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Vehicle 56342 / 54342 / 042222

Class 101

Builder: Met-Camm
Layout: Low-Density
Length: 57ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: LMS
Lot Number: 30468
Diagram: 630

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 51184 during the unknown period are:

22/11/58	New to	3E (Monument Lane)
20/06/60	Depot code change	21E
Sep-63	Depot code change	2H
4w/e 06/02/65	Transferred to	6A (Chester)

Then the allocations for 56342 are:

10/05/87	Transferred to	NC (Norwich)
14/05/89	Transferred to	NL (Neville Hill) PNLX
p/e 07/10/89	Sector Change to	NL (Neville Hill) PZQZ
12/12/90	Withdrawn from	NL (Neville Hill) PXXZ

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

56342 - original number
54342 - from Apr-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)
042222 - from Dec-90 (internal user)

Department Use as 042222

Internal User From 12/90 to 9/05.

Refurbished

At Derby Works dated 07/05/1976 released in white/blue stripe livery

Disposal

Preserved - moved by road from Neville Hill depot - more details.

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	51184	56342	As delivered to 3E - 22nd November 1958
CR234	51184	56342	Noted circa Jun-69
	51201	56342	Noted 19/09/71 - on Chester depot¹
	51201	56342	Noted 22/10/71 - at Crewe¹
	51181	56342	Noted 22/06/74 - at Llandudno²
	51181	56342	Noted 17/08/1974 - at Chester³
	51181	56342	Noted 29/08/1974 - at Crewe⁴
	51186	56342	Noted 27/02/76 - in Manchester Victoria¹
	56342		Noted 10/09/76 - on Chester depot, loose vehicle in refurbished livery²
	51201	56342	Noted 25/02/1977 - CH Depot⁵
	51201	56342	Noted 08/09/77 - at Machynlleth²
	51184	56342	Noted circa 04/1981⁵
	51184	54342	Noted circa 12/1983⁵
	51184	54342	Noted 31/03/1984 - on Chester Depot⁵
	51184	54342	Noted 09/11/85 - on 12:05 Crewe - Manchester Piccadilly service⁶
	51184	54342	Noted 17/01/86 - on 16:30 Crewe - Lincoln service after 53696 + 59121 + 53669 failed. Ran on one engine, left 5 late and 13 late by Alsager⁶
	51184	54342	Noted 24/01/86 - on 17:06 Crewe - Stoke with 53228 + 54055⁶
	51184	54342	Listed at Chester - Summer 1986
	51184	54342	Noted circa 01/1987⁵
79	51184	54342	Noted 20/06/1987⁵
79	51184	54342	Noted 20/06/87 - at Norwich²
79	51184	54342	Listed at NC - Dec-87
79	51184	54342	Noted 26/03/1988⁵

Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Gerald Brown
3: Jeremy Goodyear
4: Peter Wallwork
5: Eddie Knorn
6: Martin Baumann

Images:

11th March 1961

The 4.40pm Tamworth (Low Level) - Rugby service is seen at Nuneaton (TV) on March 11, 1961. It is formed of a two-car Met-Camm unit, M56342 closest, presumably with 51184. Michael Mensing.

Class 101 DMU at between Birmingham and Coventry

January 1962

A Birmingham New Street - Rugby service is seen between Birmingham and Coventry in January 1962. The two-car Met-Camm DMU is led by DTCL M56342, at the time allocated to Monument Lane depot. Michael Mensing.

23rd June 1962

Met-Camm DTC M56342 in Birmingham New Street (platform 8) with the 2.35pm service to Redditch (via the Camp Hill line) on 23 June 1962. Michael Mensing.

16th May 1976

56342, reported to be "the first refurbished Metro Cammell coach on the midland region", seen at Chester depot, 16/5/76. Anthony Griffiths.

11th August 1987

Set number: 79

Norwich based 2 car Metro-Cammell set 79 (54342, 51184) is seen on the outskirts of North Walsham, with a Norwich - Sheringham service, on the predominately 30 mile single track branch, which is now known as the "Bittern Line". 11th August 1987. Andrew J Crowther.

25th October 1988

Set number: 79

Class 101 Set 79 (54342 + 51184) on a 09XX Norwich - Lowestoft service approaches Lowestoft at 10:30 on Tuesday 25th October 1988. Colin Brooks.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: June 1959

A two-car Met-Camm DMU in Birmingham New Street station with a Coventry service in late June 1959. Closest is M56341 or M56342. Michael Mensing.

Date: unknown

Set number: CR234

Two two-car Met-Camm sets in Llandudno station, undated. The closest set is carrying set number CR234 in a cab window, indicating that it's a Chester based set, which in the summer of 1969 noted as 56342 + 51184. Steve Davies Collection.

Date: unknown

Chester allocated M51184 gets it's coolant system topped up at Caersws, between Machynlleth and Newtown, probably paired with long-term partner 56342. It is working with a Class 108 on what is presumed to be an Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury service. Date unknown. Steve Davies Collection.

Date: unknown

Set number: CR234

Met-Camm set CR234 and another of the class sit in Llandudno station. Undated, but as one of the Mark I coaches on the right is still in maroon this is probably late 1960s. In the summer of 1969 CR234 was noted as 56342 + 51184 - could those be these vehicles? Steve Davies Collection.

Date: 22nd January 1984

Class 101 Metro Cammell 2-car DMU 51184+54342 stabled next to Chester MPD on 22-1-84. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.

Date: April 1984

The blind on 51184 says that the set is heading for Crewe. Taken at Cockshute, Stoke, in April 1984, presumably with long-term partner 54342. Ian Francis.

Date: 23rd December 1987

Set number: 79

M51184 + M54342 with 2C20 10.10 Ely to Norwich at Ely on 23rd December 1987. Nicholas Youngman.

Date: 13th June 1988

Set number: 79

A two-car Metro-Cam Class 101, 51184 leading and presumably with 54342, gallops past Three Horse Shoes signal box with an Ely to Peterborough service. Three Horse Shoes was the junction for the goods only Benwick branch, opened by the Great Eastern in 1898 and closed in 1966. The box was subsequently modernised, losing its impressive chimney. June 13, 1988. Mike Dean.

Date: September 1988

Set number: 79

Set 79 is seen in Norwich with 51184 leading, and presumably with 54342, September 1988. Mac Winfield.

Date: 25th October 1988

Set number: 79

101 Set 79 (E51184 & E54342) on the 1040 Lowestoft - Norwich awaits departure at Lowestoft on Tuesday 25th October 1988. Colin Brooks.

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