Whilst by the mid 1970’s as built diesel multiple unit set formations within individual classes had been abandoned it was still fairly rare to see mix class diesel multiple unit set formations. However standing under the old Great Central Railway overbridge in platform 4 at Nottingham on the 19th June 1976 is three car Etches Park set EP483 formed of blue livered BRCW class 104 Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) M50447 leading two blue/grey livered Swindon class 120 Cross Country vehicles.
Unit History
Three hundred and two class 104 vehicles were built by Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Co. Ltd between 1957 and 1958. They were formed into fifteen power trailer two car sets, fifty six three car sets and twenty six four car sets and allocated to the London Midland and North Eastern Regions. When the local services between Derby, Nottingham, Leicester, Lincoln and Stoke/Crewe were dieselized in 1957/58 it was achieved with nineteen Cravens class 105 three car DMU sets (ordered at the start of 1956, being delivered in 1957/58) and eight Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon class 104 three car DMU sets (delivered in 1957). In 1968 the nineteen three-car Cravens sets were reformed into power twins and were transferred to Accrington, Lancashire being replaced in the East Midlands by Swindon class 120 three car Cross Country sets from the Western Region. However the eight BRCW sets were retained at Etches Park. M50447 entered traffic in September 1957 and was originally formed with M59155 and M50499. It survived in traffic until March 1992 and spent virtually all its career on East Midlands local duties. On withdrawal it was sold for preservation and for the next twenty years was used as a mess vehicle on the Llangollen Railway. It now has been displaced on this duty and is currently (August 2014) undergoing overhaul and restoration back into an operational vehicle.
Tags: 19th June 50447
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Three car BRCW class 104 DMU with Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) M50448 leading stands in platform 4 at Derby, 13th April 1981. I am surprised that this image survived the cut in 1981 as I got far to close to the subject and the composition is all over the place.
Unit History
Three hundred and two class 104 vehicles were built by Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Co. Ltd between 1957 and 1958. They were formed into fifteen power trailer two car sets, fifty six three car sets and twenty six four car sets and allocated to the London Midland and North Eastern Regions. When the local services between Derby, Nottingham, Leicester, Lincoln and Stoke/Crewe were dieselized in 1957/58 it was achieved with nineteen Cravens class 105 three car DMU sets (ordered at the start of 1956, being delivered in 1957/58) and eight Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon class 104 three car DMU sets (delivered in 1957). In 1968 the nineteen three-car Cravens sets were reformed into power twins and were transferred to Accrington, Lancashire being replaced in the East Midlands by Swindon class 120 three car Cross Country sets from the Western Region. However the eight BRCW sets were retained at Etches Park. M50448 entered traffic in September 1957 and was originally formed with M59156 and M50500. It survived in traffic until March 1986 and spent virtually all its career on East Midlands local duties. It was broken up on withdrawal in March 1986.
Tags: 13th April 50448
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M50455 being used as hauled stock behind 4F 44422 brings up the rear of a service train at Consall, 24th February 2008.
Unit History
Three hundred and two class 104 vehicles were built by Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Co. Ltd between 1957 and 1958. They were formed into fifteen power trailer two car sets, fifty six three car sets and twenty six four car sets and allocated to the London Midland and North Eastern Regions. M50455 is a Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) and entered traffic in 1957 as part of a three car set M59163 and M50507 allocated to Longsight for Manchester area suburban services. It remained on these duties until the latter half of the 1980’s when it was one of eight class 104 vehicles transferred to the London area for Barking – Gospel Oak duties on which it remained until January 1992. This was followed by six months allocated to Reading for Thames Valley duties until withdrawn in June 1992. Sold for preservation it was moved to the Churnet Valley Railway for storage until restored to traffic between 1999 and 2004.
Tags: 24th February 50455
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M50455 is stabled at Cheddleton on the Churnet Valley Railway, 11th March 2012.
Unit History
Three hundred and two class 104 vehicles were built by Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Co. Ltd between 1957 and 1958. They were formed into fifteen power trailer two car sets, fifty six three car sets and twenty six four car sets and allocated to the London Midland and North Eastern Regions. M50455 is a Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) and entered traffic in 1957 as part of a three car set M59163 and M50507 allocated to Longsight for Manchester area suburban services. It remained on these duties until the latter half of the 1980’s when it was one of eight class 104 vehicles transferred to the London area for Barking – Gospel Oak duties on which it remained until January 1992. This was followed by six months allocated to Reading for Thames Valley duties until withdrawn in June 1992. Sold for preservation it was moved to the Churnet Valley Railway for storage until restored to traffic between 1999 and 2004.
Tags: 11th March
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Condemned M50489 sits on accommodation bogies in the yard at Derby Carriage works awaiting its fate, 13th August 1977.
Unit History
Three hundred and two class 104 vehicles were built by Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Co. Ltd between 1957 and 1958. They were formed into fifteen power trailer two car sets, fifty six three car sets and twenty six four car sets and allocated to the London Midland and North Eastern Regions. M50489 was originally a Driving Motor Composite Lavatory (DMCL) however by this time the first class section has been downgraded. For most of its career M50489 was allocated to Buxton working suburban duties to Manchester.
Tags: 13th August 50489
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