Vehicle 50487 / 53487
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: 30294
Diagram: 558
Allocations
| Jul-57 | New to | 9A (Longsight) | |
| Sep-57 | Transferred to | 5A (Crewe North) | |
| Oct-57 | Transferred to | 9A (Longsight) | |
| w/e 01/10/60 | Transferred to | 9D (Buxton) | |
| Sep-63 | Depot code change | 9L | |
| 06/05/73 | Depot code change | BX | |
| 27/04/86 | Transferred to | NH (Newton Heath) | |
| 20/05/89 | Withdrawn from | NH (Newton Heath) PNHX |
Notes
April 1988 - Seen with luggage racks missing
12th April 1988 - Seen with white cab roof dome and black cab window surround
16th July 1988 - Has white cab roof dome and black window surround
May 1989 - Seen with all luggage racks removed
11th June 1989 - Seen burnt out at Newton Heath depot
9th July 1989 - Seen out of service at Newton Heath depot
19th October 1989 - Listed as withdrawn/out of use
4th December 1989 - Seen stored out of service at Newton Heath depot
12th October 1990 - Listed as to be cut up on site at Newton Heath depot
The vehicle carried the following numbers:
50487 - original number
53487 - from 1983 (53xxx / 54xxx change)
Disposal
Scrapped by Vic Berry, Leicester
Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:
| 50435 | 59143 | 50487 | As delivered to 9A - July 1957 | ||||||
| 50435 | 59143 | 50487 | Noted 16th September 1957 | ||||||
| BN466 | 50435 | 59230 | 50487 | Listed at Buxton - circa Dec-69 | |||||
| 50422 | 59140 | 50487 | Noted 18/09/1971 - at Stockport1 | ||||||
| 50435 | 59132 | 50487 | Noted 03/09/73 - at Stockport2 | ||||||
| BN466 | 50435 | 59132 | 50487 | Noted 10/09/73 - in Manchester Piccadilly, set number only on 504352 | |||||
| 50454 | 59141 | 50487 | Noted 24/05/1980 - Photographed at Hazel Grove working 16:19 Whaley Brudge-Piccadilly3 | ||||||
| BX480 | 50421 | 59148 | 50487 | Noted circa 05/19824 | |||||
| BX481 | 50421 | 59148 | 50487 | Noted circa 12/19824 | |||||
| BX481 | 50421 | 59148 | 50487 | Noted circa 03/19834 | |||||
| BX481 | 53421 | 59148 | 53487 | Noted circa 02/1984 - in Manchester, C3 overhauled at 5458 1/844 | |||||
| BX481 | 53421 | 59148 | 53487 | Noted circa 07/19844 | |||||
| BX481 | 53421 | 59148 | 53487 | Noted circa 11/1984 - listed at BX4 | |||||
| 53421 | 59148 | 53487 | Noted 26/01/85 | ||||||
| BX481 | 53421 | 59148 | 53487 | Listed at BX - circa Jul-85 - with white roof domes | |||||
| BX481 | 53421 | 59148 | 53487 | Listed at BX - circa Dec-85 | |||||
| 53421 | 53487 | Formation change - NH - Apr-86 | |||||||
| 53421 | 53487 | Listed at Newton Heath - Summer 1986 | |||||||
| 53421 | 59306 | 53487 | Formation change - NH - circa Oct-86 | ||||||
| 53421 | 53487 | Listed at NH - 10/05/87 | |||||||
| 53421 | 53487 | Noted 20/06/87 | |||||||
| 53532 | 53487 | Noted circa 04/19884 | |||||||
| 53532 | 53487 | Noted 12th April 1988 | |||||||
| N676 | 53532 | 53487 | Listed at NH - May 1988 | ||||||
| N676 | 53532 | 53487 | Listed at NH - May-88 | ||||||
| N676 | 53532 | 53487 | Noted June 1988 | ||||||
| N676 | 53532 | 53487 | Noted circa Jul-88 | ||||||
| N676 | 53532 | 53487 | Listed at NH - 16th July 1988 | ||||||
| N676 | 53532 | 53487 | Noted circa 11/19884 |
Formation Sources
1: Jeremy Goodyear
2: Gerald Brown
3: Chris Moxon
4: Eddie Knorn
Images:
August 1975
With the numbers recorded as M50487 + M59147 + M50439 a three-car Class 104 DMU arrives into Manchester Piccadilly station with a service from Whaley Bridge via Stockport in August 1975. Hugh Llewelyn.
5th February 1978
A Class 104 departs Manchester Piccadilly with a Buxton service on 5 February 1978. The leading car was noted as M50487. Stuart Mackay Collection.
2nd March 1985
Set number: BX481
Class 104 BRCW 3-car DMU 53487+59148+53421 departing Middlewood with the 13-38 to Manchester Piccadilly on 2-3-85. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.
20th June 1987
M53487 + M53421 are seen in Leyland station during their stop with the 06:20 Preston - Liverpool Lime Street service on June 20, 1987. Hamish Stevenson.
16th July 1988
Set number: N676
53487 sits in the company of 31223 and 45128 at Manchester Victoria, 16th July 1988. Gazza Prescott.
16th July 1988
Set number: N676
Class 104 2-car DMU Newton Heath set N676 (M53487 and presumably M53532) at Ashburys on 16th July 1988. Photograph by Dave Rutter. Waddo Rail Archive.
The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:
Date: 18th September 1982
Set number: BX481
Several 104s at Buxton on September 18, 1982, 50421 closest 59148 + 50487 as set BX481. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.
Date: 21st July 1984
Set number: BX481
Class 104 DMU set BX481 sits in Stalybridge station on 12 July 1984. DMBS 53421 is closest, the other two vehicles are presumably 59148 + 53487. Chris McKee.
Date: 26th January 1985
On the approach to Manchester Piccadilly is Buxton based BRC&W class 104 dmu M53421, M59148, M53487 arriving with a service from Buxton, 26th January 1985. Andrew J Crowther.
Date: 2nd March 1985
Set number: BX481
Class 104 BRCW 3-car DMU 53421 + 59148 + 53487 arriving New Mills Newtown with the 13-31 to Manchester Piccadilly on 2-3-85. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.
Date: 18th June 1985
Set number: BX481
A view of he station platforms at Buxton finds a 6 car BRCW class 104 DMU rake, led by set BX481 (presumably 53421 + 59148 + 53487) sat in Platform 1. Behind it next to the depot fuel tanks is parked up 31289. 18th June 1985. John Crooks.
Date: 17th August 1985
Set number: BX481
A six-car set, headed by set BX481 and M53421 (presumably with M59148 + M53487), enters Manchester Piccadilly on 17/8/85. Malcolm Clements.
Date: 22nd December 1985
Set number: BX481
A White roofed Buxton based BRC&W class 104 3 car dmu BX481 (M53421 + M59148 + M53487), climbs the 1-60 bank up towards Norbury Hollow level crossing whilst working a Manchester Piccadilly - Buxton service, 22nd December 1985. These units truly worked nationwide, but it was the Buxton route which they became synonymous with. Andrew J Crowther.
Date: 6th May 1987
Complete with retro Buxton style white cab roof sections, a two-car Class 104 DMU formed of cars M53421 & M53487 was diverging from the Up Slow at Farington Curve Junction with the 18.00 Preston to Ormskirk service on May 6th 1987. Both cars were withdrawn from Newton Heath Depot in 1989 and scrapped by Berry's of Leicester. Martyn Hilbert.
Date: 6th May 1987
As a Class 86 was heading for London Euston on the Up Fast, a two-car BRCW Class 104 DMU formed of cars M53421 & M53487 was joining the Down Slow at Farington Curve Junction with the 17.25 Ormskirk to Preston service on May 6th 1987. The unit was one of many first generation sets given an extended life due to the then ongoing issues with the Class 142 Pacer fleet. Martyn Hilbert.
Date: 25th February 1988
With the part-dismantled Up Line in the foreground, a 2-Car Class 104 formed of cars 53532 & 53487 passes the site of Moss Lane Junction with an Ormskirk to Preston service on February 25th 1988. 53532 has a small Network South East logo on the bodyside, having returned North back to its old haunts on an extended life to cover for faulty Class 142 Pacers. Martyn Hilbert.
Date: 11th February 1989
Set number: N676
A Class 304, a two-car Class 104 - N676 M53532 + M53487 - (and two two-car Class 108s) on the Great Central side at Manchester Piccadilly on 11-2-89. On Tour With The Class 13 Army.
Date: 8th June 1990
Set number: N672
Withdrawn M53511 (N672) at Newton Heath on the 8th June 1990. In the background is Class 101 51227 and fire damaged Class 104 53487. Nicholas Youngman.
Date: 15th September 1990
Withdrawn and damaged first generation DMU sets awaiting their fate, were stabled at the side of Newton Heath Depot on September 15th 1990. A pair of weary-looking Derby built Class 116 Suburban Driving Motor Brake Seconds 53842 & 53839 were keeping company with a fire-damaged BRCW Class 104 two-car set formed of cars 53532 & 53487. The adjacent sidings with diesel soaked trackwork have clearly been the resting place for other withdrawn units, the ground being strewn with various fittings and components including an wooden emergency evacuation ladder from a brake compartment. Martyn Hilbert.
Date: 15th September 1990
A close-up of BRCW Class 104 Driving Motor Brake Second 53532, that along with its partner 53487, had been fire damaged, both cars awaiting their fate in the sidings alongside Newton Heath Depot on September 15th 1990. The Shell TTA tank wagons in the background indicate that the depot was then receiving its supplies of diesel fuel by rail. Martyn Hilbert.