Vehicle 59161
Class 104
Builder: BRC&W
Layout: Low Density
Length: 57ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: LMS
Lot Number: 30295
Diagram: 582
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 50453 during the unknown period are:
| w/e 05/10/57 | New to | 9A (Longsight) | |
| Dec-57 | Transferred to | 5D (Cockshute) | |
| 3w/e 30/04/66 | Transferred to | 9A (Longsight) | |
| 4w/e 04/02/67 | Transferred to | 9D (Newton Heath) |
Then the allocations for 59161 are:
| Jan-81 | Withdrawn from | NH (Newton Heath) | |
| Feb-81 | Reinstated | HA (Haymarket) | |
| 05/06/81 | Stored U. | HA (Haymarket) | |
| 29/06/81 | Withdrawn from | HA (Haymarket) |
Disposal
Scrapped by Vic Berry, Leicester
Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:
| 50453 | 59161 | 50505 | As delivered to 9A - w/e 05/10/57 | ||||||
| 50453 | 59161 | 50505 | Noted 20/07/68 - in Manchester Victoria1 | ||||||
| 50453 | 59161 | 50505 | Noted 15/08/70 - at Chester2 | ||||||
| 50453 | 59161 | 50505 | Noted 04/06/71 - at Manchester Piccadilly1 | ||||||
| 50453 | 59161 | 50505 | Noted circa 05/1973 - listed at Bletchley on loan3 | ||||||
| 50463 | 59161 | 50490 | Noted 28/08/75 - at Southport2 | ||||||
| 50453 | 59161 | 50505 | Noted 08/04/1976 - at Manchester Victoria 4 | ||||||
| 50453 | 59161 | 50505 | Noted 10/09/76 - on Newton Heath depot2 | ||||||
| 50505 | 59161 | 50453 | Noted circa 01/1977 - Working 09.56 Manchester Vic to Holyhead with 50763 - 50796 (leading unit) and 56248 - 50965 (trailing unit)3 | ||||||
| 50453 | 59161 | 50505 | Noted 14/02/81 | ||||||
| 50423 | 59161 | 50505 | Noted 14th February 1981 - part of 6-car Rossendale Farewell special | ||||||
| 50453 | 59161 | 50505 | Noted 14/02/1981 - David Isherwood's The Rossendale Farewell Railtour 50794-59207-50761+50453-59161-50505 | ||||||
| 105373 | 50778 | 59161 | 50805 | Noted March 1981 | |||||
| 51483 | 59161 | 51475 | Noted circa 05/19813 |
Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Gerald Brown
3: Eddie Knorn
4: Peter Wallwork
No images of the vehicle available.
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The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:
Date: 10th September 1977
With the cobbled roadway of the former goods yard on the right, a well filled three-car BRCW Class 104 DMU formed of cars M50453, M59161 & M50505, complete with two first class saloons, was passing Salwick at speed with a Manchester Victoria to Blackpool North service on Saturday September 10th 1977. The former Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway signalbox dating from 1889, was retained at Salwick as a fringe box to the Preston PSB. The structure which must have been a busy place when the route between Preston and Kirkham had four tracks, was 'modernised' with UPVC windows and a lowered internal ceiling in later years. The 'box was closed in November 2017 as a prelude to resignalling and electrification between Preston and Blackpool North, and was demolished on December 19th 2017. The now electrified Blackpool-Preston route is signalled from the ROC at Ashburys. Martyn Hilbert.
Date: 14th February 1981
Class 105 Bury Bolton Street 14 Feb 1981. The Rossendale Farewell Railtour ran from Manchester Victoria to Rawtenstall and back. Billed as the last train along the branch the only sections covered which aren't still regularly available are the curves at Castleford and the short section from there to Heywood, plus the flat crossing in Bury which has been replaced by the "ski slope" bridge. Here we are at the lunch stop at Bolton Street, the electric lines having already been diverted to nearby Interchange station prior to the line's conversion to trams. The formation was 50794/59207/50761 + 50453/59161/50505. Alistair Ness.
Date: 14th February 1981
Class 105 Ramsbottom 14 Feb 1981. The Rossendale Farewell Railtour ran from Manchester Victoria to Rawtenstall and back. Billed as the last train along the branch the only sections covered which aren't still regularly available are the curves at Castleford and the short section from there to Heywood, plus the flat crossing in Bury which has been replaced by the "ski slope" bridge. Here we are at the Ramsbottom photo stop, a view which doesn't look anything like this today. The formation was 50794/59207/50761 + 50453/59161/50505. Alistair Ness.
Date: 14th February 1981
Class 104 Rawtenstall 14 Feb 1981. The Rossendale Farewell Railtour ran from Manchester Victoria to Rawtenstall and back. Billed as the last train along the branch the only sections covered which aren't still regularly available are the curves at Castleford and the short section from there to Heywood, plus the flat crossing in Bury which has been replaced by the "ski slope" bridge. Here we are at the end of the line and another view which looks much better today. It's not often you can say that about railway locations. The formation was 50505/59161/50453 + 50761/59207/50794. Alistair Ness.
Date: 14th February 1981
The view from the level crossing at Ramsbottom, as 'The Rossendale Farewell' was awaiting the train crew to return from the signal box, having operated the gates and the rudimentary signals on this much rationalised railway, on February 14th 1981. The tour which had departed from Manchester Victoria and was bound for Rawtenstall, was formed of a three-car BRCW Class 104 DMU and a Cravens Class 105 Power Twin that had a BRCW Class 104 centre trailer coach inserted between the two driving vehicles. The actual formation being - M50505, M59161, M50453 + M50761, M59207, M50794. Martyn Hilbert.
Date: 14th February 1981
Class 105 Rawtenstall 14 Feb 1981 The Rossendale Farewell Railtour ran from Manchester Victoria to Rawtenstall and back. Billed as the last train along the branch the only sections covered which aren't still regularly available are the curves at Castleford and the short section from there to Heywood, plus the flat crossing in Bury which has been replaced by the "ski slope" bridge. Here we are at Rawtenstall. The formation was 50794/59207/50761 + 50453/59161/50505. Alistair Ness.
Date: 14th February 1981
The Rossendale Farewell railtour seen at Bury Bolton Street, formed of M50794 (105 DMC), M59207 (104 TS), M50761 (105 DMBS) and M50453 (104 DMBS), M59161 (104 TC), M50505 (104 DMC). 14/2/81. Andy Pullar.
Date: 14th February 1981
With the locals out in force to witness what was billed as the last BR passenger train along the Bury to Rawtenstall line on Saturday February 14th 1981, the six-car DMU formation of 'The Rossendale Farewell' was stood at Ramsbottom awaiting the opening of the level crossing gates across Bridge Street. The front three cars were a Newton Heath allocated BRCW Class 104 formed of cars M50453, M59161 with M50505 leading. Just visible on the left is the front end of Cravens Class 105 M50761. Martyn Hilbert.
Date: 14th February 1981
St Valentine's Day 1981 saw a farewell tour run from Manchester via Bury Bolton Street to Rawtenstall formed M50794 + M59207 + M50761 / M50453 + M59161 + M50505. This marked the end of BR services on the line from Bury to Rawtenstall. The last freight train ran the previous December and passenger trains had been diverted to Bury Interchange for almost a year by this time. Jeremy Chapter.
Date: 14th February 1981
With Cravens Class 105 M50794 at the rear, the six-car DMU forming 'The Rossendale Farewell' railtour, had arrived at the end-of-the-line at Rawtenstall on a cold and overcast February 14th 1981. Running from Manchester Victoria, the train was billed as the 'Last BR Service to Rawtenstall'. The line had lost its timetabled passenger service in June 1972, and the Coal workings to Rawtenstall from Bury had ceased in December 1980. Formed of DMU cars of classes 104 and 105 the individual cars were - M50794, M59207, M50761 + M50453, M59161, M50505. It was fitting that Class 105 Power-Twin cars M50794 & M50761 were used, as the Newton Heath Power-Twins were regular visitors to the line in BR days, and a set formed the very last BR service train on June 3rd 1972. Martyn Hilbert.
Date: 14th February 1981
The David Isherwood "Rossendale Farewell" railtour in Bury Bolton Street on 14 February 1981. The formation was 50794 + 59207 + 50761 / 50453 + 59161 + 50505. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Date: 14th February 1981
On 14 February 1981, David Isherwood organised "The Rossendale Farewell" rail tour from Manchester to commemorate the ending of all services from Bury to Rawtenstall. BRCW class 104 car M50505 was the car to almost touch the buffers at Rawtenstall. The full formation was M50505 + M59161 + M50453 and M50761 + M59207 + M50794. Jeremy Chapter.
Date: 14th February 1981
Plenty of locals have turned out to greet the last BR train to traverse the line from Bury to Rawtenstall, 'The Rossendale Farewell' Railtour, from Manchester Victoria on February 14th 1981. This was the scene at Ramsbottom, at around 1.30pm on the outward journey, as the six-car DMU set paused for the level crossing gates to be opened by the train crew. Cravens Class 105 M50794 brings up the rear, the other vehicles were 59207, 50761 and M50453, M59161, M50505. The Newton Heath allocated Cravens DMU's were frequent visitors to the route until the regular passenger services ceased on June 3rd 1972. Martyn Hilbert.
Date: 14th February 1981
The Rossendale Farewell Railtour passing through Bury Knowsley Street on 14 February 1981, formed of M50505 + M59161 + M50453 and M50761 + 59207 + M50794. Harvey Scowcroft / Nigel Valentine Collection.
Date: 14th February 1981
The Rossendale Farewell Railtour at Rawtenstall on 14 February 1981, formed of M50505 + M59161 + M50453 and M50761 + 59207 + M50794. Harvey Scowcroft / Nigel Valentine Collection.
Date: 14th February 1981
Billed as the last BR train to run from Bury to Rawtenstall, Curious locals have come out to witness the passage of the six-car DMU awaiting to proceed past Ramsbottom on February 14th 1981. With Class 104 Driving Motor Composite M50505 leading, the train crew are heading for the still extant signalbox to open the level crossing gates on Bridge Street. The last Coal train to Rawtenstall had traversed the line in December 1980. The home signal on its bracket looked faded and woebegone. Running from Manchester Victoria at 11.05, the train was formed of a Class 104 and a Class 105 power-twin that had a centre trailer car inserted specially for the tour. The individual cars were M50505, M59161, M50453 + M50761, 59207, M50794. This would have been the first passenger carrying DMU to visit the line since regular passenger services had been withdrawn in June 1972. Martyn Hilbert.