British Rail Class 108

The British Rail Class 108 diesel multiple units were built by BR Derby from 1958 to 1961, with a final production quantity of 333 vehicles.[1]

British Rail Class 108
A class 108 unit formed from Nos. M50944, M56228 in 1975.
The second class saloon of 52054 on the Bodmin and Wenford Railway.
In service	1958–1993
Manufacturer	British Railways
Built at	Derby Works
Family name	First generation
Replaced	Steam locomotives and carriages
Constructed	1958–1961
Scrapped	1964–1993
Number built	DMBS: 152, DMCL: 58, DTCL: 106, TSL: 11, TBSL: 6. Total: 333 cars
Number preserved	32 sets
Formation	2, 3, or 4-car sets
Capacity	DMBS: 52 second class, DMCL: 12 first 53 second, DTCL: 12 first 53 second, TSL: 68 second class, TBSL: 50 second class
Operator(s)	British Rail
Line(s) served	LMR NER
Specifications
Car length	58 ft 1 in (17.70 m)
Width	9 ft 3 in (2.82 m)
Height	12 ft 4 in (3.76 m)
Maximum speed	70 mph (113 km/h)
Weight	Power cars: 29.5 tonnes (29.0 long tons; 32.5 short tons), Trailer cars: 21.5 to 23.5 tonnes (21.2 to 23.1 long tons; 23.7 to 25.9 short tons)
Prime mover(s)	Two BUT (AEC) then BUT (Leyland)
Power output	150 bhp (110 kW) per engine
Transmission	Mechanical: 4-speed epicyclic gearbox
Safety system(s)	AWS
Multiple working	■ Blue Square
Track gauge	4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

Overview

Driver's cab, with the signal token in the middle

The 108 was formed as a 2,3 or 4 car unit. Its aluminium body led the type to be classed a lightweight unit. These units stayed in regular service until 1990, when they began to be withdrawn from traffic. They were replaced on regional services by the new "Sprinter" derivative units, or by "Turbo" units on services around London. The final units lasted in traffic until October 1993, although many saw further use in departmental service, as sandite or route-learner units. Good condition on withdrawal and lack of asbestos has ensured that many of this class are now used on preserved railway lines.[2]

Orders

Table of orders

Lot No.	Car type	Qty	Fleet No.	Notes
30406	Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS)	26	50599–50624	ER power-trailer and power-twin sets
30407	Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS)	5	50625–50629	LMR power-trailer sets
30408	Driving Motor Composite with lavatory (DMCL)	17	50630–50646	ER power-twin and four-car sets
30409	Driving Trailer Composite with lavatory (DTCL)	21	56190–56210	ER power-trailer sets
30410	Driving Trailer Composite with lavatory (DTCL)	5	56211–56215	LMR power-trailer sets
30411	Trailer Second with lavatory (TSL)	6	59380–59385	ER four-car sets
30412	Trailer Brake Second with lavatory (TBSL)	6	59245–59250	ER four-car sets
30460	Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS)	12	50924–50935	LMR power-twin sets
30461	Driving Motor Composite with lavatory (DMCL)	12	51561–51572	LMR power-twin sets
30465	Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS)	50	50938–50987	LMR power-trailer sets
30466	Driving Trailer Composite with lavatory (DTCL)	50	56221–56270	LMR power-trailer sets
30493	Trailer Second with lavatory (TSL)	5	59386–59390	ER (power-twin to) three-car sets
30498	Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS)	9	51416–51424	LMR power-trailer sets
30499	Driving Trailer Composite with lavatory (DTCL)	9	56271–56279	LMR power-trailer sets
30601	Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS)	50	51901–51950	LMR power-trailer and power-twin sets
30602	Driving Trailer Composite with lavatory (DTCL)	21	56484–56504	LMR power-trailer sets
30660	Driving Motor Composite with lavatory (DMCL)	29	52037–52065	LMR power-twin sets

Accidents and incidents

• On 19 October 1987, the Glanrhyd Bridge over the River Towy at Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire collapsed as a passenger train operated by a Class 108 unit crossed it. Four people were killed.[3]
• On 22 August 1990, a three-car Class 108 unit overran a signal and was in a head-on collision with a two-car Class 108 unit at Hyde Junction, Cheshire. Twenty-eight people were injured.[3]

Preservation

5 Class 108 vehicles at Bewdley on the SVR.

Many vehicles have been preserved on heritage railways. None are currently certified for use on the main line - although the Swanage Railway's set was hauled from the railway to Eastleigh and back, for overhaul - and is believed to be the first class 108 to have been seen on main lines for a very long time.

Preserved examples

Set number	Vehicle numbers			Livery	Location	Notes
	DMBS	TCL	DMCL
-	50599	-	-	BR Blue	Ecclesbourne Valley Railway	Operational
-	50619	59387	51566	BR Green	Dean Forest Railway	Operational
-	50628	-	-	BR Green	Keith and Dufftown Railway	Operational
-	52044 (DMCL)	-	50632	BR Blue and Grey	Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway	Stored
-	50926	-	50645	BR Blue and Grey	Great Central Railway	Under Restoration
-	50928	-	51565	BR Green	Keighley and Worth Valley Railway	Under restoration
-	50933	-	52064	BR Green	Severn Valley Railway	Operational
-	50971	-	51571	BR Green	Kent and East Sussex Railway	Operational
-	50980	-	52054	BR Green	Weardale Railway	Operational
-	51922	-	51562	BR Green (51922) and BR Blue (51562)	National Railway Museum	Static Display
-	-	-	51567	BR Blue and Grey	Ecclesbourne Valley Railway	Stored
-	56274(DTCL)	-	51572	United Steel Red and Grey / BR Green	Wensleydale Railway	Stored
-	51907	-	56490(DTCL)	BR Blue and Grey	Llangollen Railway	Operational
-	51909	-	56271(DTCL)	BR Green	East Somerset Railway	Operational
-	51914	-	56492(DTCL)	BR Green	Dean Forest Railway	Operational
-	51919	-	52048	BR Blue	Garw Valley Railway	Operational
-	51933	-	56504(DTCL)	BR Green	Swanage Railway	Operational
-	51937	-	56484(DTCL)	BR White Stripe/ Blue and Grey	Poulton & Wyre Railway	Under Restoration
-	51941	-	-	BR Green	Severn Valley Railway	Operational
-	51942	-	56270(DTCL)	Network South East/BR Blue and Grey	Mid-Norfolk Railway	Stored
-	51947	-	-	BR Blue and Grey	Bodmin and Wenford Railway	Stored as a source for spare parts
-	51950	-	52062	Chocolate and Cream	Telford Steam Railway	Operational
-	-	-	52044	BR Blue and Grey	Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway	Operational
-	-	-	52053	BR Green	Keith and Dufftown Railway	Operational
-	-	59245(TBSL)	54207(DTCL)	Blood and Custard	Appleby Frodingham Railway Preservation Society	Operational
-	-	-	56208(DTCL)	BR Green	Severn Valley Railway	Operational
-	51618(Class 127)	-	56223(DTCL)	BR Green	East Anglian Railway Museum	Operational
-	-	-	56224(DTCL)	BR Green	Keith and Dufftown Railway	Operational
-	-	-	56279(DTCL)	BR Green	Lavender Line	Operational
-	-	-	56491(DTCL)	BR Green	Keith and Dufftown Railway	Operational
-	-	-	56495(DTCL)	BR Green	Kirklees Light Railway	Static Display
-	-	59250(TBSL)	-	BR Green	Severn Valley Railway	Operational

References

1. https://telfordsteamrailway.co.uk/the-railway/stock-list/class-108-d-m-u-british-rail-derby/
2. https://books.google.com/books?id=Ukp4BgAAQBAJ&pg=PT50&lpg=PT50&dq=br+class+101+leeds&source=bl&ots=U8yVJ_Z4CA&sig=ACfU3U3e78mM1lsytgzF1zikb6qDUsRAdg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjvlYz5kLTqAhVJBs0KHUxSDo44ChDoATABegQIBBAB#v=onepage&q=br%20class%20101%20leeds&f=false
3. Vaughan, Adrian (2003) [2000]. Tracks to Disaster. Hersham: Ian Allan. pp. 53–61, 100–04. ISBN 0 7110 2985 7.

Sources

• Motive Power Recognition: 3 DMUs. Colin J. Marsden
• British Railway Pictorial: First Generation DMUs. Kevin Robertson
• British Rail Fleet Survey 8: Diesel Multiple Units- The First Generation. Brian Haresnape
• A Pictorial Record of British Railways Diesel Multiple Units. Brian Golding

External links

• History of the Class 108s
• Llangollen Railcar Group - owners of preserved DMUs on Llangollen Railway.
• The Railcar Association
• The DMU Group (West Midlands)