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Vehicle 50478 / 53478

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

4w/e 22/03/58	New to	5B (Crewe South)
Apr-58	Transferred to	18A (Toton)
4w/e 29/12/62	Transferred to	17A (Derby Etches Park)
Sep-63	Depot code change	16C
4w/e 09/10/65	Transferred to	9D (Newton Heath)
May-73	Depot code change	NH
15/11/87	Transferred to	ED (Eastfield)
22/04/89	Transferred to	CH (Chester) PCHX
07/06/89	Withdrawn from	CH (Chester) PCHX

Notes

1st January 1988 - Has window bars
3rd September 1989 - Seen withdrawn at Chester depot
7th September 1989 - Seen withdrawn at Chester depot
October 1989 - Arrived at Vic Berry's yard for scrap
19th October 1989 - Listed as withdrawn/out of use

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

50478 - original number
53478 - from Jul-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Disposal

Scrapped by Vic Berry, Leicester

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	50478	59186	50530	As delivered to 5B - 4w/e 22/03/58
	50478	59186	50530	Noted 1st June 1958
	50478	59186	50530	Noted 20/12/66 - at Leeds City with 50472 + 59180 + 50524¹
	50478	59143	50530	Noted 30/10/68 - in blue
	50478	59186	50530	Noted 31/10/1972 - at Manchester Victoria²
	50478	59186	50530	Noted 28/08/75 - on Newton Heath depot³
NH145	50478	50530		Noted circa 05/1982⁴
NH145	50478	50530		Noted 19/07/1982 - Manchester Victoria⁴
	50478	50530		Noted circa 02/1983⁴
	53478	53530		Noted 16/07/83
	53478	53530		Noted 11/02/1984⁴
	53478	52053		Formation change - NH - Aug-85
	53478	53530		Listed at NH - Summer 1986
	53478	53530		Noted 31/10/1986⁴
	53478	53530		Noted 01/11/1986⁴
	53478	53530		Noted 10/01/87 - on 10:45 Blackpool North - Leeds⁵
	53478	53530		Listed at NH - 10/05/87
	53478	53530		Listed at NH - 1st January 1988
458	53478	59230	53530	Listed at ED - Jan-88
	53478	59248	53530	Noted March 1988
458	53478	59082	53530	Formation change - ED - circa Mar-88
458	53478	59082	53530	Noted circa 05/1988⁴
458	53478	59082	53530	Listed at ED - 16th July 1988
458	53478	59230	53530	Listed at ED - circa August 1988
458	53478	59082	53530	Noted 17/08/88
758	53478	53530		Noted 03/06/89 - at Chester
458	53478	53530		Listed at CH - 1st July 1989 - withdrawn

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

Images:

14th April 1958

Just a few weeks old, BRC&W DMBS M50478 is at the front of the 6.15pm to Leicester (LR) getting ready for departure on April 14, 1958. Michael Mensing.

circa early/mid-1970s

Two Class 104 'white stripers' (M50478 closest) at Blackpool (North), circa early/mid-1970s. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Unknown date

DMBS M50478 at the front of a three-car BRC&W set in one of the excursion platforms at Blackpool North, circa early 1970s. Graham Clark.

September 1979

A "white-stripe" Class 104 DMU, attached to a Cravens, seen in York station in September 1979. George Woods.

23rd May 1980

A white stripe Class 104 DMU with M50478 closest at Manchester Victoria, 23 May 1980. Nigel Menzies.

2nd March 1985

Class 104 BRCW 2-car DMU 53478+53530 stands on the banker road at Manchester Victoria on 2-3-85. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.

23rd April 1988

Set number: 458

BRCW/Met-Camm Class 104/101/104 DMU set 458, cars 53478 + 59082 + 53530 in Glasgow Queen Street station with the 13:37 service to Dunblane on 23 April 1988. The half displayed destination blind reads Bangor which would be quite a trip on an ageing 104 DMU! Neil Smith.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: September 1979

A "white-stripe" Class 104 in York station in September 1979. Closest is M50530, the other power car is M50478. George Woods.

Date: 16th July 1983

Class 110 E51815 + E59703 + E51829 + class 104 M53530 + 53478 in a hybrid livery approach Manchester Victoria on the 16th July 1983. Kevin Law.

Date: 16th March 1985

A two-car Class 104 DMU formed of cars M53478 & M53530 was passing through snowy West Lancashire farmland, passing Narrow Lane Crossing at Midge Hall with a Preston to Ormskirk service on March 16th 1985. Martyn Hilbert.

Date: 2nd November 1985

A five-car DMU formation consisting of Class 108/104 hybrid M52053 & M53478 coupled to a 3-Car Swindon Cross-Country set, was stood on the Up Fast at Leyland station with a Blackpool North to Manchester Victoria service on November 2nd 1985. Martyn Hilbert.

Date: 4th April 1986

Class 108 DMS M52053 disappears beneath the bridge that takes the B5247 Bretherton Road across the line, as it departs from Croston whilst working the 17.25 Ormskirk to Preston on April 4th 1986. It is working with a Class 104 DMBS - probably 53478. Martyn Hilbert.

Date: 13th July 1987

It wasn't often that you saw 2 car BRC&W class 104 on the Buxton line, as all Buxton units were 3 cars. This Newton Heath allocated set comprising of 53530 & 53478 seen heading back to Manchester on the outskirts of Disley on 13th July 1987. The set on the back is one of the Longsight allocated class 127 ex Bed-Pan units now in parcels use. Andrew J Crowther.

Date: 27th July 1988

Set number: 458

Set 458 is a 104/101/104 hybrid with two brake vans, formed 53530 + 59082 + 53478. It is seen in Perth station on July 27, 1988 with a Class 101 working the 20:20 Perth - Kirkcaldy service. Hamish Stevenson.

Date: 17th August 1988

Set number: 458

53530 + 59082 + 53478 pass through Princes Street Gardens with the 12:52 Kirkcaldy - Edinburgh service on August 17, 1988. Hamish Stevenson.

Date: 3rd June 1989

Set number: 758

53530 + 53478 sit in Chester depot on June 3rd, 1989. Both were official withdrawn a few days later on the 7th. The DMS has a window missing, an engine missing, and has a charging lead plugged in. Hamish Stevenson.

Date: 14th October 1989

Set number: CH607

Seen at Vic Berry's in Leicester on October 14, 1989 are Class 104 vehicles M53492 and M53478. Nicholas Youngman.

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