Vehicle 56214 / 54214

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Class 108

Builder: BR Derby Works
Layout: Low Density
Length: 57ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: LMS
Lot Number: 30410
Diagram: 640

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 50628 during the unknown period are:

13/12/58	New to	5D (Cockshute)	- pending allocation
4w/e 27/12/58	Transferred to	18A (Toton)
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

Then the allocations for 56214 are:

4w/e 05/04/69	Transferred to	9A (Longsight)
4w/e 31/05/70	Transferred to	6A (Chester)
06/05/73	Depot code change	CH
14/05/90	Transferred to	LO (Longsight) PLOX
25/11/90	Transferred to	BR (Bristol Bath Road) PBRX
09/06/92	Withdrawn from	BR (Bristol Bath Road) REBR

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

56214 - original number
54214 - from 1983 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Modifications

Nov-72 - AWS fitted

Refurbished

At Derby Works dated 06/11/1980 released in blue/grey livery

Disposal

Scrapped by Gwent Demolition, Margam

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	50628	56214							As delivered to 5D - 13th December 1958
	50628	56214							Transfer to 27F - Oct-59
	50628	56214							Transfer to 9A - 4w/e 05/04/69
	50628	56214							Transfer to 6A - May-70
	50925	56214							Noted 18/04/73 - at Chester1
	50927	56214							Noted 08/04/1976 - at Warrington2
	50927	56214							Noted 31/07/76 - at Shrewsbury1
	50927	56214							Noted 15/07/77 - passing Harlech signal box
	50929	56214							Noted 13/09/77 - at Shrewsbury1
	50628	56214							Noted 03/12/1977 - Seen at Chester3
	50628	56214							Noted 28/08/1979 - on 04:15 Shrewsbury to Machynlleth with 51174,56273, 50931 and 515622
	50927	56214							Noted circa 03/19813
	50927	56214							Noted circa 05/19823
	50927	56214							Noted 11th August 1982
	53927	54214							Noted circa 06/19833
	53927	54214							Noted 24/09/85 - on 12:50 Chester - Wolverhampton service4
	53927	54214							Noted 15/11/85 - on 14:00 Manchester Oxford Road - Chester service (one engine failed, 29 mins late at Chester)4
	53927	54214							Listed at Chester - Summer 1986
269	53927	54214							Listed at CH - March 1988
	53927	54214							Noted 05/04/19883
CH269	53927	54214							Listed at CH - May 1988
CH269	53927	54214							Noted circa May-88
	53927	54214							Noted 16/08/88 - on 22:30 Sheffield-Retford
CH269	53927	54214							Noted circa 11/19883
CH269	53927	54214							Listed at CH - 14/10/89
LO269	53927	54214							Listed at LO - mid May-90
LO269	53927	54214							Noted circa 07/19903
	53927	54214							Noted 24/10/90 - on 16:44 Doncaster - Skegness5
	53927	54214							Noted 25/10/90 - on 16:44 Doncaster - Skegness5
B978	53927	54214							Listed at BR - Jul-91
B978	53927	54214							Noted circa 08/19913
B978	53927	54214							Listed at BR - Aug-91
B978	53927	54214							Listed at BR - Dec-91
B978	53927	54214							Noted 28/02/92 - at Bristol Temple Meads

Formation Sources
1: Gerald Brown
2: Peter Wallwork
3: Eddie Knorn
4: Martin Baumann
5: Graeme Phillips

Images:

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July 1983

Class 108 unit M54214 + M53927 seen at Wrexham General. In 1983 I went on a tour of all the mainline railways of Wales. On the way back from a few days in Tywyn, and a visit to the west coast of Wales, I took a break at Wrexham General, and took this shot of one of the regular Chester based Class 108 DMUs. Chris McKee.

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30th June 1990

Set number: LO269

Following a heavy rain shower, a two-car Class 108 DMU with Driving Trailer Second Lavatory (DTSL) car M54214 at the rear was stood at the north end of platform 5 at Preston on June 30th 1990. The DMBS is presumably 53927. The DMU had arrived from Barrow-In-Furness and after the passengers alighted, was working the short distance ECS to the sidings at Croft Street, adjacent to Preston Power Box. Martyn Hilbert.

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16th February 1991

Set number: 978

A well-laiden Class 108 DMU 2-car set 978 (54214 and presumably 53927) at Long Dyke Junction with a down passenger working on 16 February 1991. Robert Thomas.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

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Date: 25th June 1986

A Class 108 DMU with vehicles M53927 + M54214 seems to be at the end of a long formation seen in Derby station on Wednesday 25 June 1986. They were allocated to Chester at the time. David Russon.

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Date: 1989

Set number: CH269

Class 108 set CH269 (53927 and presumably 54214) in Buxworth Cutting on the Hope Valley Line in 1989. Walter Burt.