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Vehicle 56493 / 54493

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 51910 during the unknown period are:

30/04/60	New to	18A (Toton)
4w/e 31/12/60	Transferred to	8H (Allerton)
Sep-63	Depot code change	8J
3w/e 31/10/65	Transferred to	9A (Longsight)
3w/e 30/04/66	Transferred to	8J (Allerton)

Then the allocations for 56493 are:

04/07/83	Transferred to	LO (Longsight)
12/05/85	Transferred to	CH (Chester)
29/0985	Transferred to	NH (Newton Heath)
02/03/86	Transferred to	CH (Chester)
04/05/86	Transferred to	TS (Tyseley)
07/12/86	Transferred to	BY (Bletchley)
14/05/90	Sector Change to	BY (Bletchley) NNDX
p/e 07/12/91	Sector Change to	BY (Bletchley) NXXZ
23/12/91	Withdrawn from	BY (Bletchley) NXXZ

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

56493 - original number
54493 - from Aug-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)

Disposal

Scrapped by Gwent Demolition, Margam

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	51910	56493	As delivered to 18A - 30th April 1960
	51908	56493	Noted 04/11/68 - at Manchester Exchange¹
	51913	56493	Noted 04/06/71 - at Longsight¹
	51913	56493	Noted 19/09/71 - at Crewe with 51904 + 56487 / 51906 + 56489 / 51917 + 56274 possibly subbing for a Class 304 if the current was switched off between Liverpool and Crewe¹
	50626	56493	Noted 04/09/74 - at Allerton²
	51913	56493	Noted 13/08/1977 - 08.25 Lime Street to Bangor with 51417-56492 and 51918-56496³
	51913	56493	Noted 24/08/1977 - at Mossley Hill working 07.11 Warrington Central - Lime Street³
	51418	56493	Noted 16/09/1977³
	51913	56493	Noted 22/09/1977 - 07.40 Wigan NW to Lime Street with 51901-56279³
	51925	56493	Noted circa 05/1982³
	51422	56493	Noted circa 11/1982³
	51911	56493	Noted circa 03/1983³
	51922	54493	Noted circa 01/1984³
	51922	54493	Listed at LO - 01/01/85
	51922	54493	Formation change - CH - circa Mar-86
	51922	54493	Noted circa 03/1986³
TS203	51922	54493	Formation change - TS - 2w/e 14/05/86
TS203	51922	54493	Listed at Tyseley - Summer 1986
TS203	51922	54493	Noted circa 06/1986³
TS203	51922	54493	Noted 30/07/1986 - at Derby - as 8 car set with TS204, TS200 and TS207⁴
	53628	54493	Noted 28/12/1986³
	51942	54493	Noted 25/01/1987³
	51942	54493	Noted 07/05/87 - on Bletchley - Kettering service
	51942	54493	Noted circa 11/1987³
	51912	54493	Noted 12/02/88 - on 19.20 Bletchley - Bedford⁵
	51912	54493	Noted circa 03/1988³
	51912	54493	Noted circa 06/1988³
	51912	54493	Noted circa 02/1991³

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

Images:

7th May 1987

Two car Class 108 dmu, 54493 + 51942, crosses from down main to down slow at Kettering Junction. The service had originated at Bletchley and would terminate in another mile or so at Kettering. The destination blind shows "St. Albans Abbey". Taken on May 7, 1987. Mike Dean.

8th May 1987

A Class 108 2-car DMU, consisting of 54493/51942, departs Wellingborough on May 8, 1987, with a working to Corby during the short period between 1987-1990 that Corby station was open on an "experimental" basis. Lewis Bevan.

16th July 1987

A 2-car Class 108 DMU (with coaches 54493/51942) in Platform 1 at Kettering on 16 July 1987. I have this down as the 13.35 Kettering-Corby, but this platform faces south. Did the 13.35 depart south from Kettering with passengers, and then reverse to travel north? Or was the unit about to shunt over to Platform 3 to pick up passengers for its departure? Lewis Bevan.

January 1988

In January 1988 a Class 108 DMU formed of 54493 + 51912 is seen at Watford North en-route to St Albans Abbey. Dave Warby.

1st January 1988

Sitting in the St Albans Abbey branch platform (11) at Watford Junction on 1 January 1988 is a Class 108 DMU formed of 54493 + 51912. Dave Warby.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: January 1988

51912 (closest) and 54493 head away from Watford North station with a St Albans Abbey service in January 1988. Dave Warby.

Date: 28th May 1988

A Class 108 DMU (51912 + 54493) stabled in sidings at Bedford between duties on the Kettering to Corby shuttle service, 28 May 1988. Brian Creasey.

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