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<- 51938 | 51939 | 51940 ->

Vehicle 51939

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: 30601
Diagram: 634

Allocations

05/11/60	New to	26A (Newton Heath)
4w/e 31/12/60	Transferred to	8H (Allerton)
Feb-61	Transferred to	26A (Newton Heath)
w/e 03/06/61	Transferred to	24F (Fleetwood)
4w/e 02/06/62	Transferred to	26A (Newton Heath)
Sep-63	Depot code change	9D
2w/e 11/10/69	Transferred to	8J (Allerton)
4w/e 31/12/72	Transferred to	9D (Newton Heath)
May-73	Depot code change	NH
26/03/86	Transferred to	BX (Buxton)
27/04/86	Transferred to	NH (Newton Heath)
24/05/87	Transferred to	TS (Tyseley)
04/10/87	Transferred to	LA (Laira)
22/02/91	Withdrawn from	LA (Laira) PXXZ

Refurbished

At Swindon Works dated 27/10/1978 released in white/blue stripe livery

Disposal

Scrapped by Mayer Parry, Snailwell

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	51939	52054		As delivered to 26A - 5th November 1960
	51939	52054		Transfer to 8H - 4w/e 31/12/60
	51939	52054		Transfer to 26A - 4w/e 04/03/61
	51939	52054		Transfer to 24F - w/e 03/06/61
	51939	52054		Transfer to 26A - 4w/e 02/06/62
	51939	52054		Noted 20/07/68 - in Newton Heaton depot¹
	51939	59146	50489	Noted 13/04/73 - on 1320 Blackpool North-Manchester Victoria
	51939	52054		Noted 01/06/1977 - 18.14 Lime Street - Wigan NW²
	51939	52054		Noted 06/01/1978³
	51939	50239		Noted 25th October 1981
	51939	52054		Noted 13/10/1982 - Worked Man Vic to Blackpool service²
NH162	51939	52054		Noted circa 11/1982²
	51939	52054		Noted circa 11/1983²
	51939	52054		Noted 26/11/1983 - RCTS Mersey Mariner Railtour 51927-59168-52049 + 53812-53355 + 51939-52054
	51939	52054		Listed at Newton Heath - Summer 1986
	51939	52063		Noted circa 12/1986²
	51939	52063		Listed at NH - 10/05/87
T204	51939	52063		Noted circa 06/1987²
T204	51939	52063		Noted 20/06/87 - at Norwich⁴
T204	51939	52063		Listed at TS - Jul-87
P956	51939	52063		Listed at LA - Oct-87
P956	51939	52063		Listed at LA - Nov-87
	51939	52047		Noted 04/04/1988²
spare	51939			Listed at LA - 08/08/88
P956	51939			Listed at LA - 15/05/89

Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Eddie Knorn
3: Peter Wallwork
4: Gerald Brown

Images:

Unknown date

A mixed 108/104 train with 51939 leading on a special at Buxton Peter Heppenstall.

Unknown date

A mixed 108/104 train with 51939 leading on a special at Buxton. Peter Heppenstall.

Unknown date

A Class 108 DMU in Manchester Victoria station, date unknown. DMBS M51939 is closest. Paul Redmond.

Class 108 DMU at Cavendish Sidings, Birkenhead

26th November 1983

Taken onboard the RCTS 'Mersey Mariner' railtour on 26 November 1983 at Cavendish Sidings in Birkenhead, Mersey Docks & Harbour Board line, looking east. The vehicle numbers listed on the Six Bells Junction website show that this was taken from 51939 looking towards 53355 + 53812 / 52049 + 59168 + 51927. Stuart Mackay Collection.

15th June 1987

Set number: T204

On the GWR Birmingham to Leamington Spa line is Acocks Green station which is visible in the background of this picture dated 15 June 1987. My note suggests that this was a driver training run using class 108 T204 formed of 51939 + 52063 and this is possible as 2 car units were uncommon on this line at the time. This was part of the former 4 track section and the wide area of ballast on the right of the picture shows where the now-gone lines were situated. Peter Tandy.

10th February 1989

Set number: 956

Class 108 DMU set P956 (51939 closest) in Paignton station with an Exmouth service on 10 February 1989. Stuart Mackay Collection.

14th February 1989

Set number: 956

Class 108 DMU set 956 (51939 + 52063) at Bristol Temple Meads on 14 February 1989. Stuart Mackay Collection.

2nd June 1989

Set number: 956

Once a resident of Newton Heath Depot, A Class 108 two-car DMU formed of cars W51939 & W52063 had found a new home in the West Country, as Plymouth Laira set 956. The unit was getting underway from Dawlish with a well patronised Exmouth to Paignton service on June 2nd 1989. The unit along with other first generation sets had been transferred to the West Country for use in Devon & Cornwall following the banishment of the Class 142 'Skipper' fleet to the North. Martyn Hilbert.

2nd March 1991

51939 after a cooking in the firing tunnel at Mayer Parrys, Snailwell 2-3-91. Kevin Dowd.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: 18th May 1968

A Blue Square Derby Lightweight power-twin (M52054 and presumably M51939) at Bolton on 18 May 1968. It looks like it is changing platforms or on an ECS. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 15th March 1982

Class 108, 52054 + 51939, wait at Ormskirk with the 09.24 hrs to Preston, 15-03-82. Paul James.

Date: 8th May 1982

Newton Heath depot holding sidings, left to right are Class 104 DMC 50518, Class 108 DMBS 51939 and Class 104 DMBS 50442 8-5-82. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.

Date: circa 1988

Set number: 956

Class 108 DMU set 956 (presumably 52063 + 51939) arriving into Falmouth station with driver Peter Boor at the controls. Circa late 1987 / early 1988. Peter Boor.

Date: 11th January 1989

Set number: 956

Class 108 DMU set 956 (52063 + 51939) passes Laira depot on 11 January 1989. Keith Miller.

Date: 26th May 1989

Set number: 956

Class 108 DMU set 956 (52063 + 51939) at Devonport Dockyard Halt on 26 May 1989. Keith Miller.

Date: 30th May 1990

Set number: 956

With the blue waters of the Exe Estuary as a backdrop, a two-car Derby Lightweight DMU formed of cars 52063 & 51939, was departing from Starcross with the 15.45 Exmouth to Paignton service on May 30th 1990. The unit was one of several first generation DMU's cobbled together and sent to Plymouth Laira Depot in 1987/88 following various issues and the eventual migration of the Class 142 'Skippers' to the North. Martyn Hilbert.

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