Class 108 Derby 2,3 & 4-car DMUs
Scottish Region
1960
In March 1960 three London Midland Region sets were allocated to Leith Central depot. It was a period when the LMR had placed a bulk DMU order in anticipation of the dieselisation of services but the authorisation for the new schemes was delayed[1]. Two, 50984/56267 and 50985/56268 had been delivered in October 1959 and came on loan from 26A (Newton Heath). The third (51424/56279) was delivered new on loan from the LMR, no depot yet allocated.
The image shows brand new M51424 + M56279 at Morningside Road on the Edinburgh suburban circle, heading for Musselburgh. An official Scottish Region image from the AA McLean Collection.
The Winter 1962/3 DMU ABC (p16) featured an image of 56267 on a North Berwick service, working with a Gloucester set. The same volume has 52060-5 listed with Sc prefixes, although there is no evidence of them ever being on the ScR. They were amended to M prefixes by the next issue.
The three sets returned to the LMR in October 1960, 50984/56267 to 14E (Bedford), 50985/56268 and 51424/56279 to 18A (Toton).
1966
In February 1966 twenty-two vehicles arrived in Scotland (along with Met-Camms and Derby Lightweights) from the NER. This was to help in the elimination of steam from Glasgow suburban services. They joined the sets already working the Gourock line, and the DMUs began on Wemyss Bay services from February 28th and on other lines from April 18th, the day that Kilmarnock and East Kilbride services were transferred from Glasgow St Enoch to Central.
The image shows a two-car Class 108 and three-car Class 107 arriving into Gourock with a service from Glasgow on 12 March 1966, the last day of semaphore signals. The DTC on the 108 seems to be 56202, which means the power car closest is almost certainly 50611. The power car has a distinct darker patch under the Sc where the previous prefix had been painted over. Corriebob.
The twenty-two vehicles comprised two power / trailer sets and a three-car trailer brake set (a four-car with TS removed) from 50C (Hull Botanic Gardens) and all five of the original three-car sets from Darlington (51A) and South Gosforth (52J). It looks like they were allocated to Hamilton (66C), although there is discrepancies in the listings, the NER lists had to 'ScR (Hamilton)' but the ScR lists had 'NER to 67A' (Corkerhill). For some vehicles their next move was to 67A, so I've listed them here as moving NER -> 66C.
A twin set in Corstorphine station in 1966. Walter Burt.
On April 1966 all but two three-car sets were transferred to 64H (Leith Central), probably tying in with services changes due to the Glasgow terminal switch on the 18th noted above. The two remaining Hamilton sets would move to Corkerhill in March 1967.
This image shows the trailer brake set working in Fife, probably on an Edinburgh - Dundee service, with one of the DMSs replaced with a Met-Camm.
While working from Edinburgh 50611 would be withdrawn in October 1966, thought to be due to a collision at Thornton. The majority of the Leith vehicles would move to South Gosforth in June 1967 along with two vehicles from Corkerhill, initially on loan. 50610 + 56201 which would go to Cambridge (31A) in January 1968, and 50611's former partner DTC 56202 which would move to Hamilton in March 1968.
It would be joined at Hamilton in May by the remaining four Corkerhill vehicles (meaning Hamilton would have an odd assortment of 1 DMBS, 2 DMCs, one TS and one DTC). They were only there for a matter of weeks, all would leave in June 1968, the DTC to South Gosforth, the rest to Neville Hill, initially on loan before the moves were made permanent.
Power Trailers 50610 50C -> 66C 2/66 -> 64H 4/66 -> 31A 1/68 50611 50C -> 66C 2/66 -> 64H 4/66 -> W 10/66 56201 50C -> 66C 2/66 -> 64H 4/66 -> 31A 1/68 56202 50C -> 66C 2/66 -> 64H 4/66 -> 66C 3/68 -> 52J 6/68 Trailer Brake set 50632 50C -> 66C 2/66 -> 64H 4/66 -> 52J 6/67 59246 50C -> 66C 2/66 -> 64H 4/66 -> 52J 6/67 50633 50C -> 66C 2/66 -> 64H 4/66 -> 52J 6/67 Three-car sets 50620 51A -> 66C 2/66 -> 64H 4/66 -> 52J 6/67 50621 51A -> 66C 2/66 -> 67A 3/67 -> 66C 5/68 -> 55H 6/68 50622 52J -> 66C 2/66 -> 64H 4/66 -> 52J 6/67 50623 51A -> 66C 2/66 -> 64H 4/66 -> 52J 6/67 50624 52J -> 66C 2/66 -> 67A 3/67 -> 52J 6/67 50642 51A -> 66C 2/66 -> 64H 4/66 -> 52J 6/67 50643 51A -> 66C 2/66 -> 64H 4/66 -> 52J 6/67 50644 52J -> 66C 2/66 -> 64H 4/66 -> 52J 6/67 50645 51A -> 66C 2/66 -> 67A 3/67 -> 66C 5/68 -> 55H 6/68 50646 51A -> 66C 2/66 -> 67A 3/67 -> 66C 5/68 -> 55H 6/68 59386 51A -> 66C 2/66 -> 64H 3/66 -> 52J 6/67 59387 51A -> 66C 2/66 -> 67A 3/67 -> 66C 5/68 -> 55H 6/68 59388 52J -> 66C 2/66 -> 64H 4/66 -> 52J 6/67 59389 51A -> 66C 2/66 -> 64H 4/66 -> 52J 6/67 59390 51A -> 66C 2/66 -> 67A 3/67 -> 52J 6/67
Visitors
When not allocated to the Region, it was not unknown for the Class to head north across the border. Carlisle sets would work Carlisle - Glasgow Central services in the 1970s and 1980s. In the 1970s school specials brought them into Edinburgh from the north-east.
The image shows a set arriving into platform 8 of Edinburgh Waverley to form a schools special back to Darlington in the 1970s. Alan Rintoul.
1983 loans
To cover for DMU shortages in late May 1983 Haymarket borrowed two sets from the London Midland Region - DMBS 50926 and DMS 51567 from Chester and DMBS 50965 and DTC 56248 from Carlisle Kingmoor. The Chester power twin would form set 358 with a Met-Camm centre car and the Carlisle set would form set 359 working with bubble 55011[2]. They would spend about six weeks in Scotland before returning south in early July.
1987-1990
In this period the Region would be allocated twenty-two Class 108 vehicles, with an odd balance of power cars - just four DMBSs but fourteen DMSs, and four centre cars (two trailer brakes and two trailer seconds). Coming from the ER and LMR, they would be based at Ayr, Eastfield and Haymarket
First to arrive were a pair of DMSs moving from Newton Heath to Ayr in May 1987, the only two vehicles of the type that Ayr would receive. 52059 would be noted working in set Eastfield Class 104 set 457 with 59168 + 53464 while 53517 was under repair.[3] They would be transferred to Eastfield in September and soon joined by many other vehicles.
On October 4th three ER vehicles were transferred to Scotland, DMS 50645 from Botanic Gardens to Haymarket and two TBSs (59245 + 59248) from Heaton to Eastfield. 59245 would form set 380 with the two ex-Ayr DMSs. Three weeks later on the 25th Tyseley sent two DMBS / TS / DMS sets, 53933 + 59183 + 51566 and 51936 + 59386 + 52051, which would become sets 383 and 384.
DMS 53630 NL->ED 20/12/87 ->HA 11/07/88 ->NL 14/05/89 DMS 53631 NL->ED 20/12/87 ->HA 11/07/88 ->LE 14/05/89 DMS 53632 (20/12/87 move to ED cancelled) NL->HA Dec-88 ->CH 10/06/89 DMS 53641 NL->ED 31/01/88 ->HA 11/07/88 ->NL 14/05/89 DMS 53642 (20/12/87 move to ED cancelled) NL->HA Dec-88 ->CH 10/06/89 DMS 53643 NL->ED 20/12/87 ->HA 11/07/88 ->LE 14/05/89 DMS 53644 NL->ED 31/01/88 ->HA 11/07/88 ->NL 14/05/89 DMS 53645 BG->HA 04/10/87 ->ED Dec-87 ->HA 11/07/88 ->CH 10/06/89 DMBS 53933 TS->ED 25/10/87 ->HA 11/07/88 ->CH 01/10/89 DMS 51566 TS->ED 25/10/87 ->HA 11/07/88 ->CH 01/10/89 DMBS 51925 BX->ED 15/11/87 ->HA 11/07/88 ->LE 14/05/89 DMBS 51926 BX->ED 15/11/87 ->HA 11/07/88 ->LE 14/05/89 DMBS 51936 TS->ED 25/10/87 ->HA 11/07/88 ->LA 14/05/89 DMS 52042 NH->HA 29/11/87 ->ED Dec-87 ->NL 14/05/89 (104 set) DMS 52043 BX->ED 15/11/87 ->HA 11/07/88 -> W HA 16/03/90 DMS 52051 TS->ED 25/10/87 ->HA 11/07/88 ->LA 14/05/89 DMS 52053 NH->AY 10/05/87 ->ED 09/87 ->HA 11/07/88 -> CF 01/10/89 DMS 52059 NH->AY 10/05/87 ->ED 09/87 ->HA 11/07/88 -> CF 01/10/89 TBS 59245 HT->ED 04/10/87 ->HA 11/07/88 -> CH 11/06/89 TBS 59248 HT->ED 04/10/87 ->HA 11/07/88 -> CF 01/10/89 TS 59386 TS->ED 25/10/87 ->HA 11/07/88 ->LA 14/05/89 TS 59387 TS->ED 25/10/87 ->HA 11/07/88 ->NL 14/05/89
Another three weeks later, on November 15th 1987, Buxton would send Eastfield two DMBSs, 51925/6, and DMS 52043. Next to arrive on the region was DMS 52042 on November 29th from Newton Heath moving to Haymarket. Making the journey north with it were Class 104 TS 59195 and DMBS 53472 and these three would also be at Eastfield by the end of the year as set 104459.
Also in December 1987 three DMSs (53630/1/43) arrived from Neville Hill. The move of a further two (53632/42) was cancelled, they were kept at Neville Hill but did eventually move north a year later. Another two DMSs moved from Neville Hill to Eastfield on 31/01/88, 53641/4.
Three-car set 383 departing from Edinburgh Waverley for Dunblane in April 1988 with M53933 on the rear (and presumably 59387 + 51566). Graeme Phillips Collection.
At the end of January 1988 Eastfield hed twenty Class 108 vehicles. All, except 52042 which remained in 104459, were transferred to Haymarket on July 11, 1988. They would be joined by 53632/42 - the vehicles delayed moving from NE - in December 1988.
The formations at Haymarket on November 5, 1988 were listed as:[4]
108 380 52053 59248 52059 108 383 53933 59387 51566 108 384 51936 59386 52043 108 385 51925 59710 53643 108 386 51926 59697 53631
The latter two had 110 centre cars, and the other vehicles were in hybrid sets, 53630 in 101 392, 53641 in 101 391, 53644 in 101 390, 53645 unlisted, 52042 in 104 459, 52051 / 59245 were unlisted.
In May 1989 - presumably with the introduction of the summer timetable, twelve vehicles left Scotland - five to Neville Hill, four vehicles to Landore (HA sets 385 / 386 leaving their Class 110 centre cars behind and becoming S945 / S953) and three vehicles (HA set 384) to Laira (becoming set P828). Eleven of these were from Haymarket, the other was the sole Eastfield vehicle 52042.
Next to leave were four vehicles moving to Chester in June, then a two-car to Chester (HA set 383 which latterly been running as a power twin becoming CH634) and a three-car to Cardiff Canton in October (set 380).
Last remaining vehicle was 52043, withdrawn from Haymarket in March 1990.
One-way ticket
For some their last journey would be to Scotland - to MC Metals at Springburn for disposal.
DMBS 51940 is seen there on May 4th, 1993, removed from its bogies. Kevin Dowd.
References
- ⋏ Detailed in the minutes of the Lightweight Diesel Trains Committee.
- ⋏ Railway Observer, August 1983, p327, Railway Correspondence and Travel Society
- ⋏ Ten-Four No.5, April 1989, p327, journal of the 104 DMU Preservation Group
- ⋏ Diesel Unit Pocket Book, 1989 edition, p41, Platform 5 Publishing