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Encyclopedia > British Rail Class 508
508136 at Kirkdale on 2 August 2004 in original Merseyrail livery.
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508136 at Kirkdale on 2 August 2004 in original Merseyrail livery.
508120 at Chester on 4 June 2005.
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508120 at Chester on 4 June 2005.
508138 bearing the 'Revised' livery, one of six 508s to receive this colourful variant.
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508138 bearing the 'Revised' livery, one of six 508s to receive this colourful variant.

The British Rail Class 508 electric multiple units were built by BREL at York works in 1979-80. They were the fourth variety of BR's then-standard design for suburban EMUs, eventually emcompassing 811 vehicles and five classes (313/314/315/507/508). They have mostly worked on the Merseyrail network since 1983, and continue to do so, now refurbished by Alstom's Eastleigh Works. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2451x1642, 632 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): British Rail British Rail Class 508 User:AA Milne/British Rail Network ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2451x1642, 632 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): British Rail British Rail Class 508 User:AA Milne/British Rail Network ... Kirkdale railway station is a railway station in Kirkdale, Liverpool, England, located to the north of the city centre on the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network. ... August 2 is the 214th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (215th in leap years), with 151 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Merseyrail is the name given to the electric commuter train network centred on Liverpool. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2048x1488, 838 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Merseyrail British Rail Class 508 Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2048x1488, 838 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Merseyrail British Rail Class 508 Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or... Chester railway station is a railway station in the city of Chester, England. ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (156th in leap years), with 210 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 508138 waits to leave New Brighton with the 17:23 to Liverpool File links The following pages link to this file: British Rail Class 508 ... 508138 waits to leave New Brighton with the 17:23 to Liverpool File links The following pages link to this file: British Rail Class 508 ... Logo of British Rail British Railways (BR), later rebranded as British Rail, ran the British railway system from the nationalisation of the Big Four British railway companies in 1948 until its privatisation in stages between 1994 and 1997. ... A classic Belgian multiple unit of type 74 A multiple unit is a passenger train whose carriages have their own motors, either diesel (DMUs) or electric (EMUs), and do not need to be hauled by a locomotive. ... for the singer see Jacques Brel BREL stands for British Rail Engineering Limited, which was the engineering division of British Rail Categories: Stub | British Rail(ways) ... York is a city in Northern England, at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss. ... Class 313/0, no. ... The British Rail Class 314 is an electric multiple unit train found on the SPT rail network in Central Scotland. ... The British Rail Class 315 is a 25kv overhead current collection version of the dual voltage Class 313. ... 507001 illustrated in the new post-refurbishment Merseyrail livery. ... Merseyrail is the name given to the electric commuter train network centred on Liverpool. ... Eastleigh Railway Works was in the town of Eastleigh in the county of Hampshire in England. ...

Contents

Description

The Class 508 EMUs were developed for Merseyside following extensive trials and testing of the 4Pep/2Pep stock built in the early 1970s. Testing of Class 313 stock took place in Merseyside, using 313003 and 313005. However, following planning and building, British Rail decided to divert the 508s to work alongside much older first-generation 4Sub EMUs in the London Waterloo area. Based at Strawberry Hill depot, they soon became very unpopular in the Southern region due to their being non-standard. Once a new build of Class 455 EMUs were complete, the 508s were slowly sent to their originally intended home on the Merseyrail network, to work alongside the already well-established fleet of Class 507 EMUs working there since 1978. The Pep Stock were prototype electric multiple units used on British Rails Southern Region during the early 1970s. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Class 313/0, no. ... Refurbished South West Trains Class 455 The British Rail Class 455 is a type of electric multiple unit drawing power from a 750 V DC third rail. ... 507001 illustrated in the new post-refurbishment Merseyrail livery. ...


All 43 508s are now formed of three cars, although they were four-car sets on the Southern Region. When sent to Merseyside, one of the trailer cars was removed and incorporated into the 455/7 build of EMUs. Also the indiviual passenger door controls which had been a feature of these units were plated over before the units were sent north. Original plans were drawn up for 58 508s to be constructed, although costing issues limited the eventual number to 43. Carriage numbering is as follows:

  • 64649-64691 - DMSO
  • 71483-71525 - TSO
  • 64692-64734 - BDMSO

Current operations

Merseyrail operate 27 508s, which are used interchangeably between the Northern Line and the Wirral Line. A Northern Line train at Liverpool Central. ... A Wirral Line train at Liverpool Central. ...


Connex South Eastern leased 12 508s surplus to Merseyrail requirements (508101/105/106/107/109/113/116/119/121/129/132/133) in 1996, for operation on specific Kent services. This fleet is used due to lack of Networkers (465s), particularly on the Medway Valley Line and the Isle of Sheppey line. In September 2006 new operator Southeastern announced that a cascade of rolling stock would see Class 466s units replace the 508s on the Sheerness and Medway Valley lines in the December 2006 timetable. [1] A Class 423 4Vep unit in Connex South Eastern livery at Waterloo East in February 2003. ... Southeastern is a train operating company that began operations in south-east England on 1 April 2006, replacing the former publicly-owned operator South Eastern Trains. ... Class 466s are two-car versions of the British_Rail_Class_465. ...


Silverlink leased three 508s from Angel Trains in 2003 for operation on the London Euston - Watford Junction line to assist its fleet of Class 313 EMUs.


For their respective operators, the 508s commonly work:


Merseyrail

For other uses, see Southport (disambiguation). ... Hunts Cross is an area of Liverpool adjacent to Garston, Woolton and Speke close to Liverpools John Lennon Airport and is also the terminus for the Northern Line of Merseyrail electric commuter train network. ... Statistics Population: 23,392 Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: SD415085 Administration District: West Lancashire Shire county: Lancashire Region: North West England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Lancashire Historic county: Lancashire Services Police force: Lancashire Police Ambulance service: North West Post office and telephone Post town... Map sources for Kirkby at grid reference SJ409988 Arms of the former Kirkby Urban District Council Kirkby (pronounced ) is a new town in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley, Merseyside, England. ... The New Palace amusement arcade in New Brighton. ... West Kirby is a town located on the North East corner of the coast of Wirral, Merseyside, England. ... Chester is the county town of Cheshire in North West England. ... Arms of the former Ellesmere Port Borough Council Location within the British Isles Ellesmere Port is an industrial town in the district of Ellesmere Port and Neston, Cheshire, England, situated in the south of the Wirral Peninsula on the estuary of the River Mersey, to the north of Chester. ...

Southeastern Trains

The Sheerness Line connects Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent with Sittingbourne on the mainland, and with the Chatham Main Line for trains to London and elsewhere in Kent. ... Tunbridge Wells (officially Royal Tunbridge Wells) is a Wealden town in west Kent in England, just north of the border with East Sussex. ... Statistics Population: 31,600 (2001) Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: TQ591468 Administration District: Tonbridge & Malling Shire county: Kent Region: South East England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Kent Historic county: Kent Services Police force: Kent Police Ambulance service: South East Coast Post office and telephone... The current London Bridge, viewed from the south London Bridge is a bridge in London, England over the River Thames, between the City of London and Southwark. ... Statistics Population: 25,000 Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: TQ275505 Administration District: Reigate and Banstead Shire county: Surrey Region: South East England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Surrey Historic county: Surrey Services Police force: Surrey Police Ambulance service: South East Coast Post office and telephone... The Medway Valley Line is the name given to the railway line linking Strood and the Medway Towns with Maidstone West and onward to Paddock Wood and Tonbridge. ...

Silverlink

London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ... Watford is a town and district in Hertfordshire, England and is situated 27 km (17 miles) northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. ...

Fleet information

  • Originally the 508s were numbered 508001 - 508043.
  • When they moved to Merseyside, they were renumbered 508101-508143 to avoid confusion with the Class 507s.
  • The current list of Merseyrail units is 508103/104/108/110-112/114/115/117/120/122-128/130/131/134/136-141/143
  • Merseyrail 508s were refurbished in 2003-2004, the first unit to re-enter service being 508110. The final unit to leave for the works for refurbishment was formerly black-striped 508137.
  • SET units were renumbered 508201-508212 when they were refurbished in 1996.
  • Silverlink units were renumbered 508301-508303 when they were refurbished in 2003.

Liveries

508s have appeared in many colours over their lifetimes, more so than any EMU of similar type.

  • BR Blue and Grey (1979-1994): the initial livery stood the test of time, lasting until well into their careers on Merseyside. The units also carried the MPTE "69" logo and Merseyrail branding on the driver's side of the outer ends of the driving vehicles.
  • Merseyrail Original (1993-2001; repaints 2001-2004): the original yellow livery was exclusive to Merseyside EMUs; this was a yellow basecoat with white around the windows and black and grey stripes.
  • Merseyrail Revised (1999-2004): a simple variation of the original Merseyrail livery - no black stripe, and a lighter base yellow.
  • Merseyrail Refurbished (2003-): radically different to the others, it involves a silver basecoat, with addition of yellow stripes which resemble those of a tiger. Additional 'M' branding appears on the front ends and on the sides, as does a 'Merseyrail' vinyl. This does not wear well if vandalised, as several sets are running round the network with Ms missing.
  • Connex Yellow and White (1996-2006): a white basecoat with some yellow effects down the sides.
  • South Eastern Trains (2005-): the newest livery - a white background, with yellow and black side stripes. Unit 508208 was one of the first to receive this, in May 2005.
  • Silverlink Metro (2004-): Silverlink's 508s' purple, green and silver livery was applied when they were modified in 2003.

Naming

The nameplate affixed to 508136.
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The nameplate affixed to 508136.

In late 2004, to mark Liverpool's success in being named European Capital of Culture 2008, Merseyrail named 508136 'Capital of Culture'. This name was affixed using vinyl transfers as opposed to proper nameplates. Capital of Culture nameplate on EMU 508136 File links The following pages link to this file: British Rail Class 508 ... Capital of Culture nameplate on EMU 508136 File links The following pages link to this file: British Rail Class 508 ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by the European Union for a period of one year during which it is given a chance to showcase its cultural life and cultural development. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...


See also

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British Rail Class 508
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  Results from FactBites:
 
Steve's Page on British Rail Diesels - The "Duff" (class 47) (1480 words)
The class of locomotives that were to become known as the 47 class (or "Duff" as they have been nicknamed) are the largest class of diesel locomotives built for the British Rail fleet with 512 locomotives in all being built during the early 1960s.
The other 508 locomotives survived to be repainted and renumbered and were all still in operation in 1984.
In April 1976 locomotive 47046 (D1628) was experimentally re-engineered to run using 56 class traction equipment and renumbered to 47601 thus forming a new 47/6 class consisting of this one locomotive.
British Rail Class 86 at AllExperts (3898 words)
The British Rail Class 86 is the standard electric locomotive built during the 1960s, developed as a result of testing with the earlier Classes 81, 82, 83, 84 and 85.
In the mid-1990s, British Rail was privatised, and the Class 86 fleet was divided among several operators.
It was reclassified as Class 86/5 and renumbered to 86501.
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