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Vehicle 50870 / 53870

Class 116

Builder: BR Derby Works
Layout: High Density
Length: 64ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: None
Engines: Leyland 150hp
Transmission: Mechanical
Lot Number: 30363
Diagram: 553

Allocations

2w/e 12/07/58	New to	88A (Cardiff Cathays)
Jan-61	Depot code change	88B
Mar-62	Depot code change	88M
Jul-64	Transferred to	86A (Cardiff Canton)
Jul-64	Transferred to	82A (Bristol Bath Road)
Apr-66	Transferred to	84A (Laira)
4w/e 04/05/68	Stored
Jun-68	Reinstated	84A (Laira)
3w/e 03/08/68	Transferred to	14A (Cricklewood)
06/05/73	Depot code change	CW
circa Jul-83	Transferred to	TS (Tyseley)
Jul-87	Transferred to	CH (Chester)	- or not?
20/09/87	Transferred to	NH (Newton Heath)
06/11/88	Withdrawn from	NH (Newton Heath)

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

50870 - original number
53870 - from Sep-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Disposal

Scrapped by Vic Berry, Leicester

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	50870	50923			As delivered to 88A - 2w/e 12/07/58
CAT355	50870	50923			Listed at CAT - Jul-62
	50870	50923			Transfer to 84A - Apr-66
	50870	59008	50102		Noted 02/09/71 - at Barking¹
	50870	59017	50073	50902	Noted 23/08/75 - at Kentish Town as a 4-car with 50100 + 59021 + 50075 + 50101 ²
	50068	50870	59376	50838	Noted 03/07/1977 - on 09:12 Kentish Town to Barking
	50101	59021	50840	50870	Noted 01/05/79 - on 16.05 St. Pancras – Luton³
	50870	50111	59614	50891	Noted 02/05/80 - on 18.35 Bedford – Cricklewood³
	50838	59011	50870		Noted 12/09/80 - on 18.43 Kentish Town – Barking and 19.34 Barking – Kentish Town³
	50838	59011	50870	50114	Noted 18/09/80 - on 18.07 St. Pancras – St. Albans³
	50063	59609	50870		Noted 12/02/81 - on 09.55 Gospel Oak – Barking and 10.40 Barking – Gospel Oak (116/127 hybrid)³
	50063	59609	50870		Noted 16/02/81 - on 19.25 Gospel Oak – Barking and 20.10 Barking – Gospel Oak (116/127 hybrid)³
	50841	59330	50870		Noted 7th November 1981
	50870	59008	50114		Noted 13/12/81 - on 2G12 16.30 St Pancras – Bedford³
TS542	53870	59735	53890		Listed at TS - 14/07/83
TS542	53870	59735	53890		Noted circa 09/1983⁴
TS527	53849	59632	53870		Noted circa 10/1983⁴
TS543	53870	59439	53114		Noted circa 11/1983⁴
TS514	53870	59614	53923		Noted circa 06/1984⁴
TS514	53870	59629	53923		Noted circa 09/1985⁴
TS514	53870	59629	53923		Noted circa 02/1986⁴
TS514	53870	59629	53923		Listed at Tyseley - Summer 1986
TS514	53870	59629	53923		Noted circa 06/1986⁴
TS514	53870	59629	53923		Noted 19/07/86 - at Norwich²
TS525	53870	59353	53883		Formation change - TS - circa Oct-86 - 53870 replaces 53835
	53870	59653	53883		Noted 23/04/1987 - at Birmingham New Street - as 6 car set with 53822-59345-53881⁵
	53870	53067			Noted 05/07/1987 - at Manchester Piccadilly⁵
	53870	53067			Noted circa 09/1987⁴
	53870	53923			Noted 10th October 1987
N652	53870	53923			Listed at NH - March 1988
N652	53870	53923			Noted circa 04/1988⁴
N652	53870	53923			Listed at NH - May 1988
N652	53870	53923			Noted circa Jul-88
N652	53870	53923			Noted circa 10/1988 - in use at Tyseley⁴
N652	53870	53923			Noted 15th October 1988

Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Gerald Brown
3: Phil Shatford
4: Eddie Knorn
5: Robert Chilton

Images:

1st October 1966

W50870 heads a 2-car Class 116 set departing from Milverton on the 1st October 1966, presumably with 50923. Steve Davies Collection.

1st October 1966

A two-car 116 set at Milverton on October 1st 1966. The DMBS is W50870, the DMS is likely to be 50923. Steve Davies Collection.

1st October 1966

W50870 heading out of Milverton on October 1st, 1966. This was the last day of service on the line. Steve Davies Collection.

1st October 1966

A member of the station staff has a chat with the driver of W50870 at Milverton before departure on October 1, 1966. It is presumably paired with 50923. Steve Davies Collection.

30th August 1975

A three-car Class 116 DMU - the power cars are noted as M50870 + M50100 - at Junction Road in London, looking north east from Junction Road bridge with a Kentish Town service on 30 August 1975. Phillip Malin.

8th March 1986

Set number: TS514

This is a shot of the usual 3 coach class 116 forming a Birmingham New Street to Kidderminster service approaching Stourbridge Junction on 8 March 1986. The set number is TS514 presumably formed 53870 + 59629 + 53923. Also of interest is 25 205 in the sidings which would have been on standby duties should a northbound freight have needed banking assistance on the now-closed line through Dudley towards Bescot. There must have been such a train expected on this Saturday morning because there certainly wasn't a locomotive stabled here every week, at least on the weekends that I visited. Peter Tandy.

April 1988

Set number: N652

Class 116 set N652 (presumably 53870 + 53923) arriving into Hindley station in April 1988. Colin Brooks.

6th April 1988

Set number: N652

With Midge Hall visible in the far-distance, former West Midlands Class 116 Suburban 2-car DMU formed of cars M53870 & M53923, were passing the Cocker Bar at Ulnes Walton, en-route to their first intermediate station call at Croston whilst working a Preston to Ormskirk service on April 6th 1988. The unit was transferred to Newton Heath Depot in October 1987 as cover for ailing and stored Class 142 Pacers. Set N652 was eventually withdrawn from service in November 1988 and scrapped by Berry's of Leicester. Martyn Hilbert.

12th April 1988

Set number: N652

Reduced to two-cars, a Class 116 Suburban DMU formed of Driving Motor Brake Second M53870 and Driving Motor Second M53923, were arriving at Rufford with a Preston to Ormskirk service on April 12th 1988. The unit had previously worked in the West Midlands, and had been allocated to Newton Heath (Set N652), to cover for almost new Class 142 Pacers that were then being sidelined with numerous faults. Martyn Hilbert.

12th April 1988

Set number: N652

Former West Midlands PTE Class 116 Suburban 2-Car DMU formed of cars M53870 & M53923, was stood in the passing loop at Rufford with a Preston to Ormskirk service on April 12th 1988. Martyn Hilbert.

7th May 1988

Set number: N652

Class 116 53870, set number N652, is seen on the siding down the side of the factory at Tyseley on 07.05.1988. It was based at Newton heath at the time. Andy Cole.

18th December 1988

Set number: N652

M53870, M53059, M53923 and M50117 awaiting their fate at Vic Berrys, Leicester 18-12-88. Kevin Dowd.

10th February 1989

Set number: N652

Class 116 DMBS 53870 at Vic Berry's on 10 February 1989. Michael Kaye 55A.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: 1st October 1966

A two-car Class 116 set heads away from Milverton station on October 1, 1966. The DMBS (furthest vehicle) is W50870, so the DMS is probably 50923. Steve Davies Collection.

Date: 16th February 1988

With the disused former Up Line still in situ, a Class 116 Suburban 2-Car DMU (Minus its centre trailer car) with Driving Motor Second M53923 leading (presumably with M53870) complete with its West Midlands branding, climbs the gradient from Farington Curve Junction as it works a Preston to Ormskirk service on February 16th 1988. This was the period when almost new Class 142 Pacers had been sidelined awaiting modifications to improve reliability and poor-design features, causing the cobbling together of various first generation sets and the appearance of still serviceable sets drafted in from other parts of the country to keep things running until the new Class 150/2 Sprinter fleet appeared in sufficient numbers to allow the old DMU sets to bow-out. Martyn Hilbert.

Date: 24th February 1988

M53923 and M53870 at Manchester Victoria 24th February 1988. Keith Long.

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