50528 Class 104 Driving Motor Composite Lavatory
Home Railway |
Location History |
Llangollen Railway Apr 93-Present |
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Current Location |
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Current Status |
Operational |
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Current Livery |
BR Blue (Full Yellow End) |
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TRA Designation |
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Partner Vehicle(s) |
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Owner |
Kevin Dowd |
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Website |
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Record Last Updated |
8 July 2023 |
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Preservation Modifications |
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Preservation Information After some restoration 50528 and partner 50454 were quickly put into service still in BR Blue livery. The set was later embellished with a "Blackpool" white stripe down the side. During 1994 50528 underwent a heavy refurbishment and emerged in BR Green livery with half yellow panel. In 1996 the roof was repainted. The late 1990's and early 2000's saw the vehicle performing reliably, the set becoming a regular performer for many years, clocking up over 20,000 miles in traffic. In the winter of 2008/2009, the vehicle was repainted in the 1964 livery of blue with a small yellow warning panel. In 2012, the set became the first DMU since the 1960's to work west of Carrog on the Llangollen Railway's new Corwen extension, the set being used for driver training. August of that year saw the No1 engine replaced with a reconditioned example after the old one had devleoped water leaks which could not be repaired in situ. Over winter 2013/2014, the vehicle was fitted with a replacement sliding dog in the final drive. Spring 2014 saw 50528 withdrawn for two months for a cab end body rebuild. All the upper sections of steel, round the corners to the cab doors required replacement. This work was completed quickly and the vehicle emerged sporting a repainted cab end, this time in all-over yellow. The vehicle later received a full repaint into BR Blue with a full yellow end during October, debuting at the Railcar Convention weekend that month. 50528 was lifted for the first time in preservation during the early part of 2016 during a routine M examination. In 2019 the cab front of 50528 was corroding along the bottom edge, which was duly chopped out and replaced. The opportunity was taken to represent the front end in the vehicle's later (1980's) era, so the (cosmetic only) route indicator box front was removed, giving 50528 a plain front for the first time since 1994. The front end and bufferbeam were then repainted before the vehicle was quickly returned to service. 50528 lasted until the Covid-19 pandemic when extended periods stood idle added to the vehicle's accelerating bodywork issues. The set was withdrawn for a refresh in 2021 but the availability of other units etc led to 50528 having to wait its turn for repairs. It therefore spent a period stored out of service. The summer of 2022 was spent undertaking some bodywork repairs and a repaint to 50528, which were completed just in time for the vehicle to be returned to service for that year's railcar gala in the October. Whilst 50528 retained its BR blue livery, it gained blue squares on the front and its old Newton Heath set number. |
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Future Plans |
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An unusual corridor end view of M50528 during winter shunting at Pentrefelin depot. Note the removed buffer, which was being replaced with a spare, 5/2/23. Mike Martin |
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M50528 undergoing bodywork repairs and a repaint in the sidings at Pentrefelin, 3/9/22. Darren JB |
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A faded M50528 taking a break from services at Pentrefelin shed, 13/7/21. Aaron Browning |
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M50528 (M50454 behind) at Carrog with the 11:04 Carrog-Llangollen, showing off the recently repainted cab front which is now in its late 1970's/1980's condition, 14/9/19. Chris Moxon |
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An unusual corridor view of M50528 during set reformations at Llangollen, 3/6/18. Chris Moxon |
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M50528 in Berwyn platform, 29/9/17. Colin Roycroft |
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M50528 lifted (for the first time in preservation) during an M exam, 16/1/16. Mike Martin |
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M50528's bogie undergoing work during an M exam at Pentrefelin, 16/1/16. Mike Martin |
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M50528, freshly repainted, at Llangollen during the "Railcar 60" event, 5/10/14. Chris Moxon |
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M50528/M50454 gleam in the sunshine at Carrog during departure for Llangollen on the final day of the Railcar Gala, 22/6/14. Richard Hargreaves |
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New metal progressing on M50528 during its cab rebuild, 28/4/14. Llangollen Railcar Group |
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M50528 stripped down during its cab rebuild, 8/3/14. Llangollen Railcar Group |
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M50528 stripped down during its cab rebuild, 8/3/14. Llangollen Railcar Group |
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M50528 receives a replacement No1 engine, 28/8/12. Llangollen Railcar Group |
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M50528 & M50454 at Llangollen during the Railcar Gala, 24/6/12. Chris Moxon |
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M50528 & M50454 pass a Class 26, 2/4/12. Llangollen Railcar Group |
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M50528, M50454, E56171 & E50416 stabled at Pentrefelin, 2/1/12. Mike Martin |
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M50528 inside the shed at Pentrefelin, 5/9/11. Llangollen Railcar Group |
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Replacement gearbox for M50528, 5/9/11. Llangollen Railcar Group |
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M50528 & M50454 at Glyndyfrdwy, 2/10/10. Chris Moxon |
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M50528 at Garthydwr, 17/5/09. Chris Moxon |
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M50528 & M50454 near Glyndyfrdwy.Llangollen Railcar Group |
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M50528 being reapinted from green to blue.Llangollen Railcar Group |
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M50528 & M50454 at Pentrefelin, 6/10/07.Chris Moxon |
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M50528, M50454, E56171 & E50416 in service at Carrog, 17/3/07. Mike Martin |
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M50528 & M50454 at Llangollen, 10/6/06.Chris Moxon |
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M50528 leads a 4-car formation at Carrog, 26/2/05. Brian Battersby |
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M50528/M50454 lead the Wickham set into Glyndyfrdwy.Llangollen Railcar Group |
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M50528 crossing the level crossing at Glyndyfrdwy bound fro Llangollen, 29/2/04. Brian Battersby |
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M50528 shortly after arrival in the early 1990's.Llangollen Railcar Group |
Interior
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Replacement lino in and around th toilet after floor repairs, 30/9/13. Llangollen Railcar Group |
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M50528's first class saloon, 17/5/09.Chris Moxon |