Vehicle 50838 / 53838
Class 116
Builder: BR Derby Works
Layout: High Density
Length: 64ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: None
Engines: Leyland 150hp
Transmission: Mechanical
Lot Number: 30363
Diagram: 553
Allocations
| 4w/e 25/01/58 | New to | 88A (Cardiff Cathays) | |
| Jan-61 | Depot code change | 88B | |
| Mar-62 | Depot code change | 88M | |
| Nov-64 | Transferred to | 86A (Cardiff Canton) | |
| Jan-65 | Transferred to | 84A (Laira) | |
| Nov-66 | Transferred to | 82A (Bristol Bath Road) | |
| Dec-66 | Transferred to | 86A (Cardiff Canton) | |
| 31/08/68 | Transferred to | 14A (Cricklewood) | |
| 06/05/73 | Depot code change | CW | |
| 02/02/83 | Transferred to | TS (Tyseley) | |
| 08/04/93 | Transferred to | HQ (Headquarters) RFXX | |
| 21/05/93 | Withdrawn from | HQ (Headquarters) RFXX |
The vehicle carried the following numbers:
50838 - original number
53838 - from Jul-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)
Modifications
circa Mar-85 - Gangway(s) fitted
Disposal
Scrapped by MC Metal Processing, Springburn
Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:
| 50838 | 59346 | 50891 | As delivered to WR - 4w/e 25/01/58 | ||||||
| CAT322 | 50838 | 50891 | Listed at CAT - Jul-62 - and centre car | ||||||
| 50838 | 59346 | 50891 | Transfer to 84A - Jan-65 | ||||||
| 50838 | 59376 | 50891 | Noted 01/04/67 - on Monmouthshire Railway Society 'The Afon Llwyd' railtour in blue with small yellow panels | ||||||
| 50838 | 59376 | 50891 | Noted circa May-68 - in blue with small yellow panel | ||||||
| 50838 | 59348 | 50849 | Noted 23/08/75 - at Barking1 | ||||||
| 50068 | 50870 | 59376 | 50838 | Noted 03/07/1977 - on 09:12 Kentish Town to Barking | |||||
| 50838 | 59021 | 50891 | 50893 | Noted 04/07/79 - on 17.58 Moorgate LT - St. Albans2 | |||||
| 50068 | 59011 | 50111 | 50838 | Noted 06/11/79 - on 19.15 Luton - St. Pancras2 | |||||
| 50838 | 59600 | 50902 | Noted 24/07/80 - on 22.30 Kentish Town – Cricklewood2 | ||||||
| 50838 | 59011 | 50870 | Noted 12/09/80 - on 18.43 Kentish Town – Barking and 19.34 Barking – Kentish Town2 | ||||||
| 50838 | 59011 | 50870 | 50114 | Noted 18/09/80 - on 18.07 St. Pancras – St. Albans2 | |||||
| 50114 | 59365 | 50838 | 50903 | Noted 12/06/81 - on 01.50 St. Pancras – Cricklewood ECS2 | |||||
| 50114 | 59365 | 50838 | 50903 | Noted 19/06/81 - on 15.38 Cricklewood – St. Pancras ECS2 | |||||
| 50838 | 59646 | 50893 | Noted 10/09/81 - on 18.55 Gospel Oak – Barking, 19.40 Barking – Gospel Oak, 20.25 Gospel Oak – Barking and 21.10 Barking – Gospel Oak (116/127 hybrid)2 | ||||||
| 50838 | 59365 | 50893 | Noted 25/01/82 - on 12.25 Gospel Oak – Barking, 13.10 Barking – Gospel Oak, 13.55 Gospel Oak – Barking and 14.40 Barking – Gospel Oak2 | ||||||
| 50838 | 59365 | 50893 | Noted 26/01/82 - on 12.25 Gospel Oak – Barking, 13.10 Barking – Gospel Oak, 13.55 Gospel Oak – Barking and 14.40 Barking – Gospel Oak2 | ||||||
| 50838 | 50893 | 59008 | 50903 | Noted circa 04/19823 | |||||
| TS539 | 53838 | 59717 | 53119 | Listed at TS - 14/07/83 | |||||
| TS539 | 53838 | 59717 | 53119 | Noted circa 12/19833 | |||||
| TS539 | 53838 | 59717 | 53119 | Noted circa 03/19843 | |||||
| TS539 | 53838 | 59717 | 53119 | Noted circa 05/19843 | |||||
| TS521 | 53838 | 59634 | 53893 | Noted circa 06/19843 | |||||
| TS623 | 53838 | 59597 | 53893 | Listed at TS - May-85 | |||||
| TS623 | 53838 | 59597 | 53893 | Noted circa 06/19853 | |||||
| TS623 | 53838 | 59597 | 53893 | Noted circa 10/19853 | |||||
| TS623 | 53838 | 59597 | 53893 | Listed at Tyseley - Summer 1986 | |||||
| TS623 | 53838 | 59597 | 53893 | Noted 29/07/1986 - at Birmingham New Street - as 6 car set with TS5114 | |||||
| T623 | 53838 | 59603 | 53893 | Listed at TS - Jul-87 | |||||
| T337 | 53838 | 59751 | 53853 | Formed at TS Aug-87 | |||||
| TS337 | 53838 | 59751 | 53853 | Noted circa 08/19873 | |||||
| TS337 | 53838 | 59751 | 53857 | Noted 15/08/87 - at Norwich1 | |||||
| T337 | 53838 | 59751 | 53853 | Listed at Tyseley - 7th April 1988 | |||||
| T337 | 53053 | 59751 | 53838 | Noted 17/09/88 - at Norwich1 | |||||
| T337 | 53838 | 59751 | 53853 | Listed at TS - 01/09/89 | |||||
| T337 | 53838 | 59751 | 53853 | Listed at TS - 01/12/89 | |||||
| T038 | 53838 | 51808 | Listed at TS - mid May-90 | ||||||
| T038 | 53838 | 51808 | Noted circa 05/19913 | ||||||
| T038 | 53838 | 51808 | Listed at TS - Jul-91 | ||||||
| spare | 53838 | Listed at TS - Aug-91 | |||||||
| T038 | 53838 | 51808 | Listed at TS - Dec-91 | ||||||
| T054 | 53838 | 53267 | Listed at TS - 02/07/92 | ||||||
| T038 | 53838 | 51808 | Listed at TS - 24/09/92 | ||||||
| T038 | 53838 | 51808 | Listed at TS - November 1992 | ||||||
| 53838 | 51808 | Noted 14/11/92 - on 13:47 Doncaster - Peterborough via Lincoln5 | |||||||
| T038 | 53838 | 51808 | Listed at TS - 10/12/92 | ||||||
| T038 | 53838 | 51808 | Noted 04/01/93 - on 10:18 Nottingham - Crewe |
Formation Sources
1: Gerald Brown
2: Phil Shatford
3: Eddie Knorn
4: Robert Chilton
5: David Bellamy
Images:
1st April 1967
The Monmouthshire Railway Society Afon Llwyd railtour next to Furnace Sidings signal box, Blaenavon, on 1 April 1967 formed of a Derby suburban DMU, vehicles W50838 (nearest), W59376 and W50891. Photograph by Norman Thomas. Monmouthshire Railway Society.
1st April 1967
W50838 + W59376 + W50891 are seen at in Abersychan and Talywain station with the Monmouthshire Railway Society 'The Afon Llwyd' railtour on 1 April 1967. Robert Thomas.
1st April 1967
BR (Derby) Suburban 3-car dmu (later Class 116) Nos.W50838 (116/2), W59376 (175), W50891 (116/1) in BR green with small yellow warning panel at Hafodyrynys Colliery on the "Afon Llwyd" railtour around the Eastern Valleys, South Wales, 01/04/67. Hugh Llewelyn.
1st April 1967
Abersychan & Talywain Station showing BR (Derby) Suburban 3-car dmu (later Class 116) Nos.W50838 (116/2), W59376 (175), W50891 (116/1) on the "Afon Llwyd" railtour, 01/04/67. Hugh Llewelyn.
26th September 1987
Set number: TS337
Last day at old Moor Street? Or was it? This class 116 unit (TS337, 53838 at the front presumably with 59751 + 53853) waits to depart for Leamington Spa from the old terminal platforms at Birmingham Moor Street on 26/9/1987 which was supposed to be their last day of use. The platform shown is still not in use but 23 years on the other 2 were reopened. Stephen Burdett.
1st December 1987
Set number: T337
Tyseley DMU set T337 (presumably 53838 + 59751 + 53853) in platform 4 of Birmingham Snow Hill on 1 December 1987. Stuart Mackay Collection.
July 1988
Set number: T337
BR (Derby) Suburban 3-car dmu (Class 116) No.T337 (presumably 53838 + 59751 + 53853) departing Birmingham New St. on a service to Bournville, 07/88. Hugh Llewelyn.
3rd August 1988
Set number: T337
T337 was a set with two DMBSs. Only the closest one has the roof vents removed, identifying it as 53838. The other two vehicles are presumably 59751 + 53853. Seen at Skegness on the 3rd August 1988. David Page.
11th March 1989
Set number: T337
Class 116-115-116 3-car DMU set T337 53838 + 59751 + 53853 (DMBS + TCL + DMBS) arrived at Cardiff Queen Street on 11-3-89. On Tour With The Class 13 Army.
12th October 1990
Set number: T038
Class 116/101 hybrid set T038 (presumably 53838 + 51808) is seen at Weston Rhyn on 12 October 1990. George Woods.
1991
Set number: T038
Class 116/101 hybrid set T038 (presumably 53838 + 51808) is seen in a very snowy Stafford station in 1991. Mel Holley.
1st June 1992
Set number: T038
Class 116/101 hybrid set T038 (53838 + 51808) in Crewe station on 2 June 1992. Stafford is on the destination blind. Keith Miller.
20th June 1992
Set number: T054
The 10.12 Stratford-upon-Avon to Leamington Spa service on 20 June 1992 was made up of class 116 vehicle 53838 leading followed by Class 101 53267 as I pictured it going slowly around the curve from Hatton West Junction into platform 3 of the station. The leading vehicle had recently received a high(ish) intensity headlight to supposedly increase visibility for those working on the track. The up main line had just been relaid and re-ballasted and it looks as if a few yards of the branch had had a bit of spare material dropped around it. Peter Tandy.
14th July 1992
Set number: T054
Tyseley Set T054 waits in the bay platform at Grantham with a service to Skegness on 14th July 1992. This unit was a hybrid set, with Class 116 53838 leading and Class 101 53267 at the rear. Chris Barker.
4th January 1993
Set number: T038
In need of a wash, T038 (53838 + 51808) leaves Derby working the 10:18 Nottingham - Crewe, 4/1/93. Gazza Prescott.
The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:
Date: April 1985
Set number: TS623
No room in the bays. This was the scene one Saturday morning in April 1985 with every bay road on the down side at Leamington Spa occupied. The train on the left has a window board reading T619 but it appears to be a single unit as was the practice at the time, preparing to head off to Stratford-upon-Avon within the next few minutes. Next in line is 58 016 which was also getting ready to move out onto the main line. This was a weekly occurrence at the time and I seem to recall that the locomotive involved may have taken over a northbound freightliner with the other engine coming off the train but I didn't make any notes and can't remember exactly what happened. To the right of 58 016 is T623, probably formed of 53893 + 59603 + 53838, and then a second class 116 with no set number visible. The latter 2 units were stabled ready to work trains to Birmingham Moor Street later in the day. Peter Tandy.
Date: 11th March 1989
Set number: T337
Class 116-115-116 3-car DMU set T337 53853 + 59751 + 53838 (DMBS + TCL + DMBS) arriving at Cardiff Queen Street from the valleys on 11-3-89. On Tour With The Class 13 Army.
Date: 26th September 1990
Set number: T038
On your marks... Two different DMU sets with 3 classes of vehicle at Stratford-upon-Avon on 26 September 1990. Class 101/116 hybrid set T038 (51808 + 53838) is in platform 1 forming the 15.26 departure to Birmingham Moor Street while class 114 T025 (53005 + 54039) was on a Leamington Spa service, from memory the 16.12 from Stratford. This picture was taken after the signalling arrangements had been changed to allow arrivals and departures from any of the 3 platforms. This removed the need for shunting every arrival from platform 1 to either 2 or 3 with a new upper quadrant starting signal being provided for trains leaving platform 2, the taller signal on the right being redesignated as the starter for platform 1. Peter Tandy.
Date: 3rd June 1991
Set number: T038
Class 101/116 hybrid set T038 (presumably 51808 and 53838) at Llandudno Junction on the 3rd June 1991. Hamish Stevenson.
Date: 4th July 1991
Set number: T038
This train, class 101/116 hybrid set T038 formed of 51808 + 53838, was photographed on 4 July 1991 as it left the down bay platform at Leamington Spa with a local service to Stratford-upon-Avon. It was common at this time for a locomotive to be stabled here for weekend engineering work. Peter Tandy.
Date: 27th July 1991
Set number: T038
In the twilight of their years two hybrid class 101/116 DMU formation formed of vehicles 51808 + 53838 and 53853 + 51511 is seen running into Boston with the 10.17 Skegness to Nottingham stopping service on 27/07/91. Adrian Nicholls.
Date: 22nd February 1992
Set number: T038
Class 101/116 hybrid DMU set T038 (51808 + 53838) at Hereford with the 12:10 to Birmingham New Street on 22 February 1992. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Date: 18th April 1992
Set number: T038
51808 at Tamworth 18/04/92. The 116 DMBS it is working with is presumably 53838, the two forming set T038. David Bellamy.
Date: 13th June 1992
Set number: T014
55034 working with T038 (presumably 51808 + 53838) at Hereford, providing extra capacity on the 15:30 ex-Birmingham New St., 13/6/92. Gazza Prescott.