Sign In

Vehicle 50521 / 78601

Class 104

Builder: BRC&W
Layout: Low Density
Length: 57ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: LMS
Engines: Leyland 150hp
Transmission: Mechanical
Lot Number: 30294
Diagram: 558

Allocations

4w/e 25/01/58	New to	5B (Crewe South)
Apr-63	Transferred to	5D (Cockshute)
3w/e 30/04/66	Transferred to	9A (Longsight)
4w/e 04/02/67	Transferred to	9D (Newton Heath)
May-73	Depot code change	NH
04/09/82	Transferred to	LO (Longsight)
12/05/85	Transferred to	NH (Newton Heath)
17/11/85	Withdrawn from	NH (Newton Heath)

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

50521 - original number
78601 - from Sep-82 (single engine conversion)

Modifications

Mar-82 - Single engine conversion

Disposal

Scrapped by BR, Cheetham Hill

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	50469	59177	50521	As delivered to 5B - 4w/e 25/01/58
	50469	59177	50521	Noted 04/06/71 - at Manchester Victoria¹
	50469	59177	50521	Noted 10/04/76 - in Manchester Victoria¹
	50469	59177	50521	Noted 27/09/1976 - at Blackpool North ²
	50469	59177	50521	Noted 04/01/78
	50464	59142	50521	Noted 04/04/1981 - David Isherwood's Knotty Railtour 50516-59177-50469 + 50464-59142-50521
NH350	50446	50521		Noted circa 05/1982³
NH350	50446	50521		Noted 19/07/1982 - Manchester Victoria, "half powered" set³
NH350	50446	50521		Noted circa 08/1982³
	78851	78601		Noted circa 10/1982³
	78851	78601		Noted May-84
EXPDM352	78851	78601		Noted 04/08/84 - Officially the set number was NH 350, but the Experiment number EXPDM352 was carried under the cab window like a set number.
	78851	78601		Noted circa 10/1984³
	78601	78851		Listed at LO - 01/01/85

Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Peter Wallwork
3: Eddie Knorn

Images:

4th April 1981

A Class 104 DMU (M50521 closest) at Cheddleton with the David Isherwood 'Knotty Rambler' railtour on 4 April 1981. Alistair Ness.

4th April 1981

A six-car (2 x 3) Class 104 formation (M50521 closest) in Cheddleton station with the Knotty Rambler railtour on 4 April 1981. Alistair Ness.

4th April 1981

M50521 at one end of the David Isherwood 'Knotty Rambler' railtour at Cheddleton on 4 April 1981. The Six Bells Junction website notes the other vehicles as 59142 + 50464 / 50469 + 59177 + 50516. Stuart Mackay Collection.

7th March 1982

In ex-works condition after it's conversion to a single-engined vehicle, M50521 is seen in Doncaster Works on 7/3/82. Jerry Glover.

15th April 1982

Set number: EXPDM352

M56492, M50385, M50521, M50446, M50958 at Preston on 15-04-82. Vincent Haworth.

15th April 1982

Set number: EXPDM352

EXP DM352 (M50521 & M50446) at Preston on 15-04-82. Vincent Haworth.

18th September 1982

Set number: EXPDM352

The single engined experiment Class 104 BRC&W 2-car DMU 50521 + 50446 on Longsight depot, 18-9-82. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.

circa 1983

Set number: EXPDM352

The experimental Class 104 78601 + 78851 - each power car had one engine removed - in Manchester Piccadilly circa 1983. Graeme Phillips Collection.

Unknown date

Set number: EXPDM352

The experimental Class 104 single-engine conversion EXP DM352 (78601 + 78851) in Manchester Piccadilly. Date unknown. Stuart Pearce.

circa 1984

Set number: EXP DM352

Class 104 with experimental half engine modification, EXP DM352, with 78601 (50521) leading 78851 (50446) passes through Audenshaw, under Stamford Road bridge and past Boothcote Farm on a Stalybridge to Stockport service. Date unknown. Likely 1980s, likely a weekend. Photograph taken from approximately 53.46859569880387, -2.1215742975572685. Photo by my dad, David Slack. Uploaded by Andrew Slack. David Slack.

May 1984

Set number: EXPDM352

Experimental DMU no. EXP DM 352, consisting of cars 78601 (nearest, formerly 50521) and 78851 (formerly 50446) both of which had had one of their two 150hp engines removed as a proposed cost saving measure, seen at Stalybridge in May 1984. It is said that the unit was underpowered - although it should have had the same power as a 'conventional' Class 101-109 power-trailer or 4-car unit - and the only other cars to have this modification carried out subsequently were the Metropolitan-Cammell Class 111s, which had 180hp Rolls-Royce engines. This unit was one of the few Class 104s to receive blue & grey livery, plus the black strip below the cab windows was presumably to mark it out as non-standard. Graeme Phillips Collection.

19th August 1984

Set number: EXPDM352

Modified Class 104 M78601 (ex 50521) and M78851 (ex 50446) at Manchester Piccadilly on 19 April 1984. Keith Long.

14th September 1984

The expanse of Manchester's Piccadilly terminus can be appreciated in this panoramic view from the footbridge, dating from 14 September 1984. Both 25kV and 1500V dc electrics, and diesel multiple unit motive power can be seen. On the left a Class 304 unit is on a Crewe service and a Class 506 unit is on a Hadfield service on the right. The DMU with the black stripe across the front is carrying the marking "EXP DM 352" below the cab window (and formed of M78601 + 78851), the Class 104 to the left has a blue/grey centre car. Andrew Walker.

14th September 1984

There are several Class 104 (including 78601 + 78851) and 108 DMUs in this view of Manchester Piccadilly on 14 September 1984. Andrew Walker.

October 1985

Set number: EXPDM352

The experimental single-engine Class 104 set at Manchester Victoria 10/85. Bill Read.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: 7th May 1983

Set number: L576

Class 119 sets L576 and L578 have either come out of or are about to enter the empty siding on the right. They are at Spalding on a Flower Parade special from West Ruislip on 7 May 1983. Other details from the July 1983 issue of The Railway Observer (p270): in the sidings on the far left are 53669 + 59256 + 53718 / 50331 + 59125 + 50308 / 53738 + 59262 + 53693 which ran from Burton-on-Trent / Leicester. On the right are 54230 + 53947 / 51929 + 52041 / 78601 + 78851 which ran from Manchester Piccadilly. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 4th October 1983

78851 + 78601 Reddish Vale on 4 October 1983. Chris Thorp.

Date: 19th April 1984

An EMU and DMU line-up at Manchester Piccadilly on 19 April 1984. Right to left are Class 123 E52096 (with E59824 + E59773 + E52089), Class 104 M53450 (with M59187 + M53491), the single-engined Class 104 M78601 (with M78851) and a Class 506 EMU. Keith Long.

Date: unknown

Set number: EXPDM352

The Class 104 half engine set EXP DM 352 (78851 + 78601) seen in Liverpool Lime Street. Date unknown. Malcolm Clements.

Date: 27th July 1985

Set number: EXPDM352

Single engine power car Class 104 set EXP DM352 (78851 and 78601) is seen making a smoky exit from Chester, heading for Manchester Piccadily on the 27th July 1985. Gazza Prescott.

➤