Vehicle 50520 / 53520
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: 30294
Diagram: 558
Allocations
| 4w/e 25/01/58 | New to | 5B (Crewe South) | |
| Apr-63 | Transferred to | 5D (Cockshute) | |
| 3w/e 30/04/66 | Transferred to | 9A (Longsight) | |
| 4w/e 04/02/67 | Transferred to | 9D (Newton Heath) | |
| May-73 | Depot code change | NH | |
| 06/01/84 | Transferred to | AY (Ayr) | - cover for fire damaged vehicles |
| Feb-84 | Transferred to | CW (Cricklewood) | |
| 10/05/87 | Transferred to | NH (Newton Heath) | |
| 14/05/89 | Transferred to | CH (Chester) PCHX | |
| 04/10/89 | Withdrawn from | CH (Chester) PXXZ |
Notes
1988 - No interior luggage racks - suspected metal theft from NH
May 1989 - Seen with rear saloon luggage racks removed
24th September 1989 - Seen withdrawn in Chester station sidings
19th October 1989 - Listed as withdrawn/out of use
22nd December 1989 - Hauled from Chester station sidings to Vic Berry's yard
The vehicle carried the following numbers:
50520 - original number
53520 - from Oct-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)
Modifications
circa Jul-72 - AWS fitted
Disposal
Scrapped by Vic Berry, Leicester
Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:
| 50468 | 59176 | 50520 | As delivered to 5B - 4w/e 25/01/58 | ||||||
| 50468 | 59145 | 50520 | Noted 04/08/68 - in Manchester Victoria1 | ||||||
| 50468 | 59176 | 50520 | Noted 04/06/71 - at Newton Heath1 | ||||||
| 50468 | 59176 | 50520 | Noted 19/04/73 - on Newton Heath depot2 | ||||||
| 50468 | 59176 | 50520 | Noted 08/02/1976 - at Manchester Victoria3 | ||||||
| 50468 | 59176 | 50520 | Noted 09/09/76 - at Preston2 | ||||||
| 50468 | 59176 | 50520 | Noted 27/09/1976 - at Preston 3 | ||||||
| NH138 | 50453 | 50520 | Noted circa 05/19824 | ||||||
| NH138 | 50453 | 50520 | Noted 19/07/1982 - Manchester Victoria4 | ||||||
| 50433 | 50520 | Noted circa 10/19824 | |||||||
| 50453 | 50520 | Noted circa 02/19834 | |||||||
| 53453 | 53520 | Noted circa 12/19834 | |||||||
| 53453 | 53520 | Noted circa 03/19844 | |||||||
| 53455 | 53520 | Noted circa 04/19844 | |||||||
| N678 | 53536 | 53520 | Listed at NH - March 1988 | ||||||
| N678 | 53536 | 53520 | Noted circa 04/19884 | ||||||
| N678 | 53536 | 53520 | Listed at NH - May 1988 | ||||||
| N678 | 53536 | 53520 | Listed at NH - May-88 | ||||||
| N678 | 53536 | 53520 | Noted circa Jul-88 | ||||||
| N678 | 53536 | 53520 | Listed at NH - 16th July 1988 | ||||||
| N678 | 53536 | 53520 | Noted 15th May 1989 | ||||||
| CH609 | 53536 | 53520 | Listed at CH - 1st July 1989 | ||||||
| CH609 | 53536 | 53520 | Noted 12th July 1989 | ||||||
| CH609 | 53536 | 53520 | Noted 3rd September 1989 |
Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Gerald Brown
3: Peter Wallwork
4: Eddie Knorn
Images:
1979
Two three-car Class 104s arriving into Leyland station in 1979. The front car seems to be M50520. John Law.
April 1987
A Class 104 DMU led by M53520 rrives at South Tottenham station with a working from Barking to Gospel Oak in April 1987. The Southern Region guard's training saloon is on the connection from Tottenham South Junction. Kevin Lane.
14th May 1988
Set number: N678
A BRCW Class 104 two-car DMU formed of cars M53520 & M53536 (N678) was awaiting departure from Parbold with a Southport to Manchester Victoria service on May 14th 1988. At the time the set was allocated to Newton Heath, but in May 1989 for its last stint of operation, the set was transferred to Chester from where it would eventually be withdrawn a few months later in October 1989. The Ayr Depot allocation sticker on the cab front was a souvenir of a brief period operating North of the Border in 1984, providing cover following a fire at Ayr Depot that destroyed a number of DMU sets beyond repair. Later in 1984, until reallocated back to familiar territory at Newton Heath in 1987, the set had been allocated to Cricklewood Depot. Martyn Hilbert.
3rd September 1988
Set number: N678
Class 104 DMU set N678 (53520 + 53536) at Slaithwaite on September 3, 1988. Walter Burt.
17th October 1989
Withdrawn Class 104 DMU cars with 53520 on the left alongside Chester station, possibly 17-10-89. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.
9th December 1989
Set number: CH609
M53520, M53468, M53306, 53472, E53195, M59207, M53466, E53263, M53425, M59155, M59183, M59148, 53541 withdrawn at Chester station sidings, 9/12/89. Kevin Dowd.
11th May 1990
Set number: CH609
Class 104 53520 at Vic Berrys on May 11, 1990. Nicholas Youngman.
Unknown date
Set number: CH609
The front portion of 53520 during the dismantling of the vehicle at Vic Berry's, Leicester. Date unknown. Andy Lay.
The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:
Date: 30th April 1988
Four types of DMU in the East facing bays at Sheffield on the 30th April 1988. Three are first generation sets, a Metro-Cammell Class 111 on the left, whilst behind are two BRC&W products, Class 104 M53520 (N678 with M53536 out of view) on the left coupled to a Class 110 "Calder Valley", the modern day DMU is represented by the Class 142 railbus on the right. Andrew J Crowther.
Date: 30th April 1988
Set number: N678
Two types of first generation DMUs in the East facing bays at Sheffield on the 30th April 1988, a Metro-Cammell built Class 111 with "Metro Train" branding which is off to Doncaster on the right, on the left is N678 (M53536 + out of view M53520), a Newton Heath allocated BRC&W built Class 104. Andrew J Crowther.
Date: 3rd September 1988
Set number: N678
Class 104 DMU set N678 (53520 + 53536) at Slaithwaite on September 3, 1988. Walter Burt.
Date: 5th May 1989
Set number: N678
Surrounded by open agricultural land which is a characteristic of the Preston to Ormskirk route, a two-car BRCW Class 104 DMU formed of cars M53536 & M53520 had left Midge Hall behind in the far-distance, and was passing the Cocker Bar at Ulnes Walton en-route to it's first intermediate station call at the village of Croston, whilst working a well-filled tea time Preston to Ormskirk service on May 5th 1989. The set was numbered as Newton Heath N678, the leading car M53536 still carrying Network South East branding on the bodyside, a legacy from when the car was allocated to Bletchley Depot between 1982 & 1987. Martyn Hilbert.
Date: 24th June 1989
Set number: CH609
Class 104 Set CH609 (53536 closest, presumably with 53520) with a Wrexham Central - Bidston service departs Wrexham Exchange (at 1215) on Saturday 24th June 1989. Colin Brooks.
Date: 17th October 1989
Withdrawn Class 104 and 101 DMU vehicles alongside Chester station, Class 104 DMBS 53468 second from right 17-10-89ish. The line on 9/12/89 was: 53520, 53468, 53306, 53472, 53195, 59207, 53466, 53263, 53425, 59155, 59183, 59148 and 53541. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.