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Vehicle 52059 / 977815

Class 108

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: 30660
Diagram: 638

Allocations

17/12/60	New to	9E (Trafford Park)
w/e 04/03/61	Transferred to	26A (Newton Heath)
Sep-63	Depot code change	9D
2w/e 11/10/69	Transferred to	8J (Allerton)
4w/e 31/12/72	Transferred to	9D (Newton Heath)
May-73	Depot code change	NH
10/05/87	Transferred to	AY (Ayr)
Sep-87	Transferred to	ED (Eastfield)
11/07/88	Transferred to	HA (Haymarket)
01/10/89	Transferred to	CF (Cardiff Canton) PCFX
14/05/90	Transferred to	LA (Laira) PLAX
p/e 09/11/91	Sector Change to	LA (Laira) PXXZ
28/02/92	Sector Change to	LA (Laira) PLAX
10/05/92	Transferred to	LO (Longsight) RCLO
22/09/92	Transferred to	HT (Heaton) RBHT
30/09/92	To departmental stock	LO (Longsight)
by 08/11/93	Transferred to	HT (Heaton)
2w/e 14/10/95	Withdrawn

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

52059 - original number
977815 - from 30/09/92 (departmental stock)

Department Use as ADB977815

Sandite / Route Learner From 10/92 to 11/94. Carried set number LO909

Refurbished

At Swindon Works dated 24/07/1981 released in blue/grey livery

52059 was involved in the following incidents:

03/06/64 - Bradford (Exchange) Station, NER

Collision involving Class 108 / Steam

Info from Bill Read, Malcolm Paul Peter Mullen, p600 July 1964 Railway Magazine

The 4.25pm Manchester-Leeds DMU descended the steep gradient into the station and collided with the stationary parcels train at about 50 mph. The leading car M51944 was destroyed. Damage to the steam locomotive (class 5 4-6-0 44695) and M52059 was minimal. More Details.

Image in Railway Magazine July 1981 p335.

15/03/81 - Sough Tunnel, Darwen

Derailment involving Class 108

Info from Railway Magazine

The 07:40 Manchester - Blackburn service, formed of 52059 and 51945, derailed outside the north portal of Sough Tunnel, Darwen, caused by a landslide.

Date unknown - Haymarket Depot, ScR

Derailment involving Class 108

Info from John Reddyhoff

Class 108 set 380 apparently hit the buffers at the south end of the depot and continued for another 60ft. Image John Reddyhoff. More Details.

Disposal

Scrapped by Booth Roe Metals, Rotherham

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	51944	52059		As delivered to 9E - 17th December 1960
	51944	52059		Transfer to 26A - w/e 04/03/61
	50475	59183	52059	Noted Autumn 1966 - at Brough on 07:56 Hull - Manchester Exchange¹
	50943	52059		Noted 20/07/68 - in Manchester Victoria¹
AN451	50943	52059		Noted 19/10/69
	51932	52059		Noted 30/10/71 - in Liverpool Exchange¹
	51930	52059		Noted 31/08/72 - at St Helens Junction¹
	51934	52059		Noted 08/09/73 - in Manchester Victoria²
	51934	52059		Noted 28/08/75 - at Southport²
	51934	52059		Noted 27/02/76 - in Liverpool Lime Street¹
	51934	52059		Noted 10/04/76 - in Manchester Victoria¹
	51945	52059		Noted 03/01/1981 - at Darwen Station 1542³
NH165	51945	52059		Noted circa 05/1982⁴
	51945	52059		Noted circa 12/1982⁴
	52053	59225	52059	Noted circa 06/1983⁴
	53474	52059		Noted 06/01/1984 - at NH Depot⁴
	51901	52059		Noted circa 06/1985⁴
	51901	59153	52059	Listed at Newton Heath - Summer 1986
456	53464	59168	52059	Noted July 1987
108380	52053	59245	52059	Formed at ED Oct-87
108380	52053	59245	52059	Listed at ED - Jan-88
108380	52053	59248	52059	Formation change - circa Mar-88
108380	52053	59248	52059	Listed at HA - circa August 1988
380	52053	59248	52059	Noted 3rd January 1989
	52053	59248	52059	Transfer to CF - 01/10/89 - from HA (set 380)
C397	51136	52059		Noted 28/04/90 - on 09:50 Bargoed - Barry Island
879	51435	52059		Noted circa 08/1990⁴
879	51435	52059		Listed at LA - Jul-91
P879	51435	52059		Listed at LA - Aug-91
P879	51435	52059		Listed at LA - Dec-91
	53926	52059		Noted 13/05/92 - on 14:54 Wigan - Chester⁵
LO614	53926	52059		Listed at LO - 02/07/92
909	977814	977815		Listed at HT - 08/11/93 - sandite

Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Gerald Brown
3: Shayne Lewis
4: Eddie Knorn
5: David Bellamy

Images:

22nd April 1979

Freshly painted Class 108 DMCL M52059 on Newton Heath depot, 22 February 1979. Brian Daniels.

13th August 1987

Set number: 456

Hybrid set 456 departs north from North Queensferry on 14 August 1987, formed of one Class 108 vehicle M52059 and two Class 104 vehicles M59168 + M53464. Stuart Mackay Collection.

circa 1988

Class 108 DMS on Haymarket depot in 1988. S Saunders.

1991

Set number: 879

A Class 37 hauls failed hybrid 108/101 Laira DMU set 879 (presumably DMSL 52059 and DMBS 51435) at Barnstaple in 1991 in atrocious lighting and weather. Ian Dinmore/railarchive.org.uk.

1991

Set number: 879

A Class 37 comes to the rescue of failed hybrid 108/101 Laira DMU set 879 (presumably DMSL 52059 and DMBS 51435) at Barnstaple sometime in 1991. Ian Dinmore/railarchive.org.uk.

1996

Set number: LO614

Class 108 DMS 977815 still carries set number LO614 from passenger days as 52059 when seen at CF Booths, Rotherham in early 1996. Robert Frise Collection.

11th May 1996

The rear end of 977815 has been ripped off when seen at Booths yard in Rotherham on 11/5/96. Normally the ends on a Class 108 were formed of steel, and the joint to the alloy bodyside was a source of corrosion. S Gaskell.

11th May 1996

Note the extremely small number on 977815 when seen at CF Booths on 11 May 1996. With various parts marked for saving for further use, the missing rear end lets us see into the toilet compartment and the later type sink pedestal fitted during refurbishment. S Gaskell.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: unknown

A scene at Newton Heath circa mid-1980s. Class 108 DMS 52059 is paired with a Class 104 DMBS that seems to be 53436. There are two Class 120s, and a Class 104 behind 31 294. Ian Cuthbertson Collection.

Date: 16th July 1983

Class 104 trailer E59225 in all blue livery is sandwiched between class 108 power twins M52053 nearest and M52059 at Manchester Victoria on 16th July 1983 having arrived on a service from Blackpool North Kevin Law.

Date: 23rd July 1985

Getting ready to collect the single line token, a Class 108 'Derby Lightweight' two-car DMU formed of cars M51901 & M52059 was approaching Midge Hall with a Preston to Ormskirk service on July 23rd 1985. The unit is passing through the abandoned Down platform of Midge Hall station that closed in October 1961. To the right of the 108 is the disused former Up line that was kept in-situ from Farington Curve Junction on the WCML until August 1983, when renewal was necessary and the cost of replacement could not be justified on this former main line. Until the 1980's, Midge Hall and its level crossing was in a rural location, but the expansion of the town Leyland at its Western extremity is seeing new housing being built nearby, and would be a perfect opportunity to reopen Midge Hall station again. An image recorded from the level crossing. Martyn Hilbert.

Date: 8th July 1987

Set number: 456

Looking north at track level as a 3 car BRC&W dmu 104456 (53464 closest, presumably with 59168 + Class 108 52059) crosses the Forth Bridge, which spans the Firth of Forth in Scotland, the bridge which links Queensferry and Inverkeithing is 8,296 feet long. 8th July 1987. Andrew J Crowther.

Date: 8th July 1987

Set number: 456

Looking south at track level as a 3 car BRC&W class 104 dmu headed by car SC53464 (presumably with 59168 + Class 108 52059) heads north across the Forth Bridge, which spans the Firth of Forth in Scotland, the bridge which links Queensferry and Inverkeithing and is 8,296 feet long. 8th July 1987. Andrew J Crowther.

Date: 22nd July 1987

Set number: 104456

The late-running 17.03 Glasgow Queen St - Dunblane about to depart Stirling at 17.52 (12 minutes late) on 22/7/87. The set is formed 52059(furthest from camera)/59168/53464. Leonard Rogers.

Date: August 1987

Set number: 456

Services restarted from Edinburgh to Bathgate in 1986 and used a variety of worn out DMUs shuttling to and from a new single platform terminus station built in the former goods yard. In August 1987 we see BRCW class 104 DMU 53464 still wearing its M prefix following its transfer from Newton Heath 6 months earlier. It is seen passing the erstwhile Haymarket Coal Yard on an Edinburgh to Bathgate working, running with blue / grey centre car 59168 and class 108 M52059. Murray Liston.

Date: circa October 1987

E59245 on Ayr shed. It was transferred from Heaton to Eastfield in early October 1987, and would initially run between DMSs 52053 + 52059 which had been at Ayr for a few months but would also move to Eastfield. The vehicle has very recently been repainted, but still has an E prefix, perhaps suggesting that the inter-regional move was not planned. The Met-Camm centre car alongside seems to have a scotty dog on the bodyside. Andrew McConnell.

Date: unknown

Set number: 380

Class 108 set 380 seems to have collided with the buffers, pushing them about 60ft. No date, but it's at the south end of Haymarket depot. The power cars should be 52053 and 52059. John Reddyhoff.

Date: 5th July 1989

Set number: 107739

Comparison in front ends at Waverley station, Edinburgh, on the morning of 5/7/89. Derby 'lightweight' class 108 52059 is on the left and class 107 (Derby 'heavyweight') 52000 is on the right, with the photographer's sons looking on. Leonard Rogers.

Date: 5th July 1989

An unusual view of the west end of Waverley station, Edinburgh, on the morning of 5/7/89. No trains were moving this day - it was the day of one of the weekly strikes staged by the NUR that summer. Almost every platform is filled with stabled stock. From left to right there are : an HST in plat.19, 52053 coupled to 59248 and 52059 (108 380) in plat.18, a Mk.2 DVT (9709) in plat.17, 53260 coupled to 59042 and 51241 (101 315) in plat.16, nothing visible in plat.15, 150 244 in plat.14, 53933 (coupled to 51566) in plat.13, 53164(cl.101) coupled to 59800(cl.107) and 53733, forming 120 535, in plat.12 and another HST in plat.11. Leonard Rogers.

Date: 28th April 1990

Set number: C397

51136 and 52059 (set C397) arrives at Llanbradach working the 09:50 Bargoed-Barry Island, 28/4/90. Gazza Prescott.

Date: 13th August 1990

Set number: 879

Set 879 after arrival in Exmouth station on August 13, 1990. Closest is Class 101 DMBS 51435, partnered with a Class 108 vehicle (presumably 52059). John Carter.

Date: 1st June 1991

Class 122 55012 and Class 101/108 51435 + 52059 on Laira depot with 50 002 on 1 June 1991. Keith Miller.

Date: 20th July 1991

Set number: 879

51435 + 52059 and 53629 + 52053 departing from Exeter St Davids station on 20 July 1991. Keith Miller.

Date: 21st March 1992

Set number: 879

51435 at Exeter St Davids 21/03/92 on a service to Exmouth. The Class 108 vehicle it is paired with is presumably 52059. David Bellamy.

Date: 11th July 1992

Set number: LO241

On a dull Saturday evening of 11th July 1992 53202 stands at the rear of a four car set in platform 12 at Manchester Victoria, the other vehicles being 52059+53926+54050. Not a particularly good picture but it records one of the Manchester area parliamentary services that operated at this time, this one being the 20:10 Manchester Victoria - Ashburys. Ian Hazlehurst.

Date: 10th October 1992

Set number: A

Sandite set A (977820 + 977821) on the up centre road at Cardiff Central on 10 October 1992. The vehicles were formerly 53629 + 52059. Robert Thomas.

Date: 1996

Set number: LO907

The rear end of vehicle 977811 of set LO907, formerly 53956/50956. The gangway connection was ripped off when the next vehicle was moved while only connected by the gangway connection securing clamps! To the immediate left is 977815, formerly DMCL 52059. Robert Chilton.

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