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Vehicle 50815

Class 105

Builder: Cravens
Layout: Low Density
Length: 57ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: LMS
Engines: AEC 150hp / Leyland 150hp
Transmission: Mechanical
Lot Number: 30353
Diagram: 529

Allocations

3w/e 19/04/58	New to	26A (Newton Heath)
May-58	On loan to	5B (Crewe South)
Jun-58	Ex-loan back to	26A (Newton Heath)
Sep-63	Depot code change	9D
May-73	Depot code change	NH
06/02/83	Withdrawn from	NH (Newton Heath)

Disposal

Scrapped by Mayer Newman, Snailwell

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	50782	50815	As delivered to 26A - April 1958
	50782	50815	Noted 31/12/69 - in Manchester Victoria¹
	50782	50815	Noted 07/10/1973 - at Southport²
	50782	50815	Noted 17/07/76 - in Manchester Victoria³
	50782	50815	Noted circa 06/1980⁴
	50771	50815	Noted circa 03/1981⁴
	50757	50815	Noted circa 07/1981⁴
NH147	50757	50815	Noted circa 05/1982⁴
NH147	50757	50815	Noted circa 10/1982⁴
	50757	50815	Noted circa 12/1982⁴

Formation Sources
1: Gerald Brown
2: Jeremy Goodyear
3: Leonard Rogers
4: Eddie Knorn

Images:

27th May 1972

Set number: NH135

The tilted cap and beaming smile means that Alf Davenport is at the controls of the Cravens power-twin DMU (set NH135, thought to be M50815 + M50782) pulling into Summerseat after a 70mph run up from Bury Bolton St on 27 May 1972. Alf was one of five drivers in the Bury diesel link at the end of the Rawtenstall passenger services along with Paddy Delaney, Freddie Thomas, Tommy Unsworth and Harry Lofthouse and relief driver Gorton Joe Walker. There had been six but Arthur (Mad Mac) McCormack transferred to the Bury Leccie Link before the line closed and the other five drivers followed on 5th June 1972. These diesel drivers made the local teenage enthusiasts very welcome on the trains and I shall always be grateful to them for encouraging our hobby. Image courtesy of Mark Bartlett. WA Camwell Collection.

27th May 1972

Set number: NH135

A Cravens DMU (set NH135, thought to be M50815 + M50782) has just arrived in Ramsbottom from Rawtenstall on 27 May 1972, one week before closure. The Diesel Link drivers at Bury all remembered the days when the East Lancashire lines had an intensive freight and passenger service, including through trains to London. It must have been demoralising for them to shuttle back and forth to Rawtenstall through semi-derelict stations thinking of what had gone before. Ramsbottom had two footbridges, one either side of the crossing, but when it lost its buildings the bridge linking the platforms was demolished too. That bridge has now been restored by the ELR but the one from which this picture was taken, looking south, has gone. Image courtesy of Mark Bartlett. WA Camwell Collection.

3rd June 1972

Set number: NH135

Class 105 set NH135, believed to be DMCL M50815 closest, with DMBS M50782, taken at Bury Bolton St on the last day of services on the Rossendale line before it closed - 3/6/1972. This set had been a regular on the line during the final week. Robert Chilton.

August 1978

A Class 105 power twin leaves Manchester Victoria in August 1978. DMCL M50815 is closest. Bob Belcher.

28th September 1981

Following a heavy shower, the sun just reappears as a Cravens Class 105 2-Car set with M50815 leading, prepares to depart from Bamber Bridge with the 09.46 Colne to Preston service on September 28th 1981. This was a time-honoured scene, the Cravens Power-Twin units dominated the routes in East Lancashire from the mid 1960's after they were transferred from the East Midlands where they had worked as three-car sets with a centre trailer coach. Martyn Hilbert.

18th September 1982

Class 105 Cravens DMU DMCL 50815, 25-139 and 47-525 at Manchester Victoria on 18-9-82. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: 27th May 1972

A Cravens DMU calls at Stubbins on its way from Bury Bolton Street to Rawtenstall on 27 May 1972. M50782 is closest, the other car is thought to be M50815 labelled set NH135. These Newton Heath allocated twin power-car Class 105 sets were the mainstay of branch services for many years, sometimes substituted by Derby 108 units. The rails of the closed Accrington line can just be seen beyond the platform. This line climbed steeply alongside the Rawtenstall and Bacup line for some distance before swinging to the North West and away from the Irwell Valley towards Helmshore. View towards Ewood Bridge and Edenfield. Image courtesy of Mark Bartlett. WA Camwell Collection.

Date: 27th May 1972

The closure notices are posted and it is the last week of services on the Rawtenstall branch. A Newton Heath Cravens twin power-car DMU (M50782 and likely M50815 labelled set NH135) approaches Ewood Bridge and Edenfield from Rawtenstall on a Bury Bolton Street service on 27 May 1972. The distant signal (fixed) is for Townsend Fold level crossing just south of Rawtenstall. The line had been singled two years previously and the slew from Up to Down line can be seen behind the train. Image courtesy of Mark Bartlett. WA Camwell Collection.

Date: 27th May 1972

Set number: NH135

A Cravens DMU pulls into Ewood Bridge on 27 May 1972, one week before closure, on a Bury Bolton Street service with Alf Davenport in the driving seat. When the line between Bury and Rawtenstall was singled three signal boxes remained to control level crossings but the distant signals for these became fixed and Alf was not impressed. "If a man needs a fixed distant he shouldn't be on the railway" he would say. Fair point Alf - proud of his craft to the end, even on this very run down shadow of a former main line. DMBS M50782 is closest, the DMCL is thought to be M50815 labelled NH135. Image courtesy of Mark Bartlett. WA Camwell Collection.

Date: 3rd June 1972

Set number: NH135

Set NH135 led by M50782 with M50815 at Rawtenstall is on the 12:05 Rawtenstall to Bury, on the last day of services on the Rossendale line before it closed - 3/6/1972. Robert Chilton.

Date: 15th May 1981

In the days when the Ormskirk line was still double track from Farington Curve Junction on the WCML to Midge Hall, a Newton Heath Cravens Class 105 Power-Twin, M50757 + M50815 was passing over Lodge Lane Crossing with an Ormskirk to Preston service on May 15th 1981. The foreground was the location of Moss Lane Junction , where a short double track section ran to Lostock Hall at the top of Farington Curve, once enabling trains to run direct from Liverpool and Ormskirk to East Lancashire. The junctions were taken out and the track lifted following rationalisation of the track layout/signalling in the Preston area at the time of preparation for electrification and resignalling in 1972. The well-worn former Up Line to Ormskirk formed of cast iron chairs and bullhead rail, was taken out of use in 1983 and has since been lifted. Martyn Hilbert.

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