Laboratory Coaches

52014 + 59787 + 52032 (DMS/TC/DMS) - three victims of the January 1984 Ayr depot fire - were moved to the Railway Technical Centre at Derby for conversion to a Laboratory unit. However the work was abandoned, and they were noted dumped in Toton yard in early 1987. They were still there in July 1987 when BR offered them for sale, with the condition that one axle would be recovered for re-use.

Sandite

Two DMBS / DMS power twins went into sandite use in 1991 at Eastfield. One set 977756/7 had formerly been long time partners in set 425 / 725 / 025, both blue / grey vehicles. A third vehicle, blue / grey 977778 (ex-51992) from set 432 / 732 / 032 was to replace one of the Met-Camm power cars in ED sandite set 302 (977651/2)^[1], but instead a second Class 107 set was formed with the addition of SPTE liveried 977762 (ex-52023) latterly from set 026. This explains the non-consecutive numbering.

Although their date to departmental use is December 1991, they would likely have been in use for the 1991 leaf fall season - they were all in MC Metals by October 1992 so were not used for the 1992 season.

For the 1992 season three other Class 107 DMBS / DMS power twins were converted, and these stuck around a bit longer. All were in SPTE livery, allocated to Haymarket, and were given set numbers. The pairings matched the new numbers but the set numbers matched the new vehice numbers in the order S002 / S001 / S003. By the 1994 season they were officially sets 960 932 / 960 931 / 960 933 and had these added under the marker lamp but kept the Sxxx numbers on the cab until withdrawal in February 1995. This was apparently due to some long-term maintenance having been overlooked.^[2] All six vehicles went to preservation.

The image shows 977830 stabled at Haymarket on 18/9/94. Hamish Stevenson.