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Vehicle 50947 / 53947

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

21/02/59	New		- stored at Warwick pending allocation
Apr-59	Transferred to	6K (Rhyl)	- stored pending allocation
Jun-59	Transferred to	26A (Newton Heath)
Oct-59	Transferred to	27F (Brunswick)
11/09/61	Transferred to	8H (Allerton)	- presumed move on closure of Brunswick
Sep-63	Depot code change	8J
3w/e 02/07/66	Transferred to	9D (Newton Heath)
4w/e 04/02/67	Transferred to	9A (Longsight)
May 1973	Depot code change	LO
12/05/85	Transferred to	NH (Newton Heath)
10/05/87	Transferred to	BR (Bristol Bath Road)
3w/e 20/05/88	Transferred to	LE (Swansea Landore)
15/05/88	Transferred to	CH (Chester)
30/10/88	Transferred to	LE (Swansea Landore)
15/03/92	Transferred to	BR (Bristol Bath Road) PBRX
09/06/92	Withdrawn from	CF (Cardiff Canton) RECF

Notes

19/04/59 - The six 2-car sets stored at Warwick shed (50947-52) were noted passing through Coventry on 19/04/59 hauled by 43005 in the Nuneaton direction, heading for Stoke. They were to have travelled under their own power, but had flat batteries after months of storage.

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

50947 - original number
53947 - from 1983 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Modifications

Sep-72 - AWS fitted
May-88 - Headlamp fitted

Refurbished

At Derby Works dated 17/05/1977 released in white/blue stripe livery

Disposal

Scrapped by Gwent Demolition, Margam

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	50947	56230	As delivered to - February 1959 - stabled at Warwick, pending allocation
	50947	56230	Transfer to 27F - Oct-59
	50947	56230	Noted 10/08/68 - at Bangor¹
LT322	50947	56230	Listed at Longsight - circa Jul-70
	50947	56230	Noted 18/08/70 - in Manchester Oxford Road²
	50947	56230	Noted 19/09/71 - on Chester depot¹
	50947	56230	Noted 18/04/73 - on Chester depot²
	50947	56230	Noted 19/04/73 - in Manchester Oxford Road²
	50947	56230	Noted 17/08/1974 - at Chester³
	50947	56241	Noted 01/09/74 - at Barrow²
	50947	56230	Noted 18/02/1979 - at Crewe Station⁴
LO303	50947	56230	Noted circa 05/1982⁵
LO303	50947	56230	Noted 31/05/1982⁵
	53947	54230	Noted circa 02/1984⁵
	53947	54230	Listed at LO - 01/01/85
	53947	54230	Listed at Newton Heath - Summer 1986
B974	53947	54230	Listed at BR - Jun-87
B974	53947	54230	Listed at BR - Aug-87
B974	53947	54230	Listed at BR - Oct-87
B974	53947	54230	Listed at BR - 29/02/88
S959	53947	53633	Listed at CH - May-88
CH940	53947	52048	Noted August 1988
S959	53947		Listed at LE - 15/05/89
S959	53947	53633	Noted circa 07/1989⁵
	53947	53633	Noted 20/12/89 - on 13:24 Crewe - Shrewsbury⁶
S959	53947	53633	Noted 06/04/1991 - At Crewe⁷
S959	53947	53633	Listed at LE - Jul-91
S959	53947	53633	Listed at LE - Aug-91
S959	53947	53633	Listed at LE - Dec-91
396	53633	53947	Noted 26/05/92 - on 06.58 Paignton to Exmouth

Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Gerald Brown
3: Jeremy Goodyear
4: Shayne Lewis
5: Eddie Knorn
6: Graeme Phillips
7: Dave Warby

Images:

late 1987

Set number: B974

Two-car Class 108 DMU set B974 (presumably 53947 + 54230) seen in Exeter station in late 1987. Michael Mensing.

30th August 1988

Set number: CH940

Class 108 Set CH940 (presumably 53947 + 52048) with 2J80 1134 Bidston - Wrexham Central approaching Shotton High Level (at 1158), Tuesday 30th August 1988. Colin Brooks.

June 1989

Set number: S959

Class 108 set S959 (53947) and CH375 (51938) in Shrewsbury station, June 1989. They show the two different cab styles the Class had. Stuart Mackay Collection.

5th July 1990

Set number: S959

Class 108 set S959 (presumably 53947 + 53633) at Tenby with the 15:05 Swansea - Pembroke Dock service on 05-07-1990. Gordon Thomson.

5th July 1990

Set number: S959

Class 108 DMU set S959 (53947 and presumably 53633) at Neath with the 17:05 (SX) Swansea-Port Talbot Parkway on 5 July 1990. Robert Thomas.

24th May 1992

Set number: 396

Seeing out its last days in the West Country and with Eastern Region 'E' prefixes on its car numbers, Class 108 two-car set number 396, formed of cars E53947 + E53633, were stabled between duties at Exeter St Davids on May 24th 1992. The leading car was originally a Driving Trailer Composite Lavatory car, but had been downgraded to an all second, but retaining the first class seating in the front saloon. The set was withdrawn from service just a few weeks after this image was recorded, in June 1992, and was subsequently scrapped by Gwent Demolition at Margam. Martyn Hilbert.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: 7th May 1983

Set number: L576

Class 119 sets L576 and L578 have either come out of or are about to enter the empty siding on the right. They are at Spalding on a Flower Parade special from West Ruislip on 7 May 1983. Other details from the July 1983 issue of The Railway Observer (p270): in the sidings on the far left are 53669 + 59256 + 53718 / 50331 + 59125 + 50308 / 53738 + 59262 + 53693 which ran from Burton-on-Trent / Leicester. On the right are 54230 + 53947 / 51929 + 52041 / 78601 + 78851 which ran from Manchester Piccadilly. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 27th October 1984

A Class 108 DMU with 54230 closest and 53947 had recessed onto the stub of the Hayfield branch to the otherwise disused tunnel at New Mills Central whilst an express passes, it now returns to the station to form the next local service to Manchester Piccadilly, 27-10-84. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.

Date: circa late 1980s

Set number: S959

Quite a bit of mail has come of S959 (presumably 53633 + 53947) at Llandeilo, taken circa late 1980s. Stephen Williams.

Date: 12th March 1988

Set number: B974

Class 108 DMU set B974 (54230 and presumably 53947) at Newport with the 09:20 Hereford-Cardiff Central service on 12 March 1988. Robert Thomas.

Date: 26th May 1992

Set number: 396

The buildings on The Strand (A379) form a backdrop to a Class 108 DMU formed of cars 53633 & 53947, departing from Starcross with the 06.58 Paignton to Exmouth service on May 26th 1992. Above the rear car is the 'Atomospheric Railway Inn', a reminder that this stretch of railway was part of Brunels atmospheric system that was in operation between 1847-1849. Martyn Hilbert.

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