Sign In

Vehicle 50203 / 53203 / 977897

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: 30259
Diagram: 523

Allocations

15/05/57	New to	51A (Darlington)
4w/e 29/10/60	Transferred to	56G (Hammerton Street)
3w/e 01/07/61	On loan to	31A (Cambridge)
4w/e 04/11/61	Ex-loan back to	51A (Darlington)
3w/e 02/03/63	Transferred to	55F (Manningham)
28/02/65	Transferred to	55H (Neville Hill)
w/e 30/04/66	Transferred to	6A (Chester)	- ER - LMR trade for 111s.
3w/e 01/08/70	Transferred to	1E (Bletchley)
Oct-72	Transferred to	6A (Chester)
06/05/73	Depot code change	CH
2w/e 12/10/80	Transferred to	PI (Pwllheli)	- temporary TMD
circa 1984	Transferred to	CH (Chester)
11/05/86	Transferred to	NC (Norwich)
14/05/89	Transferred to	NL (Neville Hill) PNLX
p/e 10/11/90	Transferred to	LO (Longsight) PLOX
07/09/91	Transferred to	CF (Cardiff Canton) PCFX
19/01/92	Transferred to	LA (Laira) PLAX
21/10/92	Transferred to	LO (Longsight) RCLO
04/06/93	Transferred to	HQ (Headquarters) RFXX
23/06/93	Withdrawn from	HQ (Headquarters) RFXX
27/09/93	To departmental stock	LO (Longsight)
Jun-99	Withdrawn

The vehicle carried the following numbers:

50203 - original number
53203 - from Jun-83 (53xxx / 54xxx change)
977897 - from 27/09/93 (departmental stock)

Department Use as DB977897

Sandite / Route Learner From 27/09/93 to 6/99. Carried set number 992 / 960992

Modifications

circa Mar-87 - Leyland engines fitted

Refurbished

At Swindon Works dated 08/02/1980 released in blue/grey livery

Disposal

Preserved - more details.

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	50203	56055		Noted 8th May 1957 - On test between Castle Bromwich and Aldridge
	50203	56055		As delivered to 51A - 15th May 1957
	50203	56050		Transfer to 56G - 4w/e 29/10/60
	50203	56055		Transfer to 31A - 3w/e 01/07/61 - on loan
	50203	56055		Transfer to 51A - 4w/e 04/11/61
	50203	56055		Transfer to 55F - 3w/e 02/03/63
	50203	56055		Transfer to 55H - 28/02/65
	50203	56054		Noted 05/06/65 - at York¹
	50203	56055		Transfer to 6A - w/e 30/04/66
	50203	56358		Noted 22/08/69 - at Crewe¹
	50203	56055		Transfer to 1E - 3w/e 01/08/70
BY390	50203	56055		Noted circa Feb-71
	50203	56055		Noted 24/10/71 - on Bletchley depot¹
	50203	56055		Transfer to 6A - Oct-72
	50203	56356		Noted 17/08/1974 - at Chester²
	50203	56376		Noted 29/10/75 - at York¹
	50203	56080		Noted 30/03/1977 - CH Depot³
	50203	56080		Noted 06/07/1977 - 2D62, 10.50 Manchester Victoria to Llandudno³
	50203	56080		Noted 04/12/77 - in Cockshute depot.
	50203	56080		Noted 26/12/1980 - Seen stabled at Pwllheli depot³
	50203	56080		Noted circa 06/1981³
	50203	56080		Noted 13/10/1982 - Worked 08.40 Manchester Victoria to Chester with 51201-56347³
	53203	54080		Noted circa 01/1986³
	53203	54080		Transfer to NC - 11/05/86 - from CH
87	53203	54080		Listed at Norwich - Summer 1986
87	53203	54080		Noted 14/06/86 - at Norwich⁴
87	53203	54080		Noted circa 08/1986³
87	53203	54080		Listed at NC - Apr-87
87	53203	54080		Noted 07/04/87 - at Norwich⁴
87	53203	54080		Noted circa 06/1987³
87	53203	54080		Noted 29/08/1987³
87	53203	54080		Listed at NC - Dec-87
87	53203	54368		Formation change - NC - 2w/e 13/03/88 - 54368 replaced 54080 (to 84)
87	53203	54080		Formation change - NC - circa May-88 - 54080 added
NL554	53203	59694	52085	Listed at NL - 05/09/89
	53203	59694	53644	Noted 23/07/90⁵
LO344	53164	59387	53203	Noted circa 05/1991³
LO344	53164	59387	53203	Listed at LO - Jul-91
LO344	53164	59387	53203	Listed at LO - Aug-91
C388	53164	59387	53203	Listed at CF - Dec-91
P824	53203	59688	53291	Listed at LA - 02/07/92
P824	53203	53291		Listed at LA - 24/09/92
LO824	53203	53291		Listed at LO - November 1992
101824	53203	53291		Listed at LO - 10/12/92
	53203	54256		Noted 02/02/93 - on 15:13 Manchester Oxford Road - Warrington and 15:59 Warrington - Manchester Oxford Road⁶
992	977897	977898		Listed at LO - 08/11/93 - sandite
960992	977897	977898		Noted circa 06/1994³

Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Jeremy Goodyear
3: Eddie Knorn
4: Gerald Brown
5: Graeme Phillips
6: David Bellamy

Images:

Unknown date

Set number: 87

Met-Camm set 87 in Cambridge station, date unknown. E53203 is closest, it was at Norwich from May 1986 to May 1989. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Class 101 DMU at Ilford Carriage Sidings

30th January 1988

Set number: 87

Class 101 set 87 (53203 + 54368) are seen in Ilford Carriage sidings on the 30th January 1988. Malcolm Clements.

15th May 1988

Set number: 87

Class 101 2-car DMU NC set 87 with DMBS 53203 closest to camera arriving Norwich 15-5-88. 53203 became a Sandite car (977897) then entered preservation at Loughborough. On Tour with the Class 13 Army.

3rd July 1989

Set number: 87

A Class 101 at Crossflatts on 3/7/89. DMBS 53203 leads, recently transferred from Norwich to Neville Hill. Rex Holt.

August 1989

Set number: 87

Although the nearest car of set 87 (DMBS 53203) was a 101, the other two vehicles appear to be from a Class 110 when seen at Harrogate in August 1989. Mike Cooper.

August 1989

Set number: 87

Class 101 DMBS 53203 in the centre road at Harrogate in August 1989. Mike Cooper.

10th March 1990

Set number: 87

A Class 101 set at Crossflatts on 10/3/90. DMBS 53203 is closest, still carrying its Norwich set number. Rex Holt.

15th May 1990

Set number: 87

Class 101 DMBS 53203 as part of a hybrid set (with two DMBSs, the other being 51175) at Beverley on May 15th, 1990. John Carter.

17th May 1991

Set number: LO344

Class 101/108 Hybrid LO 344 arrives at Manchester Piccadilly on May 17, 1991. Formed of 53203 + 59387 + E53164, the former has Norwich set number 87 still showing on the window. Nicholas Youngman.

31st December 1991

Set number: C388

53203 brings up the rear of C388 set at Swansea High St on 31/12/91. 53203 still - carrying set number 87 from East Anglia - later became 977897. 53164 (later ‘Daisy’) is at the front, the Class 108 centre car is presumably 59387. Mac Winfield.

1992

Set number: 825

DMUs pass at Eggesford on the Barnstaple line 1992. Taken from a Class 108 / 101 hybrid set, with a Met-Camm set in the platform, 53203 closest, still carrying set number 87 from its Norwich days. John Law.

2nd February 1993

Set number: LO243

Class 101 DMBS 53203 at Manchester Oxford Road on 2 February 1993 with set number LO243 and older 87. David Bellamy.

circa 1995

Set number: 960992

Sandite / route learner DB977897 + DB977898 at Wigan. Date unknown, maybe circa 1995? Stuart Parkinson.

19th November 1998

Set number: 960992

A very rare picture of a sandite 101 on a passenger turn, it may well have been a one off? 960992 977897 (53203) + 977898 (53193) + 101663 54347 + 51201 are on 2H19, the 17:09 Macclesfield to Manchester Piccadilly at Cheadle Hulme, 19-11-98. Kevin Dowd.

The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: September 1971

A Metro-Cammell set waits at the stripped down Bedford St Johns station in September 1971. The vehicles are presumably M56055 + M50203 - the only Class 101 vehicles allocated to Bletchley at the time. Kevin Lane.

Date: late 1980s

Set number: 87

A two-car Class 101 DMU crosses the River Waveney on the swing bridge at Somerleyton on the Norwich-Lowestoft line. The vehicle numbers appear to be 54080 + 53203 which dates it between May 1986 and May 1989 when they formed Norwich set 87. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 8th August 1988

Set number: 87

Norwich based 2 car Metro-Cammell set 87 (54080, 53203) is seen leaving Brundall, which has staggered platforms, with a Norwich - Great Yarmouth service, 8th August 1988. Andrew J Crowther.

Date: 15th May 1990

51175 in Beverley station on 15 May 1990, as part of a hybrid set. The DMBS at the far end is 53203. John Carter.

Date: 25th March 1992

Set number: 122112

55012 working with L824 (53291 / 59688 / 53203) at Carbis Bay 25/3/92 on the 14.25 St Erth - St Ives service. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: unknown

Met-Camm Class 101s dominate at Longsight in the 'X' Shed sidings with only a class 150 and unusual Class 50 for company. Date unknown, circa late 1990s. Most are in Regional Railways livery, one is in NSE and one - sandite set 960992 (presumably 977897 visible) - in blue/grey. Spannerman37025.

➤