Class 503 electric unit looks destined for scrapyard

2 min read

Network

Pip Dunn

Contributing Writer rail@bauermedia.co.uk

THE Heritage Electric Trains Trust (HETT) has decided not to restore its three-car Class 503 Wirral lines third-rail 630V DC electric multiple unit, which was designed by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in 1938.

HETT says it will only retain the Driving Motor Brake Second car (M28690M) as a restoration project. This will be moved to a new storage site soon.

However, both the Driving Trailer M29289M and Centre Trailer Car M29720M are to be disposed of “in the next couple of months”. The unit is at the Locomotive Storage site at Margate.

“This decision by the Trustees has not been taken lightly and is based on sound reasoning of the realistic position this unit now finds itself in, and what prospects present themselves for the vehicles’ future,” said HETT.

The preserved Merseyrail Class 503 sits at Southport on June 28 1986. It occasionally ran special trains on Merseyside until 1988, but has led a less certain life since then. Despite being an EMU that dates from before the Second World War, it now looks set to have two of its three cars scrapped.

“This comes down to there being no prospect of the unit ever running again under its own power. The infrastructure that would permit this does not exist and the unit will never be of the standard required for main line running. The absence of any spare parts makes this prohibitively expensive.

“The support needed to fund the continued existence of the unit has failed to materialise to a significant level. And current support will only fund the monthly cost of very basic storage of one coach.

“There is no alternative site for the complete unit and the opening of Margate as the One:One Collection Museum means that a poor-condition unit cannot remain in sto

This article is from...

Rail Magazine

6 March 2024

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