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Vehicle 56491 / 54491

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 51908 during the unknown period are:

23/04/60	New to	18A (Toton)
4w/e 24/09/60	Transferred to	9E (Trafford Park)
4w/e 01/06/63	Transferred to	9A (Longsight)
3w/e 30/04/66	Transferred to	8J (Allerton)

Then the allocations for 56491 are:

08/07/83	Transferred to	LO (Longsight)
12/05/85	Transferred to	KD (Carlisle Kingmoor)
24/11/85	Transferred to	NH (Newton Heath)
11/05/86	Transferred to	TS (Tyseley)
15/03/87	Transferred to	ME (Marylebone)
Oct-88	Transferred to	BY (Bletchley)
28/01/92	Transferred to	RG (Reading) NWRX
Feb-92	Transferred to	OO (Old Oak Common)
17/12/92	Withdrawn from	OO (Old Oak Common) NWRX

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

56491 - original number
54491 - from Jun-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Modifications

Jan-73 - AWS fitted

Refurbished

At Derby Works dated 11/01/1978 released in white/blue stripe livery

Disposal

Preserved - more details.

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	51908	56491			As delivered to 18A - 23rd April 1960
	51918	56491			Noted 04/06/71 - at Liverpool Lime Street¹
	51908	56491			Noted 19/05/72 - at Crewe¹
	50627	56491			Noted 17/08/1974 - at Chester²
	51421	56491			Noted Sep-76 - at Crewe¹
	51422	56491			Noted 10/06/1977³
	51913	56491			Noted 12/09/1977 - 12.07 Lime Street - Warrington Central with 51424-56278³
	51909	56491			Noted circa 05/1982³
	51912	56491			Noted 19/07/1982 - Manchester Picc³
	51912	56491			Noted circa 09/1982³
	51912	56491			Noted circa 12/1982³
	51942	54491			Noted circa 07/1983³
	51942	54491			Listed at LO - 01/01/85
	51942	54491			Noted circa 11/1985³
	51942	54491			Transfer to NH - 24/11/85 - from KD
TS204	51942	54491			Listed at Tyseley - Summer 1986
TS204	51942	54491			Noted circa 06/1986³
TS204	51942	54491			Noted 30/07/1986 - at Derby - as 8 car set with TS200, TS203 and TS207⁴
	51855	54491	59740	51857	Noted 22/03/87 - on Marylebone (09.07) - Princes Risborough(10.10) and 10.23 Princes Risborough – Marylebone⁵
	51855	54491	59740	51857	Noted 25/03/87 - on 15.10 Marylebone – Aylesbury⁵
	51855	54491	59740	51879	Noted 02/04/87 - on 12.38 Marylebone – High Wycombe, High Wycombe (14.38) – Marylebone (15.31), Marylebone (15.53) – Banbury (17.28) and Banbury (18.39) – Marylebone (20.18)⁵
	51895	54491			Noted 21/04/87 - on 21.40 Aylesbury – Marylebone with 51668 + 51855⁵
	51855	54491			Noted circa 07/1987³
	51855	54491			Noted 01/08/1987³
	51855	54491			Noted 06/10/1987³
	51855	54491			Noted 28/11/1987 - Hertfordshire Railtours Wymondham Willows 51679-54257 + 54274-51866 + 54491-51855 + 54222-51654
	51855	54491			Noted circa 02/1988³
	51855	54491			Noted circa 07/1988³
	51855	54491			Noted 15/07/88 - on 15.10 Marylebone – Aylesbury and 16.40 Aylesbury – Marylebone with 51664 + 59659 + 59761 + 51857⁵
	51855	54491			Noted 23/08/88 - on 16.50 Marylebone – High Wycombe and 18.12 High Wycombe – Marylebone⁵
	51895	54491			Noted 03/11/88 - on 17.10 Marylebone – West Ruislip and 17.43 West Ruislip – Marylebone ECS⁵
	51895	54491			Noted 08/12/88 - on 06.45 Marylebone – Aylesbury and 08.00 Aylesbury – Marylebone both with 51659 + 59657 + 59754 + 51863⁵
	51895	54491			Noted 23/12/88 - on 05.32 Marylebone – Banbury and 07.47 Banbury – Marylebone both with 51878 + 54228⁵
	51895	54491			Noted circa 01/1989³
	51895	54491			Noted 11/01/89 - on 15.10 Marylebone – Aylesbury and 16.40 Aylesbury - Marylebone both with 51668 + 59660 + 59664 + 51889⁵
	51895	54491			Noted 03/02/89 - on 15.39 Marylebone – Aylesbury via Princes Risborough, 17.20 Aylesbury – Marylebone via Princes Risborough and 18.52 Marylebone – Aylesbury via Princes Risborough all with 51654 + 54495⁵
	51895	54491			Noted 23/02/89 - on 18.25 Marylebone – Banbury and 20.53 Banbury – Marylebone both with 51668 + 59733 + 59764 + 51886⁵
	51895	54491			Noted 07/03/89 - on 12.39 Marylebone – Banbury and 14.53 Banbury – Marylebone both with 51866 + 54222 then solo on 17.37 Marylebone – West Ruislip and 18.47 West Ruislip - Marylebone⁵
	51879	59671	51888	54491	Noted 13/07/89 - on 15.15 Marylebone – High Wycombe and 16.15 High Wycombe - Marylebone⁵
	51879	59671	51888	54491	Noted 02/08/89 - on 15.10 Marylebone – Aylesbury, 16.40 Aylesbury – Marylebone, 17.52 Marylebone – High Wycombe and 20.00 High Wycombe – Marylebone ECS⁵
	51879	59671	51888	54491	Noted 03/08/89 - on 15.10 Marylebone – Aylesbury and 16.40 Aylesbury – Marylebone⁵
	51879	59671	51888	54491	Noted 08/08/89 - on 16.15 Marylebone – Banbury and 18.20 Banbury – Marylebone⁵
L265	53539	54491			Noted 25/02/92 - at Royal Oak⁶
L265	53539	54491			Listed at OO - 24/02/92 - NSE NWRX pool
L265	53539	54491			Listed at OO - 12/08/92 - NSE Thames NWRX pool (Reading / Old Oak Common)
L265	53539	54491			Noted circa 11/1992³
L265	53539	54491			Listed at OO - November 1992 - Sector NWRX

Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Jeremy Goodyear
3: Eddie Knorn
4: Robert Chilton
5: Phil Shatford
6: Gerald Brown

Images:

26th June 1984

A Class 108 and Class 101 formation at Rhyl on 26/06/1984, led by 54491 (and probably 51942). Graeme Phillips Collection.

22nd July 1984

class 108 54491/51942 at Chester, 22nd July 1984. Graham Johnston.

circa May 1990

A Class 108 / 115 hybrid set formed of 54491 + 51656 in Aylesbury (Town) station, circa May 1990. Stuart Mackay Collection.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: circa May 1990

A Class 115 / 108 hybrid set formed of 51656 + 54491 in Aylesbury (Town) station, circa May 1990. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 2nd March 1991

977052 (M56145), 54491, 59656, 51674 Bletchley TMD 2-3-91. Kevin Dowd.

Date: 24th March 1992

Set number: L265

L265 53539 + 54491 arrive at Greenford on the 16:37 ex-Ealing Broadway, 24-3-92. Kevin Dowd.

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