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Vehicle 56242 / 54242

Class 108

Builder: BR Derby Works
Layout: Low Density
Length: 57ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: LMS
Lot Number: 30466
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 50959 during the unknown period are:

04/04/59	New to	6K (Rhyl)	- stabled pending allocation
Jun-59	Transferred to	9E (Trafford Park)
Jun-59	Transferred to	9G (Reddish)
4w/e 01/06/63	Transferred to	9A (Longsight)
3w/e 31/10/65	Transferred to	9D (Newton Heath)
4w/e 06/05/67	Transferred to	9A (Longsight)

Then the allocations for 56242 are:

4w/e 05/04/69	Transferred to	12A (Carlisle Kingmoor)
06/05/73	Depot code change	KM
Jan-75	Depot code change	KD
15/05/88	Transferred to	HT (Heaton)
29/09/91	Transferred to	BR (Bristol Bath Road) PBRX
09/06/92	Withdrawn from	BR (Bristol Bath Road) REBR

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

56242 - original number
54242 - from Jun-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Modifications

Jun-75 - AWS fitted

Disposal

Scrapped by Gwent Demolition, Margam at Cardiff Canton

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	50959	56242	As delivered to 6K - April 1959 - stabled pending allocation
CE380	50951	56242	Noted circa Apr-70
	50961	56242	Noted 16/08/70 - at Kingmoor¹
	50961	56242	Noted 17/04/73 - at Carlisle²
	50951	56242	Noted 03/04/76 - on 12.30 Lancaster – Carlisle with 50952 + 56265³
	50953	56242	Listed at KD - circa Aug-80
	50953	56242	Noted circa 08/1981⁴
	50953	56242	Noted 16/03/82 - at Lancaster with 56245 + 50962
	53953	54242	Noted 24/03/84 - at Lancaster
	53953	54242	Listed at KD - 01/01/85
	53953	54242	Listed at Carlisle Kingmoor - Summer 1986
	53953	54242	Noted 03/11/86 - on 12:35 Newcastle - Alnmouth
	53959	54242	Noted 28/03/1987 - Barrow connection from BR (Loco Hauled) Carlisle-Bournemouth excursion
	53953	54242	Listed at KD - circa Jan-88
	53953	54242	Noted 30/07/88 - on 15:17 Newcastle - Carlisle service⁵
	53953	54242	Noted 01/10/1988 - Barrow connection from BR Weston-Super-Mare to Carlisle excursion
	53953	54242	Listed at HT - Feb-89
	53953	54242	Noted 01/04/89 - on 15:17 Newcastle - Carlisle service⁵
	53953	54242	Noted 15/04/89 - on 14:32 Newcastle - Carlisle service⁵
	53953	54242	Noted 23/06/89 - on 07:26 Seaham - Newcastle with 54240 + 53963⁵
	53953	54242	Noted 05/08/89 - on 15:14 Newcastle - Carlisle service⁵
	53953	54242	Noted 07/08/89 - on 10:00 Whitehaven - Carlisle⁵
	53953	54242	Noted 07/08/89 - on 12:56 Whitehaven - Carlisle⁵
	53953	54242	Noted 07/08/89 - on 14:15 Carlisle - Barrow-in-Furness with 53959 + 54243⁵
	53953	54242	Noted 15/08/89 - on 16:27 Newcastle - Carlisle service⁵
	53953	54242	Noted 21/08/89 - on 10:00 Whitehaven - Carlisle⁵
	53953	54242	Noted 23/08/89 - on 19:12 Newcastle - Carlisle service⁵
	53953	54242	Noted 02/09/89 - on 09:02 Whitehaven - Carlisle⁵
	53953	54242	Noted 02/09/89 - on 11:05 Carlisle - Barrow-in-Furness⁵
	53953	54242	Noted 11/11/89 - on 10:15 Barrow-in-Furness - Carlisle⁵
	53953	54242	Noted 25/11/89 - on 16:18 Carlisle - Newcastle service⁵
	53953	54242	Noted 25/11/89 - on 14:35 Newcastle - Carlisle service⁵
	53954	54242	Noted 03/02/90 - on 11:05 Carlisle - Barrow-in-Furness⁵
	53953	54242	Noted 17/03/90 - on 10:30 Newcastle - Carlisle⁶
	53953	54242	Noted 25/08/90 - on Thornaby TMD
HT73	53973	54242	Listed at HT - Jul-91
HT73	53973	54242	Listed at HT - Aug-91
	53973	54242	Noted 21/09/91 - on 15:15 Newcastle - Carlisle service⁵

Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Gerald Brown
3: Phil Shatford
4: Eddie Knorn
5: Graeme Phillips
6: David Bellamy

Images:

29th May 1979

Class 108 DTC(L) M56242 departs Foxfield on way to Carlisle, 29/05/1979 Graeme Phillips Collection.

1980

Class 108 DTC(L) no M56242 is prominent within a formation of at least four vehicles at Kent's Bank, Cumbria, in 1980. Note the antimacassars visible on the seats within the first class saloon. Graeme Phillips Collection.

24th March 1984

Class 108s at Lancaster on Saturday 24th March 1984, with 54242 + 53953 closest. Colin Brooks.

11th October 1985

A two-car Class 108 DMU at Kendal on 11 October 1985. The leading car is thought to be 54242. John Carter.

25th August 1990

54242 and 53953 are seen at Thornaby TMD on the afternoon of Saturday 25/8/90. Note Kilmarnock showing on the destination blind! Graeme Phillips.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: 16th March 1982

Lancaster station contains a 4-car formation of Class 108s made up of two 2-car sets on the 16th March 1982 - 56245 + 50962 + 56242 + 50953. Jerry Glover.

Date: 3rd November 1986

M53953 + M54242 await departure from Newcastle p5 with the 12:35 Newcastle - Alnmouth local service on 3/11/86. At the time, these cars were allocated to Kingmoor for Cumbria services, but this one could have worked across to Newcastle on a Tyne Valley service, perhaps due to unit failure, and was now being utilised on this north-east service. Most of the Kingmoor 108s - including this pairing - were reallocated to Heaton in May 1988, when the former was closed, the remaining units going to Chester depot. Graeme Phillips Collection.

Date: 23rd August 1989

Class 108 vehicles 53953 and 54242 depart Newcastle for a trip up the ECML with the 17:45 to Morpeth on Wednesday 23/8/89. In the background, platform construction work is underway, including the outer island platform, which was initially numbered 15 and 16 when opened for local services in 1989. All the platforms were renumbered soon afterwards, the outer island becoming platforms 5, 6, 7 and 8, and the platform from which this photograph was taken renumbered from 8 to 2. Graeme Phillips.

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