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Vehicle 50599 / 53599

Class 108

Builder: BR Derby Works
Layout: Low Density
Length: 57ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: LMS
Engines: Leyland 150hp
Transmission: Mechanical
Lot Number: 30406
Diagram: 543

Allocations

11/07/58	New to	51A (Darlington)
w/e 03/01/59	Transferred to	56G (Hammerton Street)
2w/e 30/04/60	Transferred to	55F (Manningham)
3w/e 02/03/63	Transferred to	51A (Darlington)
Dec-67	Transferred to	South Gosforth
May-73	Depot code change	GF
w/e 23/04/78	Transferred to	NL (Neville Hill)
29/09/85	Transferred to	BG (Hull Botanic Gardens)
04/10/87	Transferred to	BR (Bristol Bath Road)
16/05/88	Transferred to	BY (Bletchley)
p/e 31/12/88	Sector Change to	BY (Bletchley) NNLX
p/e 07/10/89	Sector Change to	BY (Bletchley) NMYX
14/05/90	Transferred to	OO (Old Oak Common) NWRX
24/01/92	Transferred to	RG (Reading) NWRX
21/12/92	Transferred to	HQ (Headquarters) NWRX
06/01/93	Withdrawn from	HQ (Headquarters) NWRX

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

50599 - original number
53599 - from Apr-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Refurbished

At Doncaster Works dated 04/12/1981 released in blue/grey livery

Disposal

Preserved - more details.

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	50599	56190			As delivered to 51A - 11th July 1958
	50599	56197			Transfer to 55F - 2w/e 30/04/60
	50599	56190			Transfer to 51A - 3w/e 02/03/63
	50599	56190			Transfer to South Gosforth - Dec-67
	50599	59380	50640		Noted 11/08/73 - at Doncaster with 50177 + 59054 + 50267¹
	50599	59383	59249	50639	Noted 11/08/74 - with E51550 + 59570 + 51558 at York
	50599	59380	50197		Noted 03/04/76 - in Newcastle Central²
	50599	59380	50197		Noted 27/04/76 - on Haltwhistle - Alston service
	50599	59385	50635		Noted circa 05/1982³
	50599	50635			Noted 08/08/1982 - Worked three round trips Skipton-Embsay
	50599	50635			Noted circa 02/1983³
	53599	53635			Listed at NL - 01/01/85
	53599	53635			Noted circa 07/1985³
	53599	59385	53635		Noted 14/08/86 - at York²
	53599	59385	53635		Noted 11/09/1986³
	53599	59385	53635		Noted 26/10/1986³
	53599	59384	53642		Noted 24/04/1987 - at Leeds⁴
B920	53599	59130	53635		Formed at BR 10/87
B931	53599	59130	53617		Listed at BR - 29/02/88
	53599	59735	59206	51572	Noted 11/02/89 - at Wellingborough
L705	53599	51572			Noted 08/11/90 - in St Pancras
L706	53599	51572			Listed at OO - 21/01/91
	53599	59734	51572		Listed at RG - 24/02/92 - NSE NWRX pool
L490	53599	59734	51572		Noted 20/04/92 - in Windsor branch bay platform at Slough⁵
L490	53599	59754	51572		Noted 17/06/92 - at Royal Oak²
L490	53599	59734	55024		Noted circa 08/1992³
L490	53599	59734	51572		Listed at RG - 12/08/92
L490	53599	59734	51572		Noted circa 09/1992³
L490	53599	51572			Listed at RG - November 1992 - Sector NWRX
L990	53599	51572			Noted 03/12/92 - at Clapham Junction

Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Gerald Brown
3: Eddie Knorn
4: Robert Chilton
5: Dave Warby

Images:

11th August 1974

A Scarborough service approaches York, made up of Derby 4 car set (with two vans), E50599 + 59383 + 59249 + 50639 coupled to a Met Cam 111, E51550 + 59570 + 51558. 11th August 1974. Paul James.

18th October 1983

A Class 108 2-car set with recently-renumbered 53599 bringing up the rear trundles away from Cottingham on a Hull - Scarborough service on 18th October 1983. The semaphores went the following year and the box lingered on until 1987. The latter is now preserved in the Hull Streetlife Museum. Syd Young.

20th October 1984

My train home, the 14.00 departure from Wigan Wallgate which I'd take to Appley Bridge. This was the 10.39 York to Southport service and was worked by a Neville Hill Class 108 set including car 53599. 20th October 1984. S Gaskell.

April 1985

The north end of Doncaster station in April 1985 with a two-car Class 108 (closest appears to be E50599), and Met-Camm on the right, and Class 31 no. 31426 waiting to depart for Hull. Andrew Walker.

26th December 1987

Class 108 53599 is seen stabled at Tyseley on 26.12.1987. It was later preserved. Andy Cole.

13th February 1989

A hybrid dmu, made up from cars from Classes 108 and 115, waits at Kettering on 13 February 1989 to leave on the shuttle service to Corby. Closest is Class 108 DMBS 53599, the other vehicles are presumably 59735 + 59206 + 51572. Lewis Bevan.

20th April 1992

Set number: L490

Set L490 comprising 53599 + 59734 + 51572 after arriving into Slough station on 20 April 1992. Dave Warby.

17th May 1992

Set number: L490

Set L490 (53599 and presumably 59734 + 51572) working ECS through Reading station on 17th May 1992. Steve Carter.

27th May 1992

Set number: L490

NSE-liveried DMU set L490 on Reading depot on 27 May 1992. Closest is Class 108 DMBS 53599, the centre car is presumably Class 115 59734. John Law.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: circa May 1958

A Derby Works image (negative 58/755) showing "Motor Open Second Brake. Interior of Brake Compt." It was a vehicle from lot 30406 and as it was paired with a DTCL it was likely to be a vehicle from the 50599-619 batch circa May 1958. This view is looking from the gangway end of the vehicle towards the cab. British Railways.

Date: circa May 1958

A Derby Works image (negative 58/754) showing "Motor Open Second Brake. Interior of Brake Compt." It was a vehicle from lot 30406 and as it was paired with a DTCL it was likely to be a vehicle from the 50599-619 batch circa May 1958. This view is looking from the saloon end of the van through the gangway into the DTCL. British Railways.

Date: circa May 1958

A Derby Works image (negative 58/757) showing "Motor Open Second Brake. Interior of 2nd Cl. Compt." It was a vehicle from lot 30406 and as it was paired with a DTCL it was likely to be a vehicle from the 50599-619 batch in circa May 1958. British Railways.

Date: 27th April 1976

50197 + 59380 + 50599 at Alston on Tuesday 27th April 1976, the last week of the Haltwhistle - Alston service. Arnie Furniss.

Date: 10th June 1978

Derby Works Class 108 DMU 56190 + 50599 at Sheffield, 10th June 1978. Tiptree Jon.

Date: 8th August 1982

On 8 August 1982 three extraordinary trains ran from Skipton to Embsay on the Yorkshire Dales Railway. This was possible because the main line track was slewed to connect on this day. The stock used comprised Derby-built class 108 DMU cars 50599 and 50635, both new in 1958. The headboard (and the ticket) named the trips as "Yorkham's Flying Banger", they were sponsored by Yorkham's of Blubberhouses in connection with a "real food" festival at Embsay. Jeremy Chapter.

Date: 28th April 1988

Set number: B931

DMU set B931 (53617 + 59130 + 53599) at Westbury on 28 April 1988. Keith Miller.

Date: 11th February 1989

In the late 1980s Network South East launched an experimental service from Bedford and Kettering to Corby, well outside of NSE's normal area. The service used DMUs from Bletchley's allocation, and on Saturday 11th February 1989 a 4 car set made up of 53599 59735 59206 and 51572 (closest) depart Wellingborough for Corby. AndrewHA.

Date: 3rd May 1989

A hybrid set formed of 51572 + 59206 + 59735 + 53599 (Class 104 and 115 centre cars inbetween Class 108 power cars) arrive into Bletchley station on Wednesday 3rd May 1989. AndrewHA.

Date: 8th November 1990

Set number: L701

L701 53437 + 53479, L705 53599 + 51572, L702 53539 + 53455 at St Pancras on the early morning ECS moves from Old Oak Common to Gospel Oak and Barking, 8-11-90. Kevin Dowd.

Date: 26th July 1992

Set number: L490

Further to some recent photos of the remodelling of the London end of Tonbridge on other groups, here is an earlier view of the preparatory work on the curve around towards Hildenborough taken on Sunday 26-7-92. The train is noteworthy too being DMU Set L490 which consisted of a pair of Class 108 cars (DMC 51572 and DMBS 53599) strengthened to 3-cars by the addiction of an unknown centre car. Class 108 stock was pretty unusual at Tonbridge. The photo was taken at about 17.10hrs and the unit had just shunted out of the Up Redhill Branch Siding and was now heading for Hither Green for refuelling as the normal access to Chart Leacon (Ashford) was blocked by an engineering possession. CEP and EPB units are berthed in the Down Main Sidings and an EDL visible in the West Yard. John Atkinson.

Date: 3rd December 1992

Set number: L990

51572 + 53599 at Clapham Junction on 3/12/92. Sparegang.

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