brighten the surroundings. Mel Holley.

March 1989

Set number: B968

Class 108 set B968 (presumably 54203 + 53620) makes a smoky departure from Bristol Bath Road depot circa March 1989. Stuart Mackay Collection.

31st August 1991

Set number: LO287

A stranger in the camp at Bilbrook on the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton line during the morning of 31 August 1991. The 2 car class 108 (LO287, presumably 54203 + 51911) still was allocated to Longsight at this time and I imagine that it had been borrowed by Chester depot to fill in for the lack of a set from Tyseley, the usual source for trains between Wolverhampton and Chester. Much of This line was controlled with mechanical signalling at this time and Bilbrook signalbox is just visible behind the bushes on the right hand side of the line. The destination panel in the unit's cab reads "Chester" although the train isn't far from its Wolverhampton destination. Peter Tandy.

circa October 1992

A view inside Class 108 DTSL 54203 taken at Clitheroe, the slide process date was October 1992. Stuart Mackay Collection.

24th January 1993

Set number: LO241

Class 108 DMSL 54203 - one half of set LO241 - seen on Chester depot on 24 January 1993. John Law.

Class 108 DMU at New Mills South Junction

5th May 1993

Set number: LO241

A Longsight allocated hybrid unit - LO241 - comprising of "Derby" Class 108 (54203) & "Met Cam" Class 101 (53202) negotiating New Mills South Junction on a peak hour working to Chinley. 5th May 1993. Andrew J Crowther.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: 31st May 1982

Met-Camm set E56219 + E50256 and Class 108 set E56203 + E50604 in Darlington station on May 31st, 1982. John Carter.

Date: 2nd June 1982

Class 108 vehicles E50604 and E56203 form the 17:50 to Saltburn at Darlington on June 2nd, 1982. John Carter.

Date: May 1989

Set number: B968

Class 108 set B968 formed 53620 + 54203 in May 1989 at Bristol Temple Meads. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 28th May 1989

Set number: B968

Two Class 108 twins - 53620 + 54203 and 53619 + 54230 - approaching Exeter St Davids on 28 May 1989. Keith Miller.

Date: 24th January 1993

Set number: LO241

Class 101/108 hybrid DMU set LO241 (53202 and presumably 54203) on Chester depot on 24 January 1993. John Law.

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