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Vehicle 50556 / 53556

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: 30298
Diagram: 580

Allocations

10/10/58	New to	South Gosforth
3w/e 16/05/59	Transferred to	51A (Darlington)
4w/e 31/10/59	Transferred to	South Gosforth
4w/e 04/08/62	Transferred to	55H (Neville Hill)
w/e 07/12/63	Transferred to	51A (Darlington)
w/e 07/03/64	Transferred to	55H (Neville Hill)
4w/e 11/09/65	Transferred to	50C (Hull Botanic Gardens)
4w/e 05/12/70	Transferred to	55H (Neville Hill)
4w/e 31/01/71	Transferred to	30A (Stratford)
May 1973	Depot code change	SF
2w/e 20/11/77	Transferred to	GF (South Gosforth)
w/e 10/08/80	Transferred to	DN (Darlington)
w/e 15/02/81	Transferred to	NH (Newton Heath)
circa 1984	Transferred to	BX (Buxton)
11/05/86	Transferred to	NH (Newton Heath)
04/02/87	Transferred to	AY (Ayr)
Mar-87	Transferred to	ED (Eastfield)
02/10/88	Transferred to	NH (Newton Heath)
31/03/89	Transferred to	CP PSPX
17/05/89	Withdrawn from	CP PXXZ

Notes

1st January 1988 - Has roofed exhausts
1st January 1988 - Last Tyneside 104 power car in service
19th June 1989 - Stored serviceable at Crewe Brook Sidings
1st July 1989 - Listed as withdrawn at Chester depot
19th October 1989 - Listed as withdrawn/out of use
12th October 1990 - Listed as condemned at Longsight depot

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

50556 - original number
53556 - from Dec-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Disposal

Preserved - more details.

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	50556	59202	59223	50577	As delivered to South Gosforth - 10th October 1958
	50556	59202	59223	50577	Transfer to 51A - 3w/e 16/05/59
	50556	59202	59223	50577	Transfer to South Gosforth - 4w/e 31/10/59
	50556	59202	59223	50577	Transfer to 55H - 4w/e 04/08/62
	50556	59213	59089	50577	Transfer to 51A - w/e 07/12/63
	50556	59089	59213	50577	Transfer to 55H - w/e 07/03/64
	50556	59202	59223	50577	Transfer to 50C - 4w/e 11/09/65
	50556	59205	59228	50561	Noted 15/08/1970¹
	50556	59214	50565		Transfer to 30A - 4w/e 31/01/71
	50556	59212	50577		Noted 12/09/76 - on Stratford depot²
	50556	59212	50589		Noted 24/10/1980 - At Shrewsbury Station³
	50474	50556			Noted 13/10/1982 - Manchester Victoria - Oldham / Rochdale service⁴
	50474	50556			Noted circa 03/1983⁴
	53474	53556			Noted circa 05/1983⁴
	53504	59228	53556		Noted 03/03/1984⁴
	53504	59228	53556		Noted circa 11/1984 - listed at BX⁴
BX487	53514	59228	53556		Listed at BX - circa Jul-85
	53556	59228	53514		Noted 09/11/85 - on 15:08 Buxton - Manchester Piccadilly service⁵
BX487	53514	59228	53556		Noted 01/12/85
BX487	53514	59228	53556		Listed at BX - circa Dec-85
BX487	53514	59228	53556		Noted circa 03/1986⁴
	53504	59228	53556		Listed at Newton Heath - Summer 1986
457	53504	59228	53556		Formed at AY Feb-86
457	53504	59228	53556		Listed at ED - 23/03/87
457	53504	59228	53556		Noted 04/04/1987⁴
457	53504	59228	53556		Noted 04/05/1987⁴
	53504	59228	53556		Noted 01/06/87 - on 07:07 Glasgow Queen Street - Edinburgh via Falkirk Grahamston⁵
457	53504	59228	53556		Listed at ED - Jan-88
457	53504	59228	53556		Listed at ED - 1st January 1988
457	53504	59228	53556		Listed at ED - 16th July 1988
457	53504	59228	53556		Listed at ED - circa August 1988
457	53504	59228	53556		Noted 16th August 1988
N682	53504	59228	53556		Noted circa 11/1988⁴
	53848	53556			Noted 6th February 1989
457	53504	59228	53556		Noted March 1989

Formation Sources
1: Peter Wallwork
2: Leonard Rogers
3: Shayne Lewis
4: Eddie Knorn
5: Martin Baumann

Images:

8th June 1974

The 3-car BRCW diesel unit forming the 12.31 to Wickford at Southminster on 8 June 1974 comprises E50556 (nearest), 59215 and 50568. Tom Burnham.

8th June 1974

In a once familiar scene, the Southminster signalman is handing the single line token (in the pouch attached to the loop) to the driver of E50556 on the 12.31 departure for Wickford on 8 June 1974. Tom Burnham.

26th June 1983

Class 104 BRC&W DMU DMC 53556 at Chester TMD 26-6-83. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.

20th March 1984

Class 104 DMUs in Buxton station on 20 March 1984, left to right are M53429 (BX482), M53556, M53432 (BX485). An image from the Jim Freebury Railway Slide Collection. David Page.

16th May 1986

In time-honoured fashion, a three-car Class 104 DMU, with Driving Motor Second Lavatory M53556 at the rear, was stood on the Down Fast at Leyland station with a Manchester Victoria to Blackpool North service on May 16th 1986. M53556 was originally fitted with a First Class saloon, located behind the cab, but by 1986 had been downgraded to Second, although the better seats remained. Martyn Hilbert.

circa 1987

Set number: 457

BRC&W set 457 departs from Edinburgh Waverley circa 1987 led by 53556. S Saunders.

25th May 1987

Set number: 457

Class 104 set 457 enters Falkirk Grahamston station on May 25th 1987. Formed M53556 + M59228 + M53504, it is working the 20:31 to Glasgow Queen Street. Hamish Stevenson.

August 1987

A BRCW Class 104 DMU headed by 53556 arrived at Dalmeny from Edinburgh in August 1987. We boarded for the short journey across the bridge to North Queensferry. Alistair Ness.

August 1987

The view from the front saloon of Class 104 53556 as it crosses the Forth Bridge in August 1987. Alistair Ness.

August 1987

Set number: 457

Late afternoon in August 1987 and we see a 6 car DMU leaving platform 16 with a rush hour service to Fife. The BRCW DMUs were a rarity in Waverley until later reallocations, this set led by 53556 came north in 1986 for a couple of years before moving south again shortly before its withdrawal. It is presumably with 59228 + 53504 and there is a Class 101 on the rear. Murray Liston.

31st October 1987

Set number: 104457

Waverley station, Edinburgh, on the evening of 31/10/87, with set 104 457 ready to depart on the 17.17 to North Berwick. 53556 is nearest the camera, with 59228 and 53504 behind. Leonard Rogers.

1988

Set number: 457

Class 104 set 457 arrives into Edinburgh Waverley in 1988. S Saunders.

circa spring 1988

Set number: 457

In fading light Class 104 DMU set 457 (with 53556 closest) is seen in Kirkcaldy station with a terminating service circa Spring 1988. Brian Ward.

7th May 1988

Set number: 457

Set 457 heads out of Edinburgh Waverley on the 7th May 1988 formed 53504, 59228 and 53556 on the rear (closest). Dennis Taylor.

7th May 1988

Set number: 457

Class 104 set 457 (53556 + 59228 + 53504) emerges from the tunnel into Glasgow Queen Street station on the 7th May 1988. Dennis Taylor.

7th May 1988

Set number: 457

Class 104 set 457 (53556 + 59228 + 53504) emerges from the tunnel into Glasgow Queen Street station on the 7th May 1988. Dennis Taylor.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: 1st March 1980

E50564 + E59206 + E59214 + E50556 with the 13:29 to Newcastle at Manors on March 1st, 1980. John Carter.

Date: circa April 1985

A Class 104 TBSL set (53504 + 59228 + 53556) thought to be at Barmoor Clough on the Buxton line, looking north west towards Eaves Tunnel and Chapel-en-le-Frith. The slide process date was April 1985. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 9th April 1985

Set number: BX485

Buxton based BRC&W class 104 3 car dmu BX485 (M53514, M59228, M53556), climbs the 1-60 bank up towards Disley whilst working a Manchester Piccadilly-Buxton service. These units truly worked nationwide, but it was the Buxton route which they became synonymous with. 9th April 1985. Andrew J Crowther.

Date: 28th December 1985

Set number: BX487

Heading down the gradient with frost on the roof, between Disley and Middlewood is a BRC&W Buxton allocated 3 car set BX487 (53556,59228,53514), with the 15.08 Buxton-Manchester Piccadilly service. 28th December 1985 Andrew J Crowther.

Date: 23rd February 1986

Set number: BX487

With Oxford Road showing on the blind, Buxton based BRC&W class 104 dmu BX487 (M53514, M59228, M53556) slows for the Chapel-en-le-Frith stop, with a Sunday working to Manchester Oxford Road on 23rd February 1986. This set was unique at Buxton for in it's formation was M59228 a TBSL one of only 14 built for the North Eastern Region 4 car sets it was the last of it's kind in service. Andrew J Crowther.

Date: 28th July 1986

53504 with 59228 and 53556 at Blackpool North station on the 28th July 1986. Dennis Taylor.

Date: circa 1987

Set number: 457

Class 104 DMU set 457 (53504 and presumably 59228 + 53556) departs from Haymarket station circa late Autumn 1987. Brian Ward.

Date: August 1987

Set number: 457

Class 104 (53504 + 59228 + 53556) at North Queensferry in August 1987. This BRCW class was unheard of north of the border when we cut our spotters teeth but by the mid 80s it was a case of "anything goes". Here we see a former Buxton based driving motor bringing up the rear of a Fife Circle train which is heading towards Inverkeithing. Alistair Ness.

Date: August 1987

Set number: 457

In the "anything goes" period before Sprinterisation, this view taken alongside Haymarket depot in August 1987 shows just what a variety of DMUs and liveries could be found. In the centre, a 6 car set is forming a rush hour service to Fife, an all blue "Buxton" BRCW class 104 triple (Set 457 53504 + 59229 + 53556) on the rear and (most of) a Strathclyde red Derby class 107 in front, but with a Met Camm class 101 car leading. On the left is a Stirling to Edinburgh working formed of a blue / grey Met Camm 101, with some more of these on the right awaiting repairs at the depot. Murray Liston.

Date: 1st October 1987

Set number: 457

Croy wood veneer 104457. During four years living in Ayrshire 1986-90, photography of first generation DMUs was a must. Two were right at the top and both were BRCW Class 104 sets. One was the Mexican Bean and the other was 104457 which I called the wood veneer set, took photos to prove it. In this instance on 1st October 1987. This is at Croy. I was travelling Stirling Glasgow and had just been decanted from a failed 101. Closest is 53504, the other two vehicles are presumably 59228 + 53556. Robert Forsythe.

Date: circa late Autumn 1987

Set number: 457

Class 104 DMU set 457 (53504 and presumably 59228 + 53556) departs from Haymarket station circa late Autumn 1987. Brian Ward.

Date: 7th May 1988

Set number: 457

53504, 59228 and 53556 in Edinburgh Waverley on the 7th May 1988. Dennis Taylor.

Date: 11th June 1988

Set number: 104457

The scene in the high level platforms at Queen St station in Glasgow, around about 17.25 on 11/6/88. Set 104 457 (53556/59228/53504) waits to form the 17.37 to Dunblane. 53504, still with its Buxton white cab roof, is nearest the camera. Leonard Rogers.

Date: 6th September 1988

Set number: 457

BRCW Class 104 DMU set 457 (53504 + 59228 + 53556) departs Glasgow Queen Street station on the 16:03 service to Arbroath on 6 September 1988. Class 101 set 358 is just visible to the right Neil Smith.

Date: 6th September 1988

Set number: 457

BRCW Class 104 DMU set 457 (53504 + 59228 + 53556) in Glasgow Queen Street station with the 16:03 service to Arbroath on 6 September 1988. Neil Smith.

Date: 7th September 1988

Set number: 104457

Pictured just starting away from Edinburgh Waverley Station on the 7th September 1988 is Glasgow Eastfield TMD based 3 car Class 104 set number 104457. Formed of DMCL M53504 (leading), followed by TBSL M59228, with DMCL M53556 at the rear they are coupled to another unidentified unit. Bob Woolnough.

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