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<- 56180 | 56181 | 56182 ->

Vehicle 56181 / 54181


Class 104

Builder: BRC&W
Layout: Low Density
Length: 57ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: LMS
Lot Number: 30297
Diagram: 585

Allocations

The London Midland Region didn't publish trailer car details until late in 1968. Although not 100% reliable, if it is assumed that the trailers remained with the same power cars, the allocations for 50538 during the unknown period are:

3w/e 19/04/58 New to 5B (Crewe South)
Apr-63 Transferred to 5D (Cockshute)
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)

Then the allocations for 56181 are:

May-80 Transferred to NH (Newton Heath)
circa Feb-82 Transferred to BY (Bletchley)
09/11/86 Withdrawn from BY (Bletchley)

Notes

6th May 1989 - Seen (in poor condition) at Longsight depot
6th May 1989 - Seen at Longsight depot
1st July 1989 - Listed as withdrawn at Longsight depot
19th October 1989 - Listed as withdrawn/out of use

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

56181 - original number
54181 - from 1983 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Disposal

Scrapped by Mayer Parry, Snailwell

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:


50538 56181 As delivered to 5B - 3w/e 19/04/58
LT308 50538 56181 Listed at 9A - circa Jul-70
50538 56181 Noted 12/08/70 - in Manchester Piccadilly1
50538 56181 Noted 04/06/71 - at Longsight2
50538 56181 Noted 17/08/1974 - at Chester3
50538 56181 Noted 04/09/74 - at Reddish North1
50538 56181 Noted 28/08/75 - on Longsight depot1
50538 56181 Noted Jun-76 - in Manchester Piccadilly2
50538 56181 Noted 01/10/77 - in Manchester Piccadilly4
50538 56181 Noted 06/06/1981 - working 1D38 09.59 Stockport - Llandudno and 1H29 14.40 Llandudno - Stockport5
50532 56181 Noted circa 12/19815
50532 56181 Noted circa 10/19825
53532 54181 Noted circa 04/19835
53539 54181 Noted 11/08/84 - at Norwich1
53539 54181 Noted circa 12/19845
53539 54181 Noted circa 12/19855
53539 54181 Noted circa 09/19865

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

Images:

Class 104 DMU at Southport

August 1981

Class 104 DMU at Southport, M56181 closest, I believe the rear car is 50538. Taken in August 1981. Curly42.

Class 104 DMU at Bedford St Johns

July 1983

A BRCW class 104 DMU comprising DTSL M54181 + DMBS M53532, stand in the platform at Bedford St Johns station, sometime in the week 4th-8th July 1983. John Crooks.

Class 104 DMU at Bedford St Johns

1st September 1983

Bedford St Johns station on 1 September 1983, with a 2-car Class 104 DMU (54181/53532) just arrived as the 18.10 ex-Bletchley. This station closed on 14 May 1984, when services were diverted into Bedford Midland station. A small halt, also called Bedford St Johns, was provided on the new chord line that trains now use to access Bedford Midland. Lewis Bevan.

Class 104 DMU at Bletchley

1984

54181 + 53539 in Bletchley station waiting to take the Bedford route in summer 1984. Ian Docwra.

Class 104 DMU at Bletchley

1984

54181 + 53539 departing Bletchley for Bedford in summer 1984 Ian Docwra.

Class 104 DMU at Leicester

13th October 1984

M54181 at Leicester on the 13th October 1984. Dennis Taylor.

Class 104 DMU at Bedford

1st September 1986

A Class 104 DMU (M54181 and presumably 53539) arrives at Bedford working a service from Bletchley on 1 September 1986. Brian Creasey.

Class 104 DMU at Longsight TMD

6th May 1989

M54181 dumped on Longsight TMD 6-5-89. Kevin Dowd.

Class 104 DMU at Basford Hall, Crewe

21st July 1989

BRCW Class 104 DTS M54181 sits awaiting its fate in Basford Hall yard on 21st July 1989. Paul James.

Class 104 DMU at Snailwell

21st February 1992

Class 104 driver trailer M54181 at Snailwell on 21 February 1992. Nicholas Youngman.


The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

DMU

Date: July 1983

A BRCW class 104 DMU comprising DMBS M53532 + DTSL M54181, standing in the platform at Bedford St Johns station. Unsure of exact date, but sometime in the week 4th-8th July 1983. John Crooks.

DMU

Date: 1st September 1983

Bedford St Johns station on 1 September 1983, with a 2-car Class 104 DMU (53532 + 54181) waiting to leave for Bletchley. This station closed on 14 May 1984, when services were diverted into Bedford Midland station. A small halt, also called Bedford St Johns, was provided on the new chord line that trains now use to access Bedford Midland. Lewis Bevan.

DMU

Date: 10th December 1983

53532 + 54181 glides to a halt at Millbrook station whilst working the 12.10 Bletchley - Bedford train on the 10th December 1983. At this time the delightful little station had a massive station house and well kept wooden shelters, the low hight platform had a full set of attractive lights. A lone passenger contemplates the long wait for his train. Geoff Dowling.

DMU

Date: 1984

A two-car Class 104 DMU (DMBS 53539 + DTSL 54181) at Bletchley with a Bedford service in 1984. Ian Docwra.

DMU

Date: 18th June 1984

BRCW Class 104 DMU, M53539+M54181, stand at Bedford after arriving from Bletchley. 18-06-84. John Crooks.