British Rail Class 508

British Rail Class 508
Merseyrail Class 508 at Hightown
The interior of a Merseyrail-refurbished Class 508 unit
In service	17 December 1979 –16 January 2024 [1]
Manufacturer	British Rail Engineering Limited
Order no.	30979 (DMSO vehicles) 30980 (TSO vehicles) 30981 (BDMSO vehicles) [2]
Built at	Holgate Road Works, York
Family name	BREL 1972
Replaced	Class 503
Constructed	1979–1980
Refurbished	2002–2004 at Alstom Eastleigh (27 Merseyrail units only) 2007–2008 at Wabtec Doncaster (6 Southeastern units only) [3]
Scrapped	2020-2024
Number built	43
Number scrapped	41
Successor	Class 378 Class 466 Class 777
Formation	As built, 4 cars per unit: DMSO-TSO-TSO-BDMSO After 3-car conversion: DMSO-TSO-BDMSO [2]
Diagram	DMSO vehicles: EA208 TSO vehicles: EH218 BDMSO vehicles: EI203 [2]
Design code	4PER [4]
Fleet numbers	508/0: 508001–508043 508/1: 508101–508143 508/2: 508201–508212 [5]
Capacity	As built: 320 seats As three-car: 234 seats Three-car modified: 222 seats 508/2 units: 219 seats As refurbished: 192 seats
Owners	Angel Trains [6]
Operators	British Rail Connex South Eastern London Overground Merseyrail Southeastern Silverlink
Depots	Birkenhead North (Wirral) [7] Gillingham (Kent) Hall Road (Blundellsands Kirkdale (Liverpool) [2]
Lines served	Wirral line Northern line
Specifications
Car body construction	Steel underframe and body frame, aluminium body and roof
Car length	DM vehs.: 19.800 m (64 ft 11.5 in) Trailers: 19.920 m (65 ft 4.3 in)
Width	2.820 m (9 ft 3.0 in)
Height	3.582 m (11 ft 9.0 in)
Floor height	1.146 m (3 ft 9.1 in)
Doors	Double-leaf pocket sliding, each 1.288 m (4 ft 2.7 in) wide(2 per side per car)
Wheelbase	Over bogie centres: 14.170 m (46 ft 5.9 in)
Maximum speed	75 mph (120 km/h)
Weight	DMSO vehicles: 36.15 t (35.58 LT; 39.85 ST) TSO vehicles: 26.72 t (26.30 LT; 29.45 ST) BDMSO vehicles: 36.61 t (36.03 LT; 40.36 ST) [2]
Traction motors	8 × GEC G310AZ or 8 × Brush TM61-53 (82 kW (110 hp) each,4 per motor car)
Power output	656 kW (880 hp)
HVAC	Electric heating (ducted warm air)
Electric system(s)	750–850 V DC third rail [2]
Current collector(s)	Contact shoe
UIC classification	Bo′Bo′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′
Bogies	BREL BX1
Minimum turning radius	70.4 m (231 ft 0 in)
Braking system(s)	Electro-pneumatic (disc) and rheostatic [2] [5]
Safety system(s)	AWS TPWS
Coupling system	Tightlock
Multiple working	508/3: within subclass, and with Class 313 [8] Others: within class, and with Class 507
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Notes/references
Specifications as at August 1982 [9] except where otherwise noted. The additional TSO vehicles, removed as part of three-car conversion, were inserted into Class 455/7 units. [2]

The British Rail Class 508 (4PER) was a type of electric multiple unit (EMU) passenger train built by British Rail Engineering Limited, at Holgate Road carriage works, York, in 1979 and 1980. They were a variant of British Rail's standard 1972 design for suburban EMUs, eventually encompassing 755 vehicles and five classes (313/314/315/507/508). ^[10] They mostly worked on the Merseyrail network from 1982 until withdrawal on 16 January 2024. ^[1]

Description

The class was developed for Merseyside, following extensive trials and testing of the 4Pep/2Pep stock that was built in the early 1970s. Testing of Class 313 took place on the Northern line on Merseyside, using 313013/063 ^[11] which were loaned from the Great Northern Line of the Eastern Region ^[7] to Hall Road TMD. Original plans were drawn up for 58 Class 508s to be constructed, ^[7] although costing issues limited the eventual number to 43. Following planning and building, British Rail diverted the 508s to work alongside much older first-generation 4Sub EMUs in the London Waterloo area. The first unit was delivered to Strawberry Hill depot on 9 August 1979. ^[7] Based at Wimbledon Traincare Depot, they soon became problematic due to their non-standard dimensions and brake problems caused by leaf fall. ^{[7] [12]}

Once a new build of Class 455 EMUs was completed, the Class 508s were sent slowly to their originally intended home on the Merseyrail network. Driver training began at Kirkdale on 17 February 1982 ^[7] and the first Class 508 began service on the Northern line the following month. ^[7] The first Wirral line service commenced on 8 June 1984 ^[7] and the Class 508s had completely displaced the Class 503 fleet by the end of March 1985. ^[7] The fleet was then working in parallel with the already well-established fleet of Class 507 EMUs across the River Mersey, which had been working on Merseyside since 1978.

Operations

Silverlink/London Overground

Silverlink leased three 508/0s in 2003 for operation on the Watford DC Line to assist its fleet of Class 313 EMUs. ^[8] They were modified to make them inter-operable with 313s and were reclassified as Class 508/3. ^[8] These were withdrawn following the delivery of Class 378 Capitalstar units, and the 508/3s were scrapped in 2013. ^[8]

Merseyrail

In the late 1980s under British Rail, the entire class of 43 508s operated on the Merseyrail network. ^[13] By 2010, the number operated by Merseyrail had been reduced to 27 units. ^[14] They were used interchangeably between the Northern and Wirral lines, and commonly worked the following services:

• Southport – Hunts Cross line
• Liverpool Central – Ormskirk line
• Liverpool Central – Kirkby line
• Liverpool Lime Street – New Brighton line
• Liverpool Lime Street – West Kirby line
• Liverpool Lime Street – Chester line
• Liverpool Lime Street – Ellesmere Port line

Merseyrail's fleet of Class 508 units were primarily maintained at Birkenhead North TMD, with minor maintenance being undertaken at Kirkdale TMD. The units, when out of service, had stabling points at various sidings around the Merseyrail network. These can be found at the station termini and the depots, as well as at Rock Ferry station and Birkenhead North station.

A farewell tour for the Class 508 operated using units 508139 and 508141 took place on 29 October 2023. ^[15]

The Class 508 was withdrawn from service on 16 January 2024. ^[1]

Southeastern

Connex South Eastern leased twelve Class 508s freed up by capacity reductions on Merseyrail services in 1996, for operation on specific Kent services that would replace slam-door 4CEP units. ^[16] They were refurbished at Eastleigh Works, including the installation of 2+2 seating and wheel-in cycle racks in the centre cars, and reclassified as the Class 508/2 (508201-212). ^[17] Their main duties included London Bridge to Tunbridge Wells, Paddock Wood to Strood, Maidstone West to Three Bridges and Sittingbourne to Sheerness-on-Sea, as well as Grove Park to Bromley North for a short period. Units were based at Gillingham Depot.^{[ citation needed ]}

Due to their comfort and ride quality, alongside the lack of toilets and first class facilities, which were felt as a downgrade from the slam-door units they replaced, the Class 508s were unpopular with passengers. In 2005, one unit was refurbished by interim operator South Eastern Trains to improve external appearances, with a black, white and yellow livery.^{[ citation needed ]}

In September 2006 new operator Southeastern announced that a cascade of rolling stock would see Class 466 units replace the 508s on the Sheerness and Medway Valley lines in the December 2006 timetable. ^[18] Following this timetable change, the fleet's diagrams were reduced to six serviceable units, resulting in five sets being placed in "warm store" at Chart Leacon TMD, and one unit was cannibalised. With the transfer of the Tonbridge to London via Redhill services to Southern, Southeastern placed its remaining Class 508 units in store in December 2008. ^[19]

Network Rail's Route Utilisation Strategy for Merseyside has called for an expansion to Merseyrail's current fleet to allow for both additional services and lengthening of trains to six cars. In December 2009 it was reported by various sources that the former Southeastern and London Overground units would be transferred to Merseyrail. ^{[20] [21]}

Replacement

On 14 May 2012, Merseytravel announced that it was beginning a project for replacement of the 508s and 507s. ^{[22] [23]} The lease on the Class 507s and 508s had been extended to 2018. As part of the agreement with Angel Trains, the fleet received a refresh package including external re-livery, internal enhancements and engineering work. ^[24]

On 11 January 2016, Merseytravel announced the short list of companies bidding to build new trains which will replace the Class 507 and Class 508s on the Merseyrail network. ^[22] In December 2016, Merseytravel announced that Stadler had won the £460 million contract and that the new Class 777 trains were to be delivered from summer 2019 with all the old trains replaced by 2021. ^[25] The first unit entered service late in January 2023. ^[26]

The last Class 508 to be sent for scrap was scrapped in February 2024. ^[27]

Accidents and incidents

On 21 April 1982, unit 508031 was running the 06:34 service from London Waterloo crashed at Shepperton, demolishing barriers and a wall. The train also slid into some new pedestrian crossing lights, rendering them unusable. The crash was initially believed to be the result of braking tests the previous night, which involved applying grease to the tracks, and that the grease may not have been sufficiently cleaned off. It was later found that the train's brakes were faulty. ^[28]

In 1987, a Class 508 unit collided with the buffer stop at Kirkby. ^[29]

On 26 October 2005, unit 508124, forming 2W43 17:06 West Kirby return via Liverpool Lime Street, derailed 200 m (660 ft) short of Liverpool Central, caused by track gauge widening due to poor track condition. There were no serious injuries. The RAIB report ^[30] cited incompatibility between Class 508 (and 507) EMUs and the Liverpool Loop track as a causal factor, along with maintenance and other track design concerns.

On 6 March 2007, a Class 508/3 unit, forming the 05:00 Tonbridge to Gatwick Airport, derailed near Crowhurst, Surrey, after hitting a fallen tree on the line. None of the eight people on board were hurt. ^[31]

Fleet details

A Class 508 DMSO vehicle converted for use as a translator coach

Class	Operator	Qty.	Year built	Cars per unit	Unit nos.	Year converted
508/1	Scrapped	27	1979–1980	3	508103-508104, 508108, 508110-508112, 508114-508115, 508117, 508120, 508122-508128, 508130-508131, 508134, 508136-508141, 508143 [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [27]	From 508/0 in 1984-85 [3]
508/2	Scrapped	11			508201–508206, 508208–508211 [note 1]	From 508/1 in 1998 [3]
	Other	2			508207, [note 2] 508212 [note 3]
508/3	Scrapped	3			508301–508303	From 508/1 in 2002-03 [3]

Vehicle numbering

Individual vehicles were numbered in the following ranges: ^[3]

DMSO	TSO	BDMSO
64649–64691	71483–71525	64692–64734

The TSO vehicles transferred into the Class 455/7 fleet were numbered in the range 71526–71568. ^[3]

Liveries

A Class 508 in as-delivered BR livery at Hampton Court, near London, in 1984.

Class 508 units appeared in a large number of liveries:

• British Rail blue and grey, 1979 –circa 1994^{[ citation needed ]}
• Original Merseyrail, 1992 – circa 2004^{[ citation needed ]}
• Connex yellow and white, 1996–2006.^{[ citation needed ]}
• Merseyrail revised, 2000–2004.^{[ citation needed ]}
• Merseyrail refurbished, 2003–2015; silver, with vertical curved yellow stripes at the cab ends, and yellow passenger doors. ^[3]
• Silverlink Metro, 2003–2007; purple, green and yellow, applied when they were modified in 2003. ^[3] Adhesive labels marked "London Overground" were applied when the fleet was transferred to that operator.
• South Eastern Trains, 2005–2006; white and grey with a black window band and yellow doors. ^[3]
• Southeastern, 2006–2008; white and grey with a black window band and lilac/blue doors, similar to that carried by the Class 465/466 fleet. ^[3]
• Merseyrail –Capital of Culture, 2008–2009; four units with graphics overlaid on the Merseyrail refurbished livery. ^[44]
• Merseyrail –The Beatles Story, October 2011–2023 (508111 only); text and graphics on a blue background advertising The Beatles Story exhibition at the Albert Dock in Liverpool. ^[45]
• Merseyrail –Good Communications, January 2014–2024; six different designs on a mix of yellow and grey backgrounds. ^{[46] [47]}

• 
  Original Merseyrail livery in 2001
• 
  Silverlink livery in 2007, with Overground labelling.
• 
  Southeastern livery in 2007
• 
  The Beatles Story in 2012
• 
  Good Communications in 2014

Named units

Named units were as follows: ^[48]

• 508111 – The Beatles (Scrapped) ^[38]
• 508123 – William Roscoe (Scrapped) ^[49]
• 508136 – Wilfred Owen MC ^[42] (formally Capital of Culture ^[50] ) (Scrapped) ^[42]
• 508207 – James D Rowlands (Two vehicles scrapped)

Notes

1. Trailer vehicle 64649 from 508201 and trailer vehicle 74712 from 508209, are at the Emergency Services Training Centre Seacombe. ^[43]
2. Trailer vehicles 64664 and 64707 were converted for use Trains as translator coaches. ^[43]
3. At the Fire Service College, Moreton-in-Marsh. ^[43]

References

1. Russell, David (March 2024). "Final Merseyrail Class 508 withdrawn". Units. Rail Express . No. 334. p. 22.
2. Fox, P. (1994). British Railways Pocket Book No. 4: Electric Multiple Units (7th ed.). Sheffield: Platform 5 Publishing. p. 86. ISBN   978-1-872524-60-3. OCLC   655645349.
3. Marsden, C. J. (2007). Traction Recognition. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing. pp. 228, 248–251. ISBN   978-0-7110-3277-4. OCLC   230804946. OL   16902750M.
4. Marsden, C. J. (1982). EMUs. Motive Power Recognition. Vol. 2. London: Ian Allan Publishing. pp. 4, 6. ISBN   978-0-7110-1165-6. OCLC   16537600.
5. "Class 508". The Railway Centre. Archived from the original on 24 July 2008. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
6. Sherratt, Philip, ed. (2023). "ROSCO Fleets". Modern Railways: Review 2023. Stamford: Key Publishing. pp. 18–19. ISBN   978-1-80282-569-5.
7. Maund, T. B. (2001). Merseyrail Electrics: The Inside Story. NBC Books. pp. 78, 82, 85. OCLC   655126526.
8. Llewelyn, Hugh (2016). EMUs: A History. Stroud: Amberley Publishing. pp. 520–521. ISBN   978-1-4456-4983-2. OCLC   1064706206.
9. Vehicle Diagram Book No. 210 for Electric Multiple Units (including A.P.T.) (PDF). Derby: Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Department, British Railways Board. August 1982. EA208, EH218, EI203 (in work pp. 18–19, 290–291, 390–391). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2023– via Barrowmore MRG.
10. "The twilight zone". Railways Illustrated . No. 249. November 2023. pp. 50–53.
11. Cadwallader, J.; Jenkins, M. (2010). Merseyside Electrics. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing. p. 42. ISBN   978-0-7110-3417-4. OCLC   455806364.
12. "Readers' round-up". Rail Enthusiast . EMAP National Publications. February–March 1982. p. 51. ISSN   0262-561X. OCLC   49957965.
13. British Rail Motive Power Combined Volume. London: Ian Allan Publishing. 1989. pp. 152, 153. ISBN   978-0-7110-1849-9.{{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
14. Marsden, Colin (2010). Rail Guide 2010. London: Ian Allan Publishing. p. 89. ISBN   978-0-7110-3457-0.
15. "BLS and Merseyrail operate farewell tour". Today's Railways UK . No. 262. December 2023. p. 58.
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18. "New Southeastern timetable begins in December". 5 September 2006. Archived from the original on 6 October 2006. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
19. "It's all change as new trains spark 'cascade'". Railnews . 2 December 2008. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
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22. "Another step towards new Merseyrail trains as bidder shortlist announced". Merseytravel. 11 January 2016. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
23. "Merseyrail trains to be replaced". BBC News. 14 May 2012. Archived from the original on 28 February 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
24. Hodgson, Neil (1 May 2014). "Best Merseyrail service for two years". Liverpool Echo . Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
25. Houghton, Alistair (16 December 2016). "Merseytravel reveals new £460m train fleet plans - with no train guards". Liverpool Echo . Archived from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
26. Kirwin, Ellen; Thorp, Liam (23 January 2023). "Live updates as first new Merseyrail train finally welcomes passengers". Liverpool Echo . Retrieved 23 January 2023.
27. "Merseyrail Class 507s head for scrap… '777s' into store". Network News. Rail Magazine . No. 1003. 21 February 2024. p. 25.
28. "The Shepperton Train Crash | Shepperton Matters". www.villagematters.co.uk. 5 March 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
29. "Buffer stop collision at Kirkby, Merseyside, 13 March 2021" (PDF). Rail Accident Investigation Branch. 11 August 2022.
30. "Derailment near Liverpool Central underground station 26 October 2005". RAIB. 11 August 2006. Archived from the original on 3 June 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
31. "Train derails after hitting tree". BBC News. 6 March 2007. Archived from the original on 25 March 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
32. Butlin, Ashley (February 2024). "Multiple Units". Stock Update. The Railway Magazine . Vol. 170, no. 1475. p. 89.
33. "More 508s for scrap". Today's Railways UK . No. 264. February 2024. p. 60.
34. Russell, David (April 2023). "Class 508". Units. Rail Express. No. 323. Horncastle: Mortons Media Group. p. 22. ISSN   1362-234X.
35. Russell, David (May 2023). "Class 508". Units. Rail Express. No. 324. Horncastle: Mortons Media Group. p. 21. ISSN   1362-234X.
36. "Class 507 & 508". Units. Rail Express . No. 328. September 2023. p. 21.
37. "Merseyrail Class 777s expand operations". Rail Express . No. 329. October 2023. p. 20.
38. "Naming Update". Railways Illustrated . No. 249. November 2023. p. 25.
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40. Butlin, Ashley. "Stock Update". The Railway Magazine . No. December 2023. p. 91.
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42. Butlin, Ashley (January 2024). "Multiplie Units". Stock Update. The Railway Magazine . Vol. 170, no. 1474. p. 81.
43. "Southern '313s' – is the end now in sight?". Rail Magazine. No. 977. Peterborough: Bauer Consumer Media. 22 February 2023. pp. 38–43.
44. "Trains take fast track to Capital of Culture". Wirral Globe. 25 February 2008. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
45. "Stewart Signs wrap The Beatles Story train for Merseytravel's ultimate Ticket to Ride!". Stewart Signs. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
46. "New Look Trains". Merseyrail. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
47. "Good Communications designs new-look Merseyrail trains". Prolific North. 17 February 2014. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
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Further reading

• Hilbert, M. (2016). Merseyrail Electric. Fonthill Media. ISBN   978-1-78155-513-2. OCLC   931803421.
• West, L. (26 August – 8 September 1998). "Connex '508s' go to work on Isle of Sheppey line". Rail Magazine. No. 338. EMAP Apex Publications. p. 15. ISSN   0953-4563. OCLC   49953699.