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Vehicle 50451 / 53451

Class 104

Builder: BRC&W
Layout: Low Density
Length: 57ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: LMS
Engines: Leyland 150hp
Transmission: Mechanical
Lot Number: 30293
Diagram: 556

Allocations

w/e 05/10/57	New to	9A (Longsight)
Jan-58	Transferred to	5D (Cockshute)
3w/e 30/04/66	Transferred to	2H (Monument Lane)
4w/e 05/11/66	Transferred to	16C (Derby Etches Park)
May-73	Depot code change	DY
w/e 01/05/77	Transferred to	NH (Newton Heath)
14/05/89	Transferred to	CH (Chester) PCHX
11/06/90	Withdrawn from	CH (Chester) PZQZ

Notes

10th October 1987 - Seen with no luggage racks
May 1989 - Seen with all luggage racks removed
12th October 1990 - Listed as stored condemned, possibly at Derby depot

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

50451 - original number
53451 - from Apr-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Disposal

Scrapped by Mayer Parry, Snailwell

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	50451	59159	50503	As delivered to 9A - w/e 05/10/57
	50451	59153	50501	Noted 02/01/71
	50451	59153	50501	Noted 22/02/1971 - at Crewe¹
	50451	59153	50501	Noted 03/04/1971 - at Birmingham New Street¹
	50451	59153	50501	Noted 18/09/1971 - at Crewe²
	50451	59153	50501	Noted 02/10/1971 - at Birmingham New Street²
	50451	59153	50501	Noted 24/12/1971 - at Chesterfield²
	50451	59156	50501	Noted 15/09/72 - at Crewe³
	50451	59156	50501	Noted 03/11/72 - in Birmingham New Street³
	50451	59151	50501	Noted 06/09/73 - at Crewe⁴
	50451	59151	50499	Noted 31/05/1975 - at Long Eaton¹
	50451	59151	50499	Noted 14/06/75 - 1020 Crewe-Lincoln St Marks
	50451	59152	50503	Noted 18/12/1975 - at Birmingham New Street ¹
	50451	59156	50501	Noted 28/08/76 - at Thetford⁴
	50451	59156	50501	Noted 30/09/1976 - at Derby ¹
	50451	59159	50490	Noted 06/01/1978¹
	50451	59206	50528	Noted circa 06/1981⁵
	50451	50528		Noted circa 08/1981⁵
NH137	50451	50528		Noted 19/07/1982 - Manchester Victoria⁵
	53451	53501		Noted circa 07/1983⁵
	53451	53518		Formation change - NH - circa Feb-86
	53451	53518		Listed at Newton Heath - Summer 1986
	53451	53518		Listed at NH - 10/05/87
	53451	53518		Noted circa 07/1987⁵
	53451	53518		Noted 04/07/87 - on 10:17 Stalybridge - Stockport⁶
	53451	53518		Noted 10th October 1987
	53451	53518		Noted 10/10/1987⁵
	53451	53518		Listed at NH - 1st January 1988
N668	53451	53518		Listed at NH - March 1988
N668	53451	53518		Noted circa 04/1988⁵
N668	53451	53518		Listed at NH - May 1988
N668	53451	53518		Listed at NH - May-88
N668	53451	53518		Noted circa Jul-88
N668	53451	53518		Listed at NH - 16th July 1988
	53451	53264		Noted 20th April 1989 - Failed at Atherton & assisted by 31178
CH611	53451	53517		Listed at CH - 1st July 1989
CH611	53451	53517		Noted 3rd September 1989
CH611	53451	53517		Listed at CH - 14/10/89
CH611	53451	53517		Noted circa 11/1989⁵
CH611	53451	53517		Noted 10th February 1990
CH611	53451	53517		Noted 23rd February 1990
CH611	53451	53517		Noted 26th February 1990 - EMU replacement services to Altrincham
CH611	53451	53517		Noted 27th February 1990
CH611	53451	53517		Noted 14th April 1990
CH611	53451	53529		Noted 30th April 1990
CH611	53451	53529		Noted circa 05/1990⁵
CH611	53529	53451		Noted 3rd May 1990
CH611	53529	53451		Noted 4th May 1990
CH611	53451	53529		Listed at CH - mid May-90
CH611	53451	53529		Noted 19th May 1990 - in use on SVR during Diesel Weekend

Formation Sources
1: Peter Wallwork
2: Jeremy Goodyear
3: Leonard Rogers
4: Gerald Brown
5: Eddie Knorn
6: David Bellamy

Images:

5th July 1980

With the now-demolished toffee factory on Virginia Street as a backdrop and with almost new Class 507's stabled in the sidings, a six-car Class 104 DMU with DMBS M50451 leading, was approaching journeys end at Southport with an evening service from Manchester Victoria on July 5th 1980. Martyn Hilbert.

27th October 1984

Class 104 53451 is seen at Leeds on 27.10.1984, working with a Class 108 vehicle. Andy Cole.

26th April 1986

Intending passengers head towards Class 104 Motor Brake Second M53451, stood at Burscough Bridge with a Southport to Manchester Victoria service on April 26th 1986. On the very same day the World had woken up to the news that in the former Soviet Union (Now part of Ukraine), the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster was unfolding that would rapidly see radioactive particles spread in the air across much of Europe. Martyn Hilbert.

26th April 1986

A two-car Class 104 formed of cars M53451 & M53518 arrives at Burscough Bridge with a Southport to Manchester Victoria service on April 26th 1986. Martyn Hilbert.

9th August 1986

After bashing Peaks over the Pennines, and sampling the ale in Stalybridge station bar I took the opportunity to photograph the little-recorded local DMU service to Stockport on 9 August 1986. The 19:18 service was being operated by a tired looking Class 104 B.R.C. & W. DMU 53451 + 53518, seen in the bay platform 3, bathed in the late afternoon sunshine, with the hills in the distance. I made a number of tape recordings to capture the railway scene of the time and you canexperience the audio magic of this vintage DMU making its characteristic sounds. The driver slams the cab door at the start and then revs up the engine in the familiar manner before departing. https://soundcloud.com/sound-vision-10193594/class-104-2-car-dmu-5345153518-leaves-stalybridge-on-a-local-service-to-stockport-9th-aug-1986 Chris McKee.

15th February 1988

Class 104, 53451 (front) and 53518 at Guide Bridge on 15th February 1988. David Slack.

1st April 1988

Set number: N668

53451 heads set N668 at Manchester Victoria on the 1st April 1988. Dennis Taylor.

20th July 1988

Dean Lane, Newton Heath, station at 15.53 on 20/7/88. 53451/53518 approaches on the 15.45 Manchester Victoria - Rochdale via Oldham. In the centre, beyond the bridge, on Newton Heath depot, is 53087/54398. In the distance is 142 006 and on the right is 142 089 forming the 15.36 Shaw to Manchester Victoria via Oldham. Leonard Rogers.

15th October 1988

Set number: N668

With peeling paint and corrosion erupting around the cab windows, a well-worn looking Class 104 Driving Motor Brake Second M53451 was coupled to Driving Open Second Lavatory M53518, stood at a run-down Squires Gate with a Blackpool South to Colne service on October 15th 1988. The Coast Line from Blackpool South to Kirkham had fallen on hard times, with just a single track remaining on this once busy route that in the days gone by, buzzed with activity. Despite being close to the Pontins Holiday Camp and Blackpool Airport, the facilities at Squires Gate had been reduced to a bare platform. A far-cry from the days when there were even Camping Coaches located here. The 104 was into its last period of extended operation due to ongoing problems with the Class 142 Pacer fleet. Martyn Hilbert.

15th October 1988

A Class 104 two-car DMU formed of cars M53451 & M53518 was departing from Salwick with a Blackpool South to Colne service on October 15th 1988. This was the period when Salwick still retained its former Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway platform canopy. A location that is no longer accessible on the former goods yard cobbled roadway. Martyn Hilbert.

15th February 1990

Set number: CH611

A rather tired looking Chester allocated Class 104 DMU set CH611 comprising of 53451 + 53517 in Manchester Piccadilly's platform 1 with a local service, 15th February 1990. Andrew J Crowther.

21st May 1990

Set number: CH611

CH611 (M53451 + M53529) near Bewdley on the Severn Valley Railway during the diesel gala on 21 May 1990. Tom Clift.

31st May 1990

Set number: CH611

CH611 M53451 + M53529 depart Chester 20 minutes late (both cars required water!) with the 14:19 to Helsby, 31-5-90. Kevin Dowd.

3rd February 1991

53451/50529 had been used as part of the DMU Auto-gear and carriage washing experiments. They are seen in the photograph at Etches Park on 3/2/91, days before leaving for Snailwell on the 12th. Kevin Dowd.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: 9th April 1977

A class 120 dmu (set EP485) prepares to leave Lincoln St Marks for Nottingham whilst a class 104 unit is stabled, 9/4/77. The 104 DMBS closest is either 50450 or 50451. St Marks was closed in 1985 with all services being concentrated on Central station. Stephen Burdett.

Date: 24th November 1984

Two plain blue Class 104 DMBSs and a blue/grey Class 120 centre car; 53428 + 59256 + 53451 at Manchester Victoria on 24-11-84. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.

Date: 23rd July 1985

A BRCW Class 104 two-car DMU formed of cars M53524 & M53451 was passing over Farington Curve Junction with a well-filled late afternoon Preston to Ormskirk service on July 23rd 1985. The Newton Heath allocated set was a reform, with M53524 still wearing its white bodyside stripe from the days when it was part of a Manchester-Blackpool 'White Line' three-car set that included cars M59180 & M50472. M53524 was the last Class 104 car to retain the white stripe in service. The Newton Heath fleet of 'White Line' three-car 104's were a common sight in the 1970's along the busy Manchester Victoria to Blackpool North route which carried heavy commuter and leisure traffic. Six-car formations were the norm for weekday peak-time services and weekend workings in the Spring, Summer and Autumn. Martyn Hilbert.

Date: 24th July 1985

A class 104 DMU at Preston on 24th July 1985 - the sandwich board on the platform states that its an Ormskirk service. Formed of 53524 (which has 'Newton Heath' written under the drivers window) and presumably 53451. Jonathan Hazan.

Date: 25th July 1985

M53524 + M53451 with the 17:51 to Preston departing from Leeds on July 25, 1985. John Carter.

Date: 16th May 1986

Class 104 power-twin M53518 + M53451 arrives into Manchester Victoria on 16 May 1986. There is another set attached to the rear which seems to be a Class 108. John Carter.

Date: 20th February 1988

BRC&W Class 104 DMU M53518 + M53451 calls at Reddish South with the shuttle from Stockport to Stalybridge, a service that ran hourly, on the 20th February 1988. Andrew J Crowther.

Date: unknown

Set number: N668

53518 at Chester with the 21:28 to Manchester Piccadilly (set N668 also apparently comprised 53451), late '89 or 1990. Driver Atherton is ex-Northwich (8E). Gazza Prescott.

Date: 3rd September 1989

Set number: CH611

CH611 M53517 + M53451 stabled on Chester Depot 3-9-89. Kevin Dowd.

Date: 6th January 1990

Set number: CH611

CH611 (53517 + 53451) at Chester with the 14:35 to Warrington Central on 6/1/90. Gazza Prescott.

Date: 15th February 1990

Set number: CH611

A rather tired looking Chester allocated Class 104 set CH611 comprising of 53517 + 53451 in Manchester Piccadilly's platform 1 with a local service, 15th February 1990. Andrew J Crowther.

Date: 20th March 1990

Set number: CH611

With the light fading a bit too much for a hand held shot on 64ASA slide film a handy concrete planter makes a different shot of 53451+53517 at Lichfield Trent Valley on Tuesday 20th March 1990. The 17:15 Coventry to Stafford service was booked to wait here for a fast service to pass in the days before the quadrupling to Rugeley. Ian Hazlehurst.

Date: 30th April 1990

Set number: CH611

CH611 M53529 + M53451 waits to depart Llandudno with the 17:17 to Stalybridge, 30-4-90. Kevin Dowd.

Date: 4th May 1990

Set number: CH611

CH611 M53529 + M53451 arrive into Manchester Piccadilly ECS from Stockport CS, seen from CH610 M53447 (+ 53531) on 2H06, the 16:07 Man Piccadilly to Buxton, the last ever time a 104 worked to Buxton. 4th May 1990. Kevin Dowd.

Date: 21st May 1990

Set number: CH611

CH611 (53529 + 53451) at Kidderminster on the Severn Valley Railway during the diesel gala on 21 May 1990. Tom Clift.

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