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Vehicle 50940 / 53940

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: 30465
Diagram: 543

Allocations

03/01/59	New to	6G (Llandudno Junction)
Oct-59	Transferred to	1E (Bletchley)
3w/e 31/01/65	Transferred to	6A (Chester)
w/e 07/01/67	Transferred to	9A (Longsight)
May 1973	Depot code change	LO
4w/e 05/08/78	Transferred to	CH (Chester)
circa 1984	Transferred to	NH (Newton Heath)
19/01/86	Transferred to	CH (Chester)
14/05/89	Transferred to	NL (Neville Hill) PNLX
07/07/91	Transferred to	LO (Longsight) PLOX
09/06/92	Withdrawn from	LO (Longsight) RCLO

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

50940 - original number
53940 - from Sep-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Refurbished

At Derby Works dated 26/10/1979 released in blue/grey livery

Disposal

Scrapped by Gwent Demolition, Margam

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	50940	56223	As delivered to 6G - 3rd January 1959
	50940	56223	Transfer to 1E - Oct-59
LT316	50940	56223	Listed at Longsight - circa Dec-69
LT316	50940	56223	Listed at 9A - circa Jul-70
	50940	56223	Noted 04/06/71 - at Longsight¹
	50940	56223	Noted 19/09/71 - on Chester depot¹
	50940	56223	Noted 19/08/1973 - at Birmingham New Street ²
	50940	56223	Noted 09/1974 - at Crewe²
	50940	56273	Noted circa 08/1980³
	50940	56273	Noted 24/10/1980 - At Crewe Station⁴
	50940	56273	Noted circa 03/1981³
	50940	56273	Noted circa 10/1982³
	53940	54273	Noted circa 04/1983³
	53940	54273	Noted 28/12/1985 - 53940-54273 + 54271-51909 LCGB Moorsider Railtour failure replacement (see 53812)
	53940	54273	Transfer to CH - 19/01/86
	53940	54273	Listed at Chester - Summer 1986
	53940	54273	Noted circa 12/1986³
	53940	54273	Noted 13/06/1987 - Chester-Crewe ECS (6-car)⁵
	53940	54273	Noted circa 12/1987³
273	53940	54273	Listed at CH - March 1988
CH273	53940	54273	Noted Apr-88
CH273	53940	54273	Listed at CH - May 1988
CH273	53940	54273	Noted circa May-88
CH273	53940	54273	Noted circa Jul-88
CH273	53940	54273	Noted 14th August 1988
CH273	53940	54273	Noted 14/01/89 - on 12.28 Chester-Manchester Oxford Road with M54221 + M53986
NL251	53940	54091	Listed at NL - 05/09/89
	53940	54221	Noted 22/10/90⁶
N616	53940	54085	Noted 04/06/91 - at Peterborough⁷
spare	53940		Listed at NL - Jul-91
LO283	53940	54503	Listed at LO - Aug-91
LO283	53940	54503	Noted circa 09/1991³
LO283	53940	54503	Listed at LO - Dec-91

Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Peter Wallwork
3: Eddie Knorn
4: Shayne Lewis
5: Chris Moxon
6: Graeme Phillips
7: Aaron Calder

Images:

29th April 1968

A (blue square) Derby Lightweight at Bolton station on 29 April 1968. The DMBS closest looks like it could be M50940. George Woods.

Unknown date

A Class 108 DMU with DMBS M50940 seen in Manchester Victoria station, date unknown. Paul Redmond.

22nd June 1983

Derby Class 108 DMU with DMBS 53940 leading, Chester TMD, 22-6-83. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.

17th August 1985

A two-car Class 108 formed of Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) M53940 & Driving Trailer Second Lavatory (DTSL) M54273, was passing the former LMS platelayers brick hut, whilst approaching Croston with a Preston to Ormskirk service on August 17th 1985. The small hut was one of the few pieces of lineside infrastructure that survived the rationalisation of the Preston to Ormskirk route when it was reduced to mainly single track status in 1970. Martyn Hilbert.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: September 1961

A Blue Square Derby Lightweight DMU departs Bedford St Johns with a Cambridge service in mid-September 1961. The vehicles are M56223 and M50940 which were allocated to Bletchley depot. Michael Mensing.

Date: 26th November 1985

With Globe Mill at Midge Hall dominating the background, A two-car Derby built Class 108 DMU formed of cars 54273 & 53940 had returned to its old stamping ground as it approached Narrow Lane occupation crossing (Midge Hall), whilst working a Preston to Ormskirk service on November 26th 1985. Martyn Hilbert.

Date: 13th June 1987

Chester, 13/6/87. The ECS to Crewe is formed of 54497, 51913, 51188, 54348, 54273 & 53940. The 150's are on the 15.36 Crewe-Llandudno. Anthony Griffiths.

Date: 11th May 1988

Set number: 273

M54273 + M53940 at Stalybridge on May 11, 1988. Note the very small set number. John Carter.

Date: 14th January 1989

Set number: CH273

Class 108 twin sets with CH273 leading formed M54273 + M53940 + M54221 + M53986 at Lostock Gralam on the 14th January 1989 with the 12.28 Chester-Manchester Oxford Road. Kevin Law.

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