Vehicle 50222 / 53222 / 977693
Class 101
Builder: Met-Camm
Layout: Low-Density
Length: 57ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: LMS
Engines: AEC 150 hp / Leyland 150hp
Transmission: Mechanical
Lot Number: 30261
Diagram: 523
Allocations
| 13/06/57 | New to | 54A (Sunderland) | |
| 13/06/57 | On loan to | 9A (Longsight) | |
| 3w/e 03/08/57 | Ex-loan back to | 54A (Sunderland) | |
| 3w/e 30/08/58 | Transferred to | South Gosforth | |
| 4w/e 26/11/60 | Transferred to | 56G (Hammerton Street) | |
| 3w/e 30/09/61 | Transferred to | South Gosforth | |
| Feb-64 | Depot code change | 52J | |
| 28/02/65 | Transferred to | 51A (Darlington) | |
| 4w/e 04/12/65 | Transferred to | 52J (South Gosforth) | |
| 4w/e 26/03/66 | Transferred to | 51A (Darlington) | |
| Aug-70 | Transferred to | 55H (Neville Hill) | |
| May-71 | Transferred to | 32A (Norwich) | |
| May-73 | Depot code change | NO | |
| Sep-73 | Depot code change | NR | |
| w/e 18/10/75 | Transferred to | BG (Hull Botanic Gardens) | |
| w/e 06/05/79 | Transferred to | GF (South Gosforth) | |
| w/e 16/09/79 | Transferred to | DY (Derby Etches Park) | |
| 2w/e 22/09/79 | Transferred to | TS (Tyseley) | |
| p/e 24/12/83 | Transferred to | CH (Chester) | |
| 20/03/89 | Withdrawn from | CH (Chester) PCHX | |
| 28/08/91 | To departmental stock | RTC (Derby RTC) | |
| by 08/11/93 | Transferred to | ZA |
The vehicle carried the following numbers:
50222 - original number
53222 - from Jun-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)
977693 - from 28/08/91 (departmental stock)
Department Use as RDB977693
Lab Coach 19 - "Iris 2" From 4/91 to 4/08. Carried set number 901002
Refurbished
At Swindon Works dated 08/08/1980 released in blue/grey liveryDisposal
Preserved - more details.
Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:
| 50222 | 56074 | As delivered to 54A - 13th June 1957 | |||||||
| 50222 | 56074 | Noted 17th June 1957 | |||||||
| 50222 | 56074 | Transfer to 54A - 3w/e 03/08/1957 - ex-loan LMR | |||||||
| 50222 | 56074 | Noted 27th October 1957 | |||||||
| 50222 | 56076 | Transfer to 56G - 4w/e 26/11/60 | |||||||
| 50222 | 56076 | Transfer to South Gosforth - 3w/e 30/09/61 | |||||||
| 50222 | 56059 | Transfer to 51A - 28/02/65 | |||||||
| 50222 | 59063 | 50183 | Transfer to South Gosforth - 4w/e 04/12/65 | ||||||
| 50222 | 59063 | 50183 | Transfer to 51A - 4w/e 26/03/66 | ||||||
| 50222 | 50161 | Noted 03/09/71 - at March1 | |||||||
| 50222 | 59531 | 50161 | Noted 24/06/72 - at Norwich2 | ||||||
| 50222 | 59531 | 50161 | Noted 20/08/1972 - at Birmingham New Street3 | ||||||
| 83 | 50222 | 59531 | 50161 | Noted 06/10/73 - at Bury St Edmunds4 | |||||
| 83 | 50222 | 59531 | 50161 | Noted 13/10/73 - at Bury St Edmunds4 | |||||
| 83 | 50222 | 59531 | 50161 | Noted 24/11/73 - at Bury St Edmunds4 | |||||
| 50222 | 59531 | 50161 | Noted 02/1974 - at Peterborough3 | ||||||
| 50222 | 59531 | 50161 | Noted 30/05/1974 - at Birmingham New Street5 | ||||||
| 50222 | 59531 | 50161 | Noted 15/06/74 - at Peterborough1 | ||||||
| 50222 | 59531 | 50161 | Noted 07/07/74 - at Birmingham New Street1 | ||||||
| 83 | 50222 | 59531 | 50161 | Listed at NR - 19/07/75 | |||||
| 50222 | 59065 | 50160 | Noted 19/11/75 - at Brough1 | ||||||
| 50222 | 59542 | 50750 | Noted 05/01/76 - at Brough1 | ||||||
| 50222 | 59200 | 50160 | Noted 10/09/76 - at Brough1 | ||||||
| 50222 | 59531 | 50260 | Noted Sep-76 - at Sheffield with 50167/59048/507511 | ||||||
| 50222 | 59536 | 50237 | Transfer to DY - w/e 16/09/79 - from GF | ||||||
| 50222 | 59536 | 50237 | Noted 11/12/79 - on 18:30 Birmingham New Street - Stourbridge Junction6 | ||||||
| TS403 | 50222 | 59536 | 50237 | Noted circa 01/19817 | |||||
| TS406 | 50222 | 59127 | 50337 | Noted circa 10/19817 | |||||
| 50222 | 59127 | 50337 | Noted 08/05/1982 - 50222-59127-50337 + 50320-59130-50330 Special train from Banbury to Spalding | ||||||
| TS406 | 50222 | 59127 | 50337 | Noted 03/07/82 - at Norwich, DMBS in B/G, others in blue4 | |||||
| TS406 | 50222 | 59127 | 50337 | Noted 26/09/82 - at Norwich4 | |||||
| TS406 | 50222 | 59127 | 50337 | Noted circa 01/19837 | |||||
| TS406 | 50222 | 59127 | 50337 | Listed at TS - Jan-83 | |||||
| TS406 | 53222 | 59127 | 53337 | Listed at TS - 14/07/83 | |||||
| 53222 | 53337 | Noted circa 01/19847 | |||||||
| 53222 | 53337 | Noted circa 01/19867 | |||||||
| 53222 | 53337 | Noted 26/04/86 - on 10:50 Shrewsbury - Chester with 51911 + 54496 / 53938 + 544118 | |||||||
| 53222 | 53337 | Listed at Chester - Summer 1986 - Relief set | |||||||
| 53222 | 53337 | Noted circa 02/19877 | |||||||
| 290 | 53222 | 53337 | Noted 09/04/19887 | ||||||
| CH290 | 53222 | 53337 | Listed at CH - May 1988 | ||||||
| 53222 | 53337 | Noted 21/05/88 - on 16:12 Manchester Piccadilly - Cardiff8 | |||||||
| CH290 | 53222 | 53337 | Noted circa Jul-88 | ||||||
| LAB19 | 977693 | 977694 | Noted 22/07/1991 - Eastbound at Pirbright on Southern Region |
Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Ipswich Transport Society
3: Peter Wallwork
4: Gerald Brown
5: Jeremy Goodyear
6: Phil Shatford
7: Eddie Knorn
8: Martin Baumann
Images:
1987
The photo was taken at Miles Platting in the summer of 1987. Here Class 101 Met-Camm built M53222 (original number E50222) is descending the steep incline into Manchester Victoria. I don't know the number of the trailing car but it could be M53337 as zooming in on the high res scan shows M53xx7. It was new to Sunderland (54A) on 13th June 1957 but had many other allocations during its life, When the photo was taken it was allocated to Chester (CH) from where it was withdrawn in 1989. It went into Departmental Stock on the 28th August 1991 where it became part of Lab Coach 19 "Iris 2" and carried set number 901002. It was fortunately acquired by the West Somerset Railway in 2008 and is now preserved at the Plym Valley Railway. John Marsh.
circa 1991
Iris II 977693 / 977694 at Basingstoke, circa 1991. Walter Burt Collection.
Unknown date
Iris II 977693 / 977694 seen in platform 2 of London Victoria station. Undated. Chris Adams.
1991
Laboratory 19 is also known as "Iris II", and 977693 (ex-50222) is seen here at the RTC in 1991. Simon Barnes.
6th September 1991
Lab 19 IRIS II 977693 (ex-53222) and 977694 (ex-53338) seen just after their conversion at Greaves Siding, between Banbury and Leamington Spa, on 6 September 1991. Stuart Mackay Collection.
23rd March 1993
"Lab 19 Iris II" might sound like a specialist wing of the Porton Down Experimental Establishment but this was in fact the name of a DMU converted in 1991 from a power twin Metropolitan-Cammell class 101 unit (units 53222-53338). Rebuilt by the Research & Development Division of British Rail at Derby as a test train, it was initially used for radio survey work particularly with the National Radio Network (NRN) and later for video survey work including extensive signal sighting on the WCML prior to the introduction of 125 mph. Bearing the BR Research's silver and grey livery, it is seen passing through London Bridge station on 23 March 1993. Withdrawn and stored at Derby's Railway Technical Centre, it was sold by Network Rail to a private buyer in early 2008. After a short spell at Dunster station on the West Somerset Railway, it was moved to the Barry Tourist railway. Gordon Edgar.
circa 1996
Lab 19 - Iris II - (977693 and 977694) and two Railtrack liveried sandite bubbles sitting on Bletchley tank road circa 1996. Graham Baker.
5th August 2000
Lab 19 - Iris II (977693 / 977694) at Old Oak Common Open Day on 5 August 2000. S Gaskell.
5th August 2000
Class 101 SERCO Test Train Old Oak Common 5 August 2000. This is RDB977693 (ex 50222) Lab 19 IRIS 2 with RDB977694 (ex 50338) behind. Alistair Ness.
5th August 2000
Class 101 SERCO Lab 19 Iris 2 Test Train (RDB977693 + RDB977694) at Old Oak Common open day on 5 August 2000. Murray Liston.
6th August 2000
IRIS II Class 101 977693 and 977694 is seen on display at Old Oak Common open day on 06/08/2000. Andy Cole.
7th September 2000
977693 and 977694 (IRIS II) is seen at Derby on 07.09.2000. Andy Cole.
21st March 2003
Iris II - 977693 + 977694 - in Carlisle station on 21 March 2003. David Bellamy.
November 2005
Set number: 901002
977693 / 977694 at Carlisle in November 2005. Alan Ross.
18th December 2005
977693 at Grantham on December 18, 2005. Nicholas Youngman.
18th December 2005
977693 at Grantham on December 18, 2005. Nicholas Youngman.
The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:
Date: 8th May 1982
Set number: 403
Class 101 DMS (ex DMC) M50237 leads mixed liveried Tyseley set 403 (unknown TS & DMBS M50222) away from Didcot towards Oxford. Tyseley based unit on loan in London area? Saturday 8th May 1982 Iain Reid.
Date: 8th June 1986
Displaying 'Special' on the blinds, M53337 leads three two-car Class 101 sets (the other vehicles being M53222 + M51177 + M54351 + M51187 + M54322) at Stoke to form the 08:48 to Llandudno on 8/6/86. Hamish Stevenson.
Date: 3rd September 1991
RTC-allocated unit 901002 (977694/977693) (aka “Iris 2”) at Basingstoke on 3 September 1991. Lewis Bevan.
Date: 22nd March 1993
Class 101 Lab 19 Iris II (977694 and 977693) seen leaving London Bridge Station on 22-3-93. Ian Cuthbertson.
Date: 19th June 1993
Lab 19 - Iris II (977694 + 977693) in its British Rail Research livery at Derby on 19 June 1993. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Date: 19th June 1993
Lab 19 - Iris II (977694 + 977693) departs from Derby station on 19 June 1993. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Date: 9th May 1996
Lab 19 Iris II (977694 + 977693) at Lewes (East Sussex), 9/5/96. Sparegang.
Date: 9th May 1996
Lab 19 Iris II (977694 + 977693) at Lewes (East Sussex), 9/5/96. Sparegang.
Date: 15th October 1998
Iris II - 977694 + 977693 is seen at Crewe on 15.10.1998 in SERCO livery. Andy Cole.
Date: 6th November 1998
Set number: Lab Coach
RDB977693/4 "IRIS 2" seen in action at Rye on 6th November 1998. Steve Carter.
Date: 18th November 1998
IRIS II 977694 + 977693 at Didcot on 18 November 1998. Brian Daniels.
Date: 27th September 1999
Lab 19 - Iris II (977694 / 977693) berthed at Derby on 27th September 1999. Ian Buck.
Date: 31st July 2000
LAB 19 IRIS II 977694 and 977693 at Didcot on 31 July 2000. Brian Daniels.
Date: 5th August 2000
Lab 19 - Iris II (977694 / 977693) at Old Oak Common Open Day on the 5th August 2000. Steve Hodgson.
Date: 5th August 2000
Lab 19 - Iris II (977694 / 977693) at Old Oak Common Open Day on 5 August 2000. S Gaskell.
Date: 7th September 2000
Iris II - 977694 + 977693 - is seen at Derby on September 7, 2000. Andy Cole.
Date: 21st March 2003
Iris II - 977694 + 977693 - in Carlisle station on 21 March 2003. David Bellamy.
Date: 22nd July 2004
Set number: 901002
Class 101 Laboratory 19 'IRIS 2' former DMCL 977694 (50338) with former DMBS 977693 (50222) at Rugby on 22 July 2004. Dave Warby.
Date: November 2005
Set number: 901002
Iris II 977694 / 977693 at Carlise in November 2005. Alan Ross.
Date: 18th December 2005
Set number: 901002
Iris 2 (977694 + 977693) at Grantham on December 18, 2005. Nicholas Youngman.
Date: 18th March 2008
The class 101 DMMU known as Iris II (977693 + 977694) was taken from Derby to Bishops Lydeard for a new live in preservation on Tuesday 18 March 2008. The power provided was 31459 which, in its black livery, provided a nice contrast to the two different yellows of the unit. I wanted to be in the Evesham or Pershore area at some point during the day so just went to the nearest point to my home where a reasonably wide view could be obtained so as to show all 3 vehicles. Here is 5Z08 passing Croome Perry wood after being in the loop at Abbotswood for some time to allow the passage of a class 170 on a Cardiff service and an Arriva Voyager on a Cross Country train. I came very close to being bowled out by a northbound Arriva-liveried 170 105 which was outside the frame by no more than a few inches. Peter Tandy.