Merseyrail’s ‘the 5:08 sunset’ charter raises £12,200 for four merseyside good causes

Merseyrail’s 508139 and 508141 and a host of the volunteers who assisted with the operation of ‘The 5:08 Sunset’ charter stands at Southport on October 29, 2023, alongside the headboard from the first train to be worked by a Class 507 almost exactly 45 years earlier on November 1, 1978. The Class 507 and 508 EMUs are now being progressively withdrawn as the new Class 777s enter service on the Merseyrail network, with the Class 508s expected to be the first of the two vintage EMUs to be completely removed. Kevin Delaney

A SPECIAL charter train taking a pair of Class 508 electric multiple units on a tour of the Merseyrail network, which was organised in conjunction with the Branch Line Society, raised £12,200 for four good causes nominated by Merseyrail.

‘The 5:08 Sunset’ was organised to mark the pending withdrawal from service of the BR-built EMUs which have operated services on the Merseyrail network, alongside the similar Class 507s. The trains are now the oldest operational passenger EMUs in use in the UK following the withdrawal of the Class 313s operated by Southern in May 2023.

The October 29 tour took 508139 and 508141 across the Merseyrail network and saw the train operate along the Stock Interchange Line and both depots, which are not normally used by passenger services, while several sidings and crossovers were also used. Fares for the charter w