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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 Dec-81	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09/11/86	Withdrawn from	BY (Bletchley)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1st July 1989 - Listed as withdrawn at Longsight depot
19th October 1989 - Listed as withdrawn/out of use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 22/12/81 - on 07.52 Bedford St Johns - Bletchley⁴
	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:

August 1981

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

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.

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.

1984

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

1984

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

13th October 1984

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

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.

6th May 1989

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

21st July 1989

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

21st February 1992

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

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

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.

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.

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.

Date: 1984

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

Date: 18th June 1984

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

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