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Vehicle 50540 / 53540

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: 30296
Diagram: 556

Allocations

2w/e 03/05/58	New to	5B (Crewe South)
4w/e 03/06/61	Transferred to	21F (Ryecroft)
Sep-63	Depot code change	2G
w/e 10/10/64	Transferred to	6A (Chester)
4w/e 06/02/65	Transferred to	6G (Llandudno Junction)
3w/e 02/10/65	Transferred to	9D (Newton Heath)
4w/e 06/11/65	Transferred to	9A (Longsight)
May 1973	Depot code change	LO
circa Feb-82	Transferred to	BY (Bletchley)
05/02/87	Transferred to	CW (Cricklewood)
10/05/87	Transferred to	OO (Old Oak Common)
p/e 31/12/88	Sector Change to	OO (Old Oak Common) NGBX
20/01/91	Sector Change to	OO (Old Oak Common) NWRX
22/10/93	Transferred to	HQ (Headquarters) NWRX
27/10/93	Withdrawn from	HQ (Headquarters) NWRX

Notes

27th May 1987 - Repainted into blue & grey livery at Derby Litchurch Lane
12th October 1990 - Listed as in NSE livery

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

50540 - original number
53540 - from 1984 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Disposal

Scrapped by Gwent Demolition, Margam

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	50540	56183		As delivered to 5B - 2w/e 03/05/58
	50540	56180		Noted 22/08/69 - at Manchester Piccadilly¹
LT310	50540	56184		Listed at Longsight - circa Dec-69
LT310	50540	56183		Listed at 9A - circa Jul-70
	50540	56183		Noted 04/06/71 - at Longsight¹
	50540	56183		Noted 20/04/73 - in Manchester Piccadilly²
	50540	56183		Noted 04/09/74 - at New Mills²
	50540	56183		Noted 28/08/75 - on Longsight depot²
	50540	56183		Noted 14/09/1975 - at Stockport³
	50540	56183		Noted Jun-76 - in Manchester Piccadilly¹
	50540	56183		Noted 10/09/76 - in Manchester Piccadilly²
	50540	56183		Noted circa 04/1982⁴
	50540	56183		Noted 03/09/82 - at Bedford St Johns²
	53540	54183		Noted circa 05/1983⁴
	53540	54182		Noted circa 08/1983⁴
	53540	54182		Noted circa 12/1984⁴
	53540	54184		Noted circa 01/1986⁴
	53540	54184		Noted 23/07/1986 - at Bedford⁵
	53540	54184		Noted 21/11/86 - on Bletchley depot²
	53540	54184		Noted circa 01/1987⁴
	53540	59497	51387	Noted circa 07/1987⁴
L704	53477	53540		Formed at OO circa Oct-87
L704	53477	53540		Listed at OO - 1st January 1988
L704	53477	53540		Noted 11/06/1988⁴
L704	53477	53540		Listed at OO - 16th July 1988
L704	53477	53540		Noted 6th August 1988
L704	53477	53540		Listed at - 15/05/89
L704	53477	53540		Listed at OO - 1st July 1989
L704	53477	53540		Noted circa 10/1990⁴
L704	53477	53540		Listed at OO - 12th October 1990
spare	53540			Listed at OO - 21/01/91
L263	53540	54289		Noted circa 03/1991⁴
	53540	54289		Noted 09/04/92 - on Slough - Windsor services⁶
L263	53540	54289		Listed at OO - 24/02/92 - NSE NWRX pool
L263	53540	54289		Listed at OO - 12/08/92
L263	53540	54289		Listed at OO - November 1992 - Sector NWRX
L263	53540	54495		Noted 14th May 1993
L263	53540	54495		Noted 26th August 1993

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

Images:

Unknown date

A BRC&W twin-set arrives into Chester on an unknown rainy date led by M50540. Edgehillsignallman@Flickr.

15th May 1982

A Class 104 DMU formed of M50540 + 56183 sits in Bedford St. Johns station on 15 May 1982 forming the 17:00 to Bletchley. Stuart Mackay Collection.

15th May 1986

BRCW Class 104 DMBS 53540 and DTS 54184 wait to work the 17.16 to Croxley Green at Watford Junction on 15 May 1986. Dave Warby.

circa 1987

Blue-grey Class 104 DMBS 53540 is part of a suburban set when seen in Reading station. The other two vehicles are likely to be 59497 and 51387 which it ran with in mid-1987. Mike Bunker.

12th June 1987

Class 104 DMBS no. 53540, repainted into blue & grey livery, matches the Class 117 suburban cars with which it is seen coupled at Radipole, Dorset on 12/06/1987. Graeme Phillips Collection.

8th July 1987

A hybrid DMU in Oxford station on 9 July 1987, with Class 104 DMBS 53540 standing in for Class 117 DMBS. The other two vehicles are likely to be 59497 and 51387 (L410). The KDH Archive.

20th November 1988

Set number: L704

Class 104 set L704 at South Tottenham on 20th November 1988. Ian Buck.

10th June 1989

Set number: L704

L704 (53540 + 53477) at Barking on June 10, 1989. John Carter.

Unknown date

Freshly outshopped 53540 in Doncaster Works. Date unknown. Malcolm Clements.

July 1990

Set number: L704

At Gospel Oak is class 104 set L704 (53540 and 53477) on the Barking service. Ian Buck.

October 1990

Set number: L704

Class 104 L704 consists of two DMBSs, the closest is 53540 when seen circa October 1990 in Hayes & Harlington station. Stuart Mackay Collection.

20th October 1990

Class 104 set L704 (53540 + 53477) is seen approaching Paddington on 20.10.1990 in Network South East livery. A handful of these units were operated by Old Oak Common. Andy Cole.

circa 1991

Set number: L263

From the late 1980s a number of imported DMU sets were to be seen working NSE locals out of Paddington. The strangest arrivals were ex-Manchester Class 104s, one of which is seen here making up a hybrid set of BRC&W Class 104 DMBS 53540 and Pressed Steel Class 121 DTS 54289 (with gangway fitted) circa 1991. This shot shows the impressive paint finish given to these ageing units, except for the rough patch of filler on the cab front. The location is Greenford station, which is unusual in being a bay platform in the middle of the LT underground station. Chris McKee.

circa 1991

Set number: L263

Close up view of Class 104 53540 and Class 121 54289 hybrid DMU set L263 - descending the steep incline from Greenford station circa 1991. This shot accentuates the steep incline that the Greenford branch makes as it reaches the terminus. Chris McKee.

circa 1991

Set number: L263

Class 104 53540 and Class 121 54289 hybrid DMU set L263 seen departing Greenford station circa 1991. Chris McKee.

circa 1991

Set number: L263

A close up cab view of BRC&W Class 104 DMBS 53540 at Greenford station circa 1991. It shows the impressive paint finish given to these ageing units, except for the rough patch of filler. The location is Greenford station, which is unusual in being a bay platform in the middle of the LT underground station. Chris McKee.

circa 1991

Set number: L263

Class 104 53540 with Class 121 54289 hybrid DMU set L263 passes Pressed Steel Class 121 'Bubble Car' 55029 near West Ealing station circa 1991. From the late 1980s, a number of imported DMU sets were to be seen working NSE locals out of Paddington. The strangest arrivals were ex-Manchester Class 104s, one of which is seen here making up a hybrid set of BRC&W Class 104 DMBS 53540 and Pressed Steel Class 121 DTS 54289. The unit is about to pass one of the traditional Greenford branch Class 121 'Bubble Cars' 55029. Ealing Broadway station is in the background. I think I'm being yelled at by the driver! What happened to railway uniforms? Chris McKee.

3rd April 1991

Set number: L263

Class 104 DMBS 53540 from set L263 seen in Slough station on 3 April 1991. Andrew Malloy.

24th March 1992

Set number: L263

L263 53540 + 54289 at Slough on the 13:20 to Windsor And Eaton Central, 24-3-92. Kevin Dowd.

22nd May 1992

Set number: L263

Slough station on 22 May 1992 contains a Class 117 on the left and a Class 104/121 hydrid - L263 53540 + 54289 in the Windsor platform. Neil Smith.

22nd May 1992

Set number: L263

Class 104 DMBS 53540 in Slough station while on Windsor duties on 22 May 1992. Neil Smith.

22nd May 1992

Set number: L263

Class 104/121 DMU set L263 (53540 + 54289) in Slough station after arriving from Windsor Central on 22 May 1992. Neil Smith.

22nd May 1992

Set number: L263

Class 104/121 DMU set L263 (53540 + 54289) in Slough station after arriving from Windsor Central on 22 May 1992. Neil Smith.

22nd May 1992

Set number: L263

NSE BRCW Class 104 + Pressed Steel Class 121 DMU Set L263 53540 + 54289 depart Slough station on a service to Windsor Central on 22 May 1992. Neil Smith.

Class 104 DMU at Windsor and Eton Central

22nd May 1992

Set number: L263

NSE BRCW Class 104 + Pressed Steel Class 121 DMU Set L263 53540 + 54289 at Windsor and Eton Central station on a service from Slough on 22 May 1992. Neil Smith.

5th November 1992

Set number: L263

L263 (53540 + 54495) at Reading with the 16:00 to Didcot on 5/11/92. Hamish Stevenson.

1993

Set number: L263

Class 104 DMBS (53540) with a class 121 DTS (presumably 54289) form unit L263 leaving Slough for Windsor in 1993. Tony Walmsley.

17th January 1995

Withdrawn class 104 car 53540 at Old Oak Common depot on 17th January 1995 awaiting decision. Ian Buck.

16th October 1995

53540, the last 104 to remain in service, Gwent Demolition, Margam 16-10-95. Kevin Dowd.

17th October 1995

Set number: L263

Cutting is started on 53540, Gwent Demolition, Margam 17-10-95. Kevin Dowd.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: circa 1982

A Class 104 BRCW DMU - M56183 and (most likely M50540) - at St Albans Abbey station in the early 1980s. Curly42.

Date: 15th May 1986

BRCW Class 104 DTS 54184 and DMBS 53540 wait in Watford Junction to work the 17.16 to Croxley Green on 15 May 1986. Dave Warby.

Date: 15th May 1986

In Watford High Street station BRCW Class 104 DTS 54184 and DMBS 53540 are seen working The 17.27 Croxley Green-Watford Junction on 15 May 1986. Dave Warby.

Date: 15th May 1986

BRCW Class 104 DTS 54184 and DMBS 53540 in Watford West station working the 17.50 Croxley Green-Watford Junction on 15 May 1986. Dave Warby.

Date: 15th May 1986

In Watford West BRCW Class 104 DTS 54184 and DMBS 53540 are working the 17.50 Croxley Green-Watford Junction service on 15 May 1986. Dave Warby.

Date: 20th September 1986

Class 104 DTSL 54184 with DMBS 53540 arrives at Watford Junction with the 11.12 ex-St Albans Abbey on 20 September 1986. Dave Warby.

Date: September 1988

Set number: L702

Class 104 53539+53540 arrives at Barking from Gospel Oak in September 1988. Nicholas Youngman.

Date: 4th November 1988

Set number: L704

Gospel Oak station on 4 November 1988, with BRCW Class 104 unit L704 awaiting departure with the 15.38 to Barking. I recorded the set as consisting of 53477/53479, the later DMBS still in plain blue standing in for regular partner 53540 in the set. Lewis Bevan.

Date: circa 1991

Set number: L129

Class 104 53540 with Class 121 54289 hybrid DMU set L263 approaches Pressed Steel Class 121 'Bubble Car' 55029 near West Ealing station circa 1991. From the late 1980s, a number of imported DMU sets were to be seen working NSE locals out of Paddington. The strangest arrivals were ex-Manchester Class 104s, one of which is seen here making up a hybrid set of BRC&W Class 104 DMBS 53540 and Pressed Steel Class 121 DTS 54289. The unit is about to pass one of the traditional Greenford branch Class 121 'Bubble Cars' 55029. West Ealing station is in the background. Chris McKee.

Date: 30th June 1991

Set number: L131

The Class 121 closest appears to be 55031, the 104/121 on the rear is set L263 (presumably 53540 + 54289). Taken around 11:15 at West Ealing Sunday 30 June 1991. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 30th June 1991

Set number: L263

Set L263 (presumably 54289 + 53540) and a Class 121 which is thought to be 55031, seen around 11:00 at West Ealing on Sunday 30 June 1991. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 9th November 1991

Set number: L263

Set L263 - Class 121 DTS 54289 and Class 104 DMBS 53540 - is seen with a Greenford service in platform 10 of Paddington station on 9 November 1991. A Class 117 is seen to the left. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 5th May 1993

Set number: 263

Hybrid class 108/104 unit 263, formed of 54495 + 53540, leads another unit E.C.S. through Reading on 5/5/93. Sparegang.

Date: 3rd December 1995

Set number: L720

53539, 59437, 53540 (540 being scrapped during the following week) at Gwent Demolition, Margam, 3-12-95. Kevin Dowd.

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