Class 104 BRC&W 2, 3 & 4-car DMUs
Operations - Scotland
For many years the Scottish Region had limited exposure to the type - a four-car set on loan to Hamilton in 1960 and the occasional visitors on specials from the Eastern Region. In the 1980s they would become more common north of the border in times of need or as they became surplus in other areas, allocated to Ayr, Eastfield and Haymarket.
1960 - a borrowed four-car set
The first BRC&W to operate in Scotland was an North Eastern Region set which went on loan to Hamilton for the dieselisation of the south Glasgow services at the end of 1960, filling a gap until the Class 107s were delivered a few months later. The four-car set, 50586 + 59232 + 59242 + 50591 was borrowed from 51A (Darlington) from June 1960 to January 1961.
1981 - three centre cars
In February 1981 three Class 105 power twins were transferred from Newton Heath to Haymarket. With them NH also sent three Class 104 centre cars which had been withdrawn the previous month - 59150 / 59159 / 59161 - and these would be inserted into the Cravens units to form three hybrid sets 372 - 374.
These lasted until June 1981 when 59159 was withdrawn and the other two were placed in store, they would then be withdrawn the same month.
1982 - a trailer brake second
Next to arrive was another centre car, trailer brake second 59215 which moved from Neville Hill to Haymarket in June 1982. It was the first to stick around in Scotland for a while, moving to Ayr in November 1982 then Eastfield in May 1986 from where it was withdrawn in December 1987.
The vehicle seems to spend almost all this time in set 366, nominally 101 366 but it worked with a variety of power cars, at times neither of them being a 101. The image show it at Edinburgh Waverley working between a pair of 101 cars in June 1986. Alan Rintoul.
1984 - a stock crisis
A fire at Ayr depot on 2 January 1984 damaged ten Class 101 and 107 vehicles leaving the Scottish Region short of servicable vehicles. The London Midland Region was able to help out by transferring six Class 104 power cars (DMBSs 53452/53453/53461 and DMSs 53505/53510/53520) to Ayr. They were noted in the centre Road at Carlisle on January 6th on their way north[1].
A further three vehicle moved from Newton Heath to Ayr in January 1984, 53473, 53525 and 59225 (the TBS had been reinstated for the transfer).
The journal of the "Class 104 DMU Preservation Group" recorded the early moves of the new arrivals[2]. They were noted in Kyle Street Sidings on the evening of Saturday 7th January where they became familiar sights. On Sunday 8th January 104450 was formed M53452 + M59225 + M53461 and worked the 10:45 Ayr to Glasgow Central, arriving back at 13:00 for the 13:45 back to Glasgow. That month M53510 was noted working with 101s E53207 and E54088.
By January 28th M53473 and 53525 (ex-Blackpool white stripers), along with 53505 began to be slotted into regular diagrams. M53473 and M53525 joined 107 trailer Sc59790 for some time, but by August 1984 101 trailer Sc59559 took over until approximately January 1985. Sc59559 always looked out of place as unlike the power cars it did not receive a repaint.
On February 4 1984 the 08:52 Edinburgh - Glasgow Central had 53473 in plain blue with Blackpool stripe, blue grey 107 59801, and plain blue 104 53461.
Of the first six power cars to arrive, four had been withdrawn late in 1983 and reinstated for the move to Scotland. The other two, 53453 and 53520, had just been overhauled at Doncaster. They would barely spent a month in Scotland, and were transferred back to the LMR to Cricklewood in February 1984.
Class 104 DMBS Sc53461 on the rear of a hybrid set at Paisley Gilmour Street on May 17, 1984. John Carter.
May 1984 say the arrival of another three vehicles when DMSLs 53565 / 53577 and TBSL 59210 (they had formed BX498) moved from Buxton to Ayr. Ayr now had eleven Class 104 vehicles: 3 DMBSs, 5 DMSLs and 3 TBSLs.
By the summer of 1984 the Ayr 104s are frequent performers on the Glasgow - Ayr - Girvan services, and 53452, 53473 (emerged from Works on June 1st), 53505, 53525 and 59225 were all returned blue-grey from works (53510 was still in blue). One, 53452, ran for a short while with a boarded up window[3]. The ex-works sets were normally seen at least in twos. 53452 and 53505 partnered trailer 59225 for a while but 59225 presumably required attention as it was replaced by Class 107 59784. Class 101 trailer 59559 was noted working with 53473 and 53525.
The May arrivals were split up on arrival and noted deployed singly with 107s or 101s. Sc53452 + Sc59225 + Sc53505 ran together after painting into blue and grey but soon parted company. There were constant changes, Sc53452 ran with:
Sc53505 + Sc59559
Sc53748 + SC59784
Sc52021 + Sc59784
M53670 + Sc59801
53461 + 59791
before taken out of service in June 1986.
The image shows 53452 arriving into Johnstone as set 104450 with a Class 107 centre car and a Class 101 DMC. Date unknown. Andrew McConnell.
Condemned 53434 and 53424 were noted in Ayr depot yard on June 14 1984[4]. This blue / grey pair had been withdrawn earlier in the year from Buxton where they had been set BX486 (with a centre car). They would become one of Scotland's most well known DMUs.
1985 - The Mexican Bean
Withdrawn 53424 and 53434 had moved from Ayr to storage at Cowlairs in 1984, where they fell victim vandalism during their months there. In January 1985 53454 would undergo maintenance work in Eastfield (seen in the image on 30th January by Spannerman37025), including replacing all the broken windows a new engine, cab repaint and Scotrail branding on the bodyside[5]. Both would be reinstated to Eastfield and DMBS 53434 would be in traffic by mid-March in 101 set 325 with 59564 + 51528[6]. It would then be the turn of DMS 53424 to receive maintenance. The DMS would then be noted running as part of 101 set 325[7].
In the Scottish Region stock list for March 1985 it is clear that the two vehicles were designated to work together for "Summer service Crainlarich / Oban for Scottish Tourist Board". It can also be seen in that same list that set 101325 is missing a DMBS, so DMBS 53434 was just temporarily filling that gap. It would be removed from the set and be in Cowlairs carriage depot for repainting by late March[8].
In an interview with Chris Green in early 1985, the ScotRail General Manager noted that the Mallaig line had received a lot of attention in 1984, 1985 would be the turn of the Oban Line. In amongst the different initiatives he mentioned the Oban - Crainlarich shuttle, and that the original plan was for for this to be operated by "a vintage preserved diesel but the British Rail Board has ruled against this. We shall have to settle for a 2-car DMU suitably painted".[9]
The freshly repainted set at Eastfield on 2/5/85. Spannerman37025.
The pair emerged from their repaint at Cowlairs Carriage depot at the beginning of May in a very distinct colour scheme which immediately earned it its nickname. The two vehicles became set 104 325 (101325 had now been disbanded), allocated to Eastfield depot although it was stabled at Oban.
It moved to Oban on the rear of the 08:20 ex-Glasgow Queen Street service on May 7th[10], at Oban there was a 'Scotrail Oban Railfest' that weekend when the set would begin its new duties.
It worked summer services from there to Crainlarich (normally on Tuesday, Friday and Saturdays[11]) as a tourist shuttle giving connections with Fort William trains. The timings were:[12]
Arr. Dep. Oban 09:55 Crainlarich 11:15 12:35 Oban 14:15 14:30 Crainlarich 15:47 16:19 Oban 17:30
About once a week the set would be attached to the rear of a loco-hauled service train to Glasgow for refuelling and servicing. Galleries of the 'Mexican Bean" can be found on this website and on flickr.
In March, three of the Ayr vehicles which had been running as set 367 - 53510 / 59210 / 53565 - were transferred to Eastfield. Their use there seems to be brief - they are pictured in Glasgow Queen Street station on April 5th - they were placed into store within a few weeks in May. Bob Woolnough.
By May set the Class 101 DMS from set 101325 (which 53434 had worked in in March) moved to Ayr and replaced Class 104 DMS 53577 in set 101366, this vehicle moving to 104452.
In August 104450 would operate a shuttle to Haymarket depot for the 'Scotrail Festival' open day.
In October the three vehicles stored servicable at Eastfield were changed to stored unserviceable at Ayr.
1986
On April 19th 53452 was noted in traffic with 59801 (a 107) and 53670 (a 120). On the same day Sc53510 + Sc59210 + Sc53565 (the stored unservicable set) were seen in Falkland Yard, noted as "withdrawn because of multiple defects"[13], official date of withdrawal was May. Also noted there were single vehices 53577 and 59225, reason why unknown, probably mechanical defects. The DMS 53577 would be placed in store (unservicable) in May. Another May change - TBSL 59215 (the 1982 arrival that worked in set 366) was transferred from Ayr to Easfield.
In early June these were noted in operation:
104451 - 53473 (104) 59046 (101) 53749 (120)
104452 - 53461 (104) 59791 (107) 53649 (120)
The image shows 104452, 53461 closest, stabled at Corkerhill depot on 25th May 1986. Andy Cole.
Another crisis
The unexpected withdrawal of the Class 107 fleet in June saw the London Midland Region help out once more by sending surplus Class 104 and Class 120 vehicles, amongst others. For the 104s Newton Heath sent DMBSs 53430 and 53598, and DMSs 53491 and 53542 from its stock of withdrawn vehicles. 53542 would be placed in store at Falkland Yard and the other three reinstated to Ayr.
Note in traffic in July:
104451 - 53473 (104) 59264 (120) 51583 (120)
104455 - 53598 (104) 59090 (101) 53210 (104)
120514 - 53705 (120) 59559 (101) 53491 (104)
Class 104 DMCL 53491 is seen in the image in plain blue, still with its white cab roof from its Buxton days, with blue / grey 59554 (a Class 101) and 53705 (a Class 120) in platform 1 of Ayr station on 30th August 1986. These 'Frankenstein' sets were typical in the period leading up to the electrification of the Ayr line just four weeks after this picture was taken. Gordon Thomson.
Sc53424 + Sc53434 spent another season working the Oban - Crainlarich shuttles as 104325. The only real difference being the scotty dog, the emblem of their home depot Eastfield, placed in the centre of the bodysides being replaced by a much larger one. The are seen in Oban station on 11/08/1986. Graeme Phillips Collection. In late 1986 the "Mobile Museum" (Class 100 DMBS 53355 and Class 105 DMSL 53812) was considered as a replacement,[14] but dismissed on cost grounds.
The Ayshire electrification eased the demand on Ayr depot to supply DMUs, and in September four of the 104s were withdrawn, three of them were June arrivals 53430, 53542 and 53577
1987
At the start of 1987 there were nine vehicles listed for traffic in Scotland, five power cars (53461 / 53473 / 53491 / 53505 and 53525) and one centre car (59225) allocated to Ayr, and one centre car (59215) and the 'Mexican Bean' (53424 / 53434) at Eastfield.
February would see the biggest changes to the Scottish Class 104 fleet, with three vehicles withdrawn from Ayr (53491 / 53525 / 59225), the other three Ayr vehicles placed in store at Falkland Yard (53461 / 53473 / 53505).
Newton Heath sent two more three-car sets to Ayr the same month, 53464 + 59168 + 53517 and 53504 + 59228 + 53556. These were noted in Ayr depot on February 12th[15]. At the same time Falkland Yard contained 53461, Sc53473, Sc53505, Sc53525, M53542, M53598 and Sc59225.
The two new Ayr sets were soon stored at Cowlairs and then Corkerhill[16] before being transferred to Eastfield in March becoming 104456 (distinct as the power cars were in plain blue and the centre car 59168 was in blue / grey) and 104457 (three blue vehicle, 53504 had a white cab roof dome).
Although allocated to the Glasgow area they were just as likely to be found working from Edinburgh. The image shows 53504 with its white roof dome as part of set 456 in Edinburgh Waverley station in April 1987. By the start of May this would be set 457. Alan Rintoul.
Also in March the three stored vehicles at Falkland Yard were were withdrawn, leaving Ayr with no 104 vehicles on its books for the first time in five years. However in May another vehicle arrived from Newton Heath, blue grey trailer second 59153 along with Class 108 power cars 52053 and 52059 but were soon transferred to Eastfield.
Around July 53517 required repairs and was temporaily replaced in set 456 by Class 108 DMSL 52059, giving it two blue grey vehicles. The set is seen headed by Sc53464 heading north across the Forth Bridge on 8 July 1987. Andrew J Crowther.
1987 would be the third and final year that 'Mexican Bean' Sc53434 + Sc53424 operated the Crainlarich - Oban summer shuttles. In the image it is seen at Oban after arriving on the rear of the 18:20 Glasgow - Oban on Tuesday June 16, returning from a visit to Eastfield. Hamish Stevenson.
It appeared on the cover of the 1987 'Days Out from Oban' leaflet. View the full brochure: front; back.
The set seems to have been withdrawn in December, and was stored first at Cowlairs Carriage depot then moved to Thornton Junction in Fife in Spring 1988 where it lingered at least until the end of 1990.
In mid-November yet more vehicles transferred from Newton Heath to Eastfield: DMBS 53478 with TSL 59230 and DMS 53530, also TSL 59195. At the end of the month one more came from Newton Heath - DMBS 53472 (with Class 108 52042) which went to Haymarket then quickly to Eastfield. These would be the last 104s to arrive on the Scottish Region.
December also saw the withdrawal of TBSL 59215 (as well as the two Oban vehicles).
1988
To summarise the fleet at the start of 1988, Eastfield had seven power cars (53464, 53472, 53478, 53504, 53517, 53530 and 53556) and five centre cars (59153, 59168, 59195, 59228, 59230).
The image shows set 457 arriving into Edinburgh Waverley sometime in 1988. S Saunders.
M53530 was seen in Edinburgh Waverley on January 10th working with Class 108 vehicles 51925 and 59248, it was noted that 51925 was substituting for M53478 which was undergoing repairs, it was back in its intended formation by the end of March, although not long after Class 101 59082 took the place of 59248, whilst 59230 would be the centre car in the set later in the year.
In February M53517 and M59168 were taken from set 456 to run with Class 107 DMBS Sc51992 carrying set number 432, whilst M53464 carrying set number 456 operated with two Class 107 vehicles, centre car Sc59800 and DMS Sc52026. Set 456 was back to its proper formation (53464 + 59138 + 53517) by the end of March.
In April M53472 was working with Class 101 centre car M59097 and Class 108 DMS M52042, these formed set 459. Sc59195 was also noted as being the centre car in that set.
On Thursday May 7th set 458 worked the 10:10 Edinburgh - Dunblane, set 457 worked a Dunblane to Gleneagles special.
TSL 59153 was working in set 101393, mainly with Class 101 DMBS 53216, and the set was transferred from Eastfield to Haymarket in July.
Despite not being allocated to Ayr for some time they were no strangers there. On Saturday August 27th set 459 was on Ayr - Girvan duties, it then assisted an ailing 107429 on the 19:28 Ayr - Stranraer.
October saw the start of the Scottish Class 104 fleet reduction, when two sets moved to Newton Heath (set 456 DMBS 53464 + TSL 59168 + DMS 53517 and set 457 DMS 53504 + TBS 59228 + DMS 53556) and one vehicle was withdrawn (TSL 59230). On the first of that month 456 and 457 worked together on a Glasgow - Stranraer diagram in place of the Class 47 / coaches, on arrival at Glasgow Central they would form the 17:30 to Carlisle.
The image shows Class 104/101/108 hybrid set 459 at Perth on October 1, 1988. It is formed of 53472 + 59097 + 52042. John Carter.
By November sets 458 and 459 were renumbered at 758 and 759 to avoid duplication with Class 156s.
Set 758, running as a two-car, was noted on the Highland mainline on November 9th, thought to be in use for driver training.
1989
1989 would be their last year in Scotland. The year began with five vehicles, all at Eastfield - 53472, 53478, 53530, 59153 and 59195.
By March 53478 and 53530 (set 758) were noted as being in Sector Pool DXXZ - "Capital stock awaiting transfer to Departmental service, or authorised for condemnation" suggesting they were no longer in passenger use, while 53472 was still under the generic Provincial Sector for Eastfield - PED.[17]
In April the three power cars - DMBSs 53472 and 53478 and DMS 53530 - moved to Chester.
Centre car 59153 was withdrawn in October and the final vehicle 59195 was withdrawn in December.
The Vehicles 1982 - 1989
| 1982 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |1988 |1989
53424 DMS | c.Mar R->ED | | Dec W
53430 DMBS | Jun NH->AY Sep W
53434 DMBS | c.Mar R->ED | | Dec W
53452 DMBS | |Jan NH->AY | |May W
53453 DMBS | |Jan NH->AY Feb->CW
53461 DMBS | |Jan NH->AY | | |Feb FY(U) Mar W
53464 DMBS | Feb NH->AY Mar->ED | Oct->NH
53472 DMBS | Nov NH->HA Dec->ED| |Apr->CH
53473 DMBS | |Jan NH->AY | | |Feb FY(U) Mar W
53478 DMBS | Nov NH->ED | |Apr->CH
53491 DMS | Jun NH->AY |Feb W
53504 DMS | Feb NH->AY Mar->ED | Oct->NH
53505 DMS | |Jan NH->AY | | |Feb FY(U) Mar W
53510 DMS | |Jan NH->AY |c.May->ED->(S) Oct->AY(U)|May W
53517 DMS | Feb NH->AY Mar->ED | Oct->NH
53520 DMS | |Jan NH->AY Feb->CW
53525 DMS | |Jan NH->AY | | |Feb W
53530 DMS | Nov NH->ED | |Apr->CH
53542 DMS | Jun NH->AY Sep W
53556 DMS | Feb NH->AY Mar->ED | Oct->NH
53565 DMS | May BX->AY|c.May->ED->(S) Oct->AY(U)|May W
53577 DMS | May BX->AY| |May AY(U) Sep W
53598 DMBS | Jun NH->AY Sep W
59153 TS | May NH->AY->ED |Jul->HA | Oct W
59168 TS | Feb NH-AY Mar->ED | Oct->NH
59195 TS | Nov NH->ED | | Dec W
59210 TBS | May BX->AY|c.May->ED->(S) Oct->AY(U)|May W
59215 TBS |Jun NH->HA Nov->AY| | |May->ED | Dec W
59225 TBS | |Jan NH->AY | | |Feb W
59228 TBS | Feb NH->AY Mar->ED | Oct->NH
59230 TS | Nov NH->ED | Oct W
References
- ⋏ p49 June 1984 Rail Enthusiast magazine
- ⋏ "Strangers in a Strange Land" by Jim McVicar, p4 Issue 2, April 1988 Ten Four, journal of the 104 DMU Preservation Society
- ⋏ Autumn 1984 White Circle News Swindon Diesel Preservation Society
- ⋏ p18 September 1984 Rail Enthusiast magazine
- ⋏ p54 April 1985 Rail magazine
- ⋏ p22 June 1985 Rail magazine
- ⋏ May 1985 p223 Railway Observer
- ⋏ p26 June 1985 Rail magazine
- ⋏ p7 May 1985 Rail magazine
- ⋏ p49 August 1985 Rail magazine
- ⋏ July 1985 p340 Railway Observer
- ⋏ Image comment on flickr image by spannerman37025, accessed 28 August 2020
- ⋏ Summer 1986 White Circle News, journal of the Swindon Diesel Preservation Society
- ⋏ "Rolling Stock Newsreel" , p15 February 1987 Motive Power Monthly magazine
- ⋏ "A New Dawn" by Jim McVicar, p11 Issue 5, April 1989 Ten Four, journal of the 104 DMU Preservation Society
- ⋏ p31 August 1987 Rail magazine
- ⋏ p39 1989 Mutiple-Units Ian Allan ABC
The Railway Observer is the journal of the Railway Correspondence and Travel Society