Sign In

Vehicle 50939 / 53939 / 977818

Class 108

Builder: BR Derby Works
Layout: Low Density
Length: 57ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: LMS
Engines: Leyland 150hp
Transmission: Mechanical
Lot Number: 30465
Diagram: 543

Allocations

03/01/59	New to	6G (Llandudno Junction)
Oct-59	Transferred to	1E (Bletchley)
3w/e 31/01/65	Transferred to	6A (Chester)
w/e 07/01/67	Transferred to	9A (Longsight)
3w/e 01/08/70	Transferred to	6A (Chester)
Oct-72	Transferred to	9A (Longsight)
May 1973	Depot code change	LO
w/e 18/02/78	Transferred to	CH (Chester)
circa Jan-84	Transferred to	NH (Newton Heath)
20/09/87	Transferred to	LE (Swansea Landore)
28/10/87	Transferred to	CH (Chester)
30/10/88	Transferred to	LE (Swansea Landore)
15/03/92	Transferred to	CF (Cardiff Canton) PCFX
11/06/92	Transferred to	HQ (Headquarters) RFXT
18/09/92	Withdrawn from	HQ (Headquarters) RFXT
18/09/92	To departmental stock	CF (Cardiff Canton)
2w/e 14/10/95	Withdrawn

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

50939 - original number
53939 - from Apr-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)
977818 - from Oct-92 (departmental stock)

Department Use as ADB977818

Sandite / Route Learner From 10/92 to 10/95. Carried set number B / 922

Modifications

Sep-87 - Headlamp fitted

Refurbished

At Swindon Works dated 26/06/1981 released in blue/grey livery

Disposal

Scrapped by Booth Roe Metals, Rotherham

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	50939	56222		As delivered to 6G - 3rd January 1959
	50939	56222		Transfer to 1E - Oct-59
	50939	56222		Noted 6th August 1961
	50939	56222		Noted 22/12/69 - at Manchester Piccadilly¹
	50939	56222		Transfer to 6A - 3w/e 01/08/70
	50939	56222		Transfer to 9A - Oct-72
	50939	56222		Noted 19/04/73 - in Manchester Oxford Road²
	50939	56222		Noted 17/08/1974 - at Chester³
	50939	56222		Noted 28/08/75 - on Longsight depot²
	50939	56222		Noted 27/02/1977 - 2D95 08.26 Manchester Piccadilly to Chester, then 2H95 10.03 Chester to Manchester Piccadilly⁴
	50939	56222		Transfer to CH - w/e 18/02/78
	50939	52046		Noted circa 03/1981⁴
	50939	52046		Noted circa 08/1982⁴
	53939	52046		Noted 18/07/1983⁴
	53939	52046		Noted circa 02/1984⁴
	53939	52046		Listed at Newton Heath - Summer 1986
	53939	59195	52046	Listed at NH - 10/05/87
	53939	52046		Noted 05/07/1987 - at Manchester Piccadilly⁵
S946	53939	52046		Listed at LE - Oct-87 - Headlight fitted
	53939	52046		Noted 19/03/88 - on 09:35 Shrewsbury-Crewe
CH946	53939	52046		Listed at CH - May 1988
S946	53939	52046		Listed at LE - 15/05/89
	53939	52046		Noted 20/12/89 - on 15:20 Crewe - Swansea⁶
S946	53939	52046		Listed at LE - Jul-91
S946	53939	52046		Listed at LE - Aug-91
spare	53939			Listed at LE - Dec-91
922	977818	977819		Listed at CF - 08/11/93 - sandite, set B

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

Images:

16th November 1979

A two-car Class 108 DMU with M50939 closest at Helsby on 16 November 1979. Brian Daniels.

12th April 1986

Class 108 53939 (and presumably + 52046) is seen stabled at Tyseley Carriage sidings on 12.04.1986. Andy Cole.

Class 108 DMU at Stretford Bridge Junction

16th January 1988

Set number: S946

Class 108 DMU power twin set S946 (presumably 53939 + 52046) looms out of the mist passing the site of Stretford Bridge Junction, just north of Craven Arms, with a Swansea bound service over the "Central Wales" line. This was where the Bishops Castle railway once branched off to the left of the photo. 16th January 1988. John Crooks.

4th July 1988

Set number: 946

A Class 108 labelled set 946 - presumably Swansea set 53939 + 52046 - at Shrewsbury on July 4, 1988. Nigel Menzies.

29th January 1989

Set number: S946

Class 108 DMU set S946 (presumably 53939 + 52046) on Swansea Landore depot, 29 January 1989. Stuart Mackay Collection.

16th August 1989

Set number: S946

Class 108 set (presumably 53939 + 52046) approaches Llanelli at 15:46 on Wednesday 16th August 1989 with the 1528 Swansea - Crewe (via Reversal at Llanelli & Central Wales line) service. Colin Brooks.

16th August 1989

Set number: S946

Class 108 set S946 (presumably 53939 + 52046) working 2M39, the 15:28 Swansea - Crewe (via reversal at Lllanelli and Central Wales line), awaits time at Llandrindod at 18:00 on Wednesday 16th August 1989. Colin Brooks.

19th November 1989

Set number: S946

Class 108 set S946 - presumably 53939 + 52046 - at Cardiff Central on November 19th 1989. Alex Drennan.

21st August 1993

Sandite / route learner vehicle 977818 at Landore TMD, 21st August 1993. S Gaskell.

1996

Set number: B

Half of Sandite & route learning unit "B", vehicle no. 977818 formerly DMBS 53939/50939 is seen at C.F. Booths scrapyard mid-1996. Immediately behind is another un-identified ex-Sandite vehicle. The next in line to go, it was scrapped in July 1996. Robert Chilton.

circa 1996

Set number: B

A Class 108 sandite DMU with 977818 closest. Taken at CF Booths scrapyard in Rotherham, date unknown - it was cut in July 1996. Stuart Mackay Collection.

11th May 1996

Set number: B

977818 at CF Booths in Rotherham on 11th May 1996, a scrapyard responsible for the dismantling of many Class 108 vehicles. S Gaskell.

17th July 1996

977818 with 977768 from set LO903 behind at CF Booth, Rotherham on 17th July 1996. Nicholas Youngman.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: unknown

S946 (presumably 53939 + 52046) and S944 (presumably 52055 + 51919) departing Port Talbot Parkway with the 11:41 Cardiff - Swansea on 29 April 1992. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 4th July 1985

M52046 and M53939 passing Goose Hill Junction with 2G12 the 0752 Sheffield to Leeds via Barnsley 4th July 1985. Keith Long.

Date: 28th May 1988

Set number: 946

Swansea Class 108 DMU set 946, 52046 and presumably 53939, at Machynlleth on 28 May 1988 on what was possibly an E.C.S. Robert Thomas.

Date: 13th February 1989

Set number: S946

Class 108 2-car DMUs S946 and S951 pass at Llandrindod Wells on 13 February 1989. S946 (presumably 52046 + 53939) is working the 12.52 Shrewsbury-Swansea and S951 (presumably 52041 + 53935) the 11.49 Swansea-Shrewsbury. I had arrived at Llandrindod on the "Welsh Mountain Cobbler" railtour (hauled by 47 612) and this photo was taken during a 90 minute break in the railtour itinerary. Lewis Bevan.

Date: 16th August 1989

Set number: S946

Class 108 Set S946 (presumably 52046 + 53939) working 2M39, the 1528 Swansea - Crewe (via Reversal at Llanelli & Central Wales line), awaits time at Llandovery at 16:54 on Wednesday 16th August 1989. Colin Brooks.

Date: 16th August 1989

Set number: S946

The view from Class 108 Set S946 (presumably 53939 + 52046) on 2M39, the 1528 Swansea - Crewe (via Reversal at Llanelli & Central Wales line), as it awaits time at Builth Road station on the Central Wales line on 17:26 on Wednesday 16th August 1989. Colin Brooks.

Date: 16th August 1989

Set number: S946

Class 108 Set S946 (presumably 52046 + 53939) working 2M39, 1528 Swansea - Shrewsbury (via Reversal at Llanelli) passes the lower quadrant semapohre on approach to the Craven Arms at 19:20 on Wednesday 16th August 1989. Colin Brooks.

Date: 16th October 1992

Set number: B

A Class 108 sandite set formed of 977819 + 977818 stabled at Hereford on 16 October 1992. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 17th July 1996

Set number: LO903

977768 from set LO903 cab end can be seen. To the left is the rear of 977818 at CF Booth, Rotherham. Telephoto shot from the riverside walk outside on 17th July 1996. Nicholas Youngman.

➤