Builder: BR Derby Works
Layout: Low Density
Length: 57ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: LMS
Engines: Leyland 150hp
Transmission: Mechanical
Lot Number: 30465
Diagram: 543
24/01/59 | New to | 2D (Coventry) | - pending allocation |
Apr-59 | Transferred to | 3C (Ryecroft) | |
Jun-59 | Transferred to | 26A (Newton Heath) | |
Oct-59 | Transferred to | 1E (Bletchley) | |
3w/e 31/01/65 | Transferred to | 6A (Chester) | |
3w/e 30/04/66 | Transferred to | 8J (Allerton) | |
3w/e 02/06/66 | Transferred to | 9D (Newton Heath) | |
4w/e 04/02/67 | Transferred to | 9A (Longsight) | |
May 1973 | Depot code change | LO | |
4w/e 11/11/78 | Transferred to | NH (Newton Heath) | |
07/05/89 | Transferred to | NL (Neville Hill) PNLX | |
07/07/91 | Transferred to | LO (Longsight) PLOX | - as LO279 |
14/01/92 | Withdrawn from | LO (Longsight) PLOX | - as LO279 |
14/01/92 | To departmental stock | LO (Longsight) | |
Aug-93 | Withdrawn |
50944 - original number
53944 - from 1984 (53xxx / 54xxx change)
977766 - from Jan-92 (departmental stock)
Sandite / Route Learner From 1/92 to 8/93. Carried set number LO904
Scrapped by Booth Roe Metals, Rotherham
50944 | 56227 | Noted January 1959 | |||||||
50944 | 56227 | As delivered to 2D - 24th January 1959 | |||||||
50944 | 56227 | Transfer to 3C - Apr-59 | |||||||
50944 | 56227 | Transfer to 1E - Oct-59 | |||||||
LT320 | 50944 | 56227 | Listed at 9A - circa Jul-70 | ||||||
50944 | 56227 | Noted 15/08/70 - at Chester1 | |||||||
50944 | 56227 | Noted 16/08/70 - at Chester1 | |||||||
50944 | 56227 | Noted 04/06/71 - at Longsight2 | |||||||
50944 | 56227 | Noted 19/09/71 - on Chester depot2 | |||||||
LT320 | 50944 | 56227 | Noted 05/09/73 - at Crewe1 | ||||||
50944 | 56227 | Noted 09/1974 - at Crewe3 | |||||||
50944 | 56227 | Noted 28/08/75 - on Longsight depot1 | |||||||
50944 | 56227 | Noted 20/09/1975 - at Crewe3 | |||||||
50944 | 56227 | Transfer to NH - 4w/e 11/11/78 | |||||||
50944 | 56501 | Noted circa 08/19814 | |||||||
NH344 | 50944 | 56501 | Noted circa 05/19824 | ||||||
NH344 | 50944 | 56501 | Noted 19/07/1982 - Manchester Victoria4 | ||||||
50944 | 56501 | Noted circa 10/19824 | |||||||
50944 | 56501 | Noted 13/10/1982 - Worked 08.25 Bolton to Manchester Victoria4 | |||||||
50944 | 56501 | Noted circa 12/19824 | |||||||
53944 | 52061 | Listed at Newton Heath - Summer 1986 | |||||||
53944 | 52041 | Noted 03/11/19864 | |||||||
53944 | 52041 | Noted 24/04/1987 - at Leeds5 | |||||||
53944 | 52041 | Listed at NH - 10/05/87 | |||||||
53944 | 52041 | Noted circa 10/19874 | |||||||
53944 | 53500 | Listed at NH - 1st January 1988 | |||||||
N617 | 53944 | 54071 | Listed at NH - May-88 | ||||||
N617 | 53944 | 54408 | Noted circa 04/19894 | ||||||
N617 | 53944 | 54408 | Noted 27/07/89 - at Barnetby | ||||||
NL253 | 53944 | 54408 | Listed at NL - 05/09/89 | ||||||
N617 | 53944 | 54408 | Noted 13/09/89 - at Sheffield | ||||||
N617 | 53944 | 54252 | Noted 28/12/89 - at Leeds City, 54252 with set number T2151 | ||||||
spare | 53944 | Listed at LO - Jul-91 | |||||||
spare | 53944 | Listed at LO - Aug-91 | |||||||
LO279 | 53944 | 54212 | Listed at LO - Aug-91 | ||||||
904 | 977765 | 977766 | Listed at LO - 08/11/93 - sandite |
Formation Sources
1: Gerald Brown
2: Leonard Rogers
3: Peter Wallwork
4: Eddie Knorn
5: Robert Chilton
M50944 leads a two-car Class 108 out of Manchester Piccadilly station on 18 February 1978. Alistair Ness.
A Class 108 two-car DMU with DMBS M50944 leading, accelerates away from Midge Hall with an Ormskirk to Preston service on August 30th 1979. The brick structure visible to the right of the DMU is the gable-end of the former Goods Shed at the long-closed Midge Hall station. The station closed in 1960 and there have been long-running campaigns to have the station re-opened as the Western fringe of a developed Leyland has almost reached this location. In 1979 the former Up Line along here was still in use, single track commencing just South of the level crossing seen in the far-distance, where a VW Camper is passing over the line. Martyn Hilbert.
A Class 108 two-car DMU with Driving Motor Brake Second M53944 at the rear, was stood at Bamber Bridge with a Preston to Colne service on November 20th 1983. In the distance is the bridge constructed in red brick, that takes the M6 Motorway across the East Lancashire route. The structure was the first Motorway over Railway bridge in the UK, this section of the M6 (The 8 mile Preston By-Pass) between Bamber Bridge and Broughton, opened in December 1958. Unfortunately the original brick bridge was encased by new structures on both sides when this section of the M6 was widened in the 1990's. Martyn Hilbert.
On the 5th June 1988 Newton Heath allocated Class 108 DMBS M53944 is seen during an overhaul at BREL Doncaster Works Carriage & Wagon Section. Later converted to departmental Sandite vehicle ADB977766 she was eventually scrapped during April 1994 by C F Booth, Rotherham. Bob Woolnough.
Class 108 Driving Motor Brake Second M53944 was leading a seven-car DMU formation arriving at Lostock Hall with the Sunday Blackpool North to Carlisle 'Dalesrail' service on August 6th 1988. The service was made up of a two-car Class 108 (both DMBSs), a two-car Class 104 & a three-car Class 101. Martyn Hilbert.
In the sidings at Southport on September 3rd 1988 are Class 108 53944 (paired with a Met-Camm) & Class 104 53447 are stabled between duties. Another 104 is in the station. In the foreground 507 011 awaits a visit to works for overhaul and bodywork repairs. The station layout was then controlled by the former Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Signalbox, (visible top left), complete with its electro-pneumatic control system dating from 1917. Martyn Hilbert.
31 456 is at the head of (furthest to closest) (possibly 51828)/51842 and 54408/53944 at Sheffield on the 13th September 1989. Malcolm Clements.
150140 and a Class 108 at Cleethorpes in 1990. The set number on the 108 DMBS appears to read N617 making it 53944. John Law.
977766 is carrying set number LO904T when seen at Chester TMD, sandwiched between 977748 (left) and 977765 (right) on the 24th August 1993. S Gaskell.
A stack of Class 108 vehicles awaiting their end at CF Booths in Rotherham, circa 1994. With the cab facing us are sandite vehicles 977766 (top) and 977765. Robert Frise Collection.
BR (Derby) Class 108 2-car local passenger dmu Nos.E56228 (Class 142) and E50944 (Class 108/2) of the 1958 batch, near Lancaster, on a Lancaster - Morecambe service, 05/75. Hugh Llewelyn.
A two-car Class 108 in Rail Blue (the DMBS at the rear is M50944), arrives at Ormskirk with a service from Preston on April 24th 1978. There were still a few lineside structures still remaining from the days when this was a double-track through route. The antics of the passenger in the rear trailer car is a lesson in the perils of slam-door stock. Martyn Hilbert.
This slide was annotated as 12:05 Heysham to York near Moss, 1980. The eight-car formation contains a Class 104 twin, a three car with Class 104 DMCL and TCL white stripers with a Class 108 DMBS, and another three-car which seems to be Class 105 power cars with a Class 104 centre car. Update: M50468 + 50499 / M50531 + 59178 + 50944 / M50761 + 59207 + 50794 with 1P90 12:15 Heysham Harbour-Accrington relief on 5 July 1981, see https://www.flickr.com/photos/psrp/50894325502/. For the incoming working see image 27291 on this website. Stuart Mackay Collection.
An eight-car DMU formation at Heysham Moss sometime in 1981, noted as an ex-Nelson to Heysham working (Rochdale is on the destination blind. Leading is a 105/104/105 - closest appears to be 50794 so its partners are presumably 59207 + 50761. The next three-car appears to be a 108 with two white-stripe 104s, then an unidentified two-car on the rear. Update: This is now thought to be 50794 + 59207 + M50761 / 50944 + 59178 + 50531 / 50499 + 50468 which would return with the 1P90 12:15 Heysham Harbour-Accrington relief on 5th July 1981, see https://www.flickr.com/photos/psrp/50894325502/. For that working see image 30023 on this website. Stuart Mackay Collection.
At 8.28pm towards the end of a fine Summer evening with the sun setting in the West, an eight-car DMU forming a Carlisle to Preston 'Dalesrail' service was stood at Bamber Bridge on August 7th 1988. With the rear of the train standing on the level crossing, the driver was looking back along the train. The formation was M54268 & M53934, M53334 & M51206, M53492 & M53439, M53948 & M53944. Martyn Hilbert.
Sandite sets LO904 977765 (51938) + 977766 (53944), LO902 977748 (53950) + 977746 (53929) on Chester Depot, 8-6-93. Kevin Dowd.
977765 and 977766 seen at Chester TMD on the 24th August 1993. S Gaskell.