Sign In

Vehicle 56503 / 54503

Class 108

Builder: BR Derby Works
Layout: Low Density
Length: 57ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: LMS
Lot Number: 30602
Diagram: 646

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 51920 during the unknown period are:

02/07/60	New to	6G (Llandudno Junction)
w/e 01/10/60	Transferred to	9A (Longsight)
4w/e 31/12/60	Transferred to	8H (Allerton)
Sep-63	Depot code change	8J

Then the allocations for 56503 are:

4w/e 05/04/69	Transferred to	6A (Chester)
06/05/73	Depot code change	CH
12/05/85	Transferred to	KD (Carlisle Kingmoor)
29/09/85	Transferred to	NH (Newton Heath)
14/05/89	Transferred to	TS (Tyseley) PTSX
01/10/89	Transferred to	NL (Neville Hill) PNLX
07/07/91	Transferred to	LO (Longsight) PLOX
09/06/92	Withdrawn from	LO (Longsight) RCLO

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

56503 - original number
54503 - from May-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Modifications

Dec-75 - AWS fitted

Refurbished

At Swindon Works dated 25/04/1983 released in blue/grey livery

Disposal

Scrapped by Gwent Demolition, Margam

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	51920	56503	As delivered to 6G - 2nd July 1960
	51920	56503	Noted 19/09/71 - in Chester station¹
	51920	56503	Noted 18/04/73 - on Chester depot²
	51920	56503	Noted 11/05/73 - in Liverpool Lime Street¹
	51920	56503	Noted 17/08/1974 - at Chester³
	51920	56503	Noted 10/04/76 - in Manchester Victoria¹
	51920	56503	Noted 25/02/1977 - 2F75 16.30 Chester to Rock Ferry⁴
	51920	56503	Noted 12/09/77 - at Aberystwyth²
	51919	56503	Noted 17/04/78 - on 09:29 Manchester Victoria - Llandudno
	51177	56503	Noted 10th July 1980
	50628	56503	Noted 04/09/81 - at Shrewsbury working with 55993
	50628	56503	Noted circa 10/1982⁴
	51193	54503	Noted circa 06/1983⁴
	51919	54503	Noted circa 10/1984 - allocated to Chester but on loan to Bletchley.⁴
	53971	54503	Formed at KD circa Sep-85
	53974	54503	Formation change - NH - circa Oct-85
	53974	54503	Noted circa 01/1986⁴
	53974	54503	Listed at Newton Heath - Summer 1986
	53974	54503	Listed at NH - 10/05/87
N604	53974	54503	Listed at NH - May 1988
N604	53974	54503	Noted circa May-88
N604	53974	54503	Noted circa Jul-88
N604	53974	54503	Noted circa 11/1988⁴
T204	53974	54503	Listed at TS - 01/09/89
T204	53974	54503	Noted 28/12/89 - in Sheffield Midland²
	53965	54503	Noted 07/05/90 - on 14:22 Morecambe - Leeds⁵
	53965	54503	Noted 24/10/90 - on 15:25 Doncaster - Skegness⁶
spare	54503		Listed at NL - Jul-91
LO283	53940	54503	Listed at LO - Aug-91
LO283	53940	54503	Noted circa 09/1991⁴
LO283	53940	54503	Listed at LO - Dec-91

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

Images:

12th May 1983

Ex-works Class 108 DTC 54503 on Chester depot, 12-5-83. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.

20th May 1989

Set number: T204

Class 108 54503, set number T204, seen on the wheel lathe at Tyseley, 20.05.1989. Andy Cole.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: 16th August 1988

Set number: N604

A well filled two-car Class 108 (Newton Heath Depot set N604), formed of cars M53974 & M54503 was stood on the Up Slow at Leyland station with a tea-time Blackpool North to Manchester Victoria service on August 16th 1988. Martyn Hilbert.

Date: 20th May 1989

Set number: T204

Class 108 DMBS 53974, set number T204, is seen at Tyseley on 20.05.1989. The road it is on leads to the wheel lathe, and its partner, 54503 was on the lathe. The adjacent Class 116 (probably 53825) is missing a drivers door. Andy Cole.

Date: 14th July 1990

Set number: 218

53965 + 54503 leaves Leeds for Sheffield, 14-7-90. The Class 108 carries what was (T)212 from its time at Tyseley, an attempt has been made to turn the latter two into an eight. The vehicles were now allocated to Neville Hill. Stuart Mackay Collection.

➤