British Rail Class 108

British Rail Class 108 (Derby Lightweight)
Class 108 DMU, nos. 50980 and 52054, at Bodmin on 28 August 2003. This unit is preserved on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway in Cornwall.
In service	1958–1990
Manufacturer	British Railways
Built at	Derby Works
Constructed	1958–1961
Number built	DMBS: 152, DMCL: 58, DTCL: 106, TSL: 11, TBSL: 6. Total: 333 cars
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	British Rail
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, Trailer cars: 21.5 to 23.5 tonnes
Engine(s)	Two BUT (AEC) 150 hp then BUT (Leyland) 150 hp per power car
Transmission	Mechanical: 4-speed epicyclic gearbox
Safety system(s)	AWS
Multiple working	■ Blue Square
Gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

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.

Class 108 DMU, nos. 56208 and 51935, at Bewdley on 15 October 2004. This unit is preserved on the Severn Valley Railway.

These units stayed in regular service until 1990, when they began to be withdrawn from traffic.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 and lack of asbestos has ensured that many of this class have been saved for preservation. 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 line metals for a very long time.

Orders

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

Preservation

Many vehicles have been preserved on heritage railways.

Vehicles Numbers			Set Number	Location	Comments
50599	-	-	L490	Ecclesbourne Valley Railway	50599 was the first built vehicle of the class and moved to Wirksworth 16/03/10.
-	-	56491	L490	Keith and Dufftown Railway	56491 is now at the Keith and Dufftown Railway
50619	-	56492	B962	Dean Forest Railway	50619 is now in service as the 3rd car when it is needed. 56492 in regular traffic.
50928	-	51565	S948	Keighley and Worth Valley Railway	-
50971	-	51571	-	Kent and East Sussex Railway	-
50982	-	52054	LO275	Bodmin & Wenford Railway	-
51562	-	51922	S941	East Lancashire Railway	51562 was the 1000th vehicle built by BR at Derby.
51566	59387	53933	T072	Dean Forest Railway	53933 is now at the Severn Valley Railway replacing 51935, on loan from the DFR. Other vechiles being overhauled.
51567	-	53627	LO615	Peak Rail	Used as a sandite unit after withdrawal from normal service.
51568	-	52053	T066	Keith and Dufftown Railway	-
51907	-	54490	LO262	Llangollen Railway	-
51909	-	56271	L231	Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust	-
51914	-	56495	L232	Dean Forest Railway	56465 has been sold off, 51914 remains in traffic at the DFR.
51919	-	52048	T940	Barry EWS Depot	-
51933	-	56504	LO618	Swanage Railway	56504 was the last built vehicle of the class.
51935	-	56208	T077	Severn Valley Railway	51935 was gutted internally by fire in 05/08 and was scrapped and replaced by another vehicle.
51937	-	54484	LO905	Peak Rail	-
51941	59250	52064	T069	Severn Valley Railway	Only surviving operational three-car unit. As of Spring 2011, 51941 is Out of Service due to having bodywork repairs/repaint
51950	-	52062	T070	Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway	-
52061	-	53982	C921	Swansea Vale Railway	-
53628	-	54223	L212	Keith and Dufftown Railway	53628 was the final vehicle of the class used in BR service.
53645	-	53926	T061	Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre	-
54279	-	-	L212	Vale of Glamorgan Railway	-
56207	59245	-	-	Appleby Frodingham Railway	Used as locomotive-hauled stock.
52044	-	50632		Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway
	-	56224		Keith and Dufftown Railway

External links

• Llangollen Railcar Group - owners of preserved DMUs on Llangollen Railway.
• The Railcar Association
• The DMU Group (West Midlands)

References

• 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