British Rail Class 108
A class 108 near Lancaster in 1975
The second class saloon of 52054 on the Bodmin and Wenford Railway.
In service	1958–1993
Manufacturer	British Railways
Built at	Derby Works
Family name	First generation
Replaced	Steam locomotives and carriages
Constructed	1958–1961
Scrapped	1964–1993
Number built	DMBS: 152, DMCL: 58, DTCL: 106, TSL: 11, TBSL: 6. Total: 333 cars
Number preserved	32 sets
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
Operators	British Rail
Lines served	LMR NER
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 (29.0 long tons; 32.5 short tons), Trailer cars: 21.5 to 23.5 tonnes (21.2 to 23.1 long tons; 23.7 to 25.9 short tons)
Prime mover(s)	Two BUT (AEC) then BUT (Leyland)
Power output	150 bhp (110 kW) per engine
Transmission	Mechanical: 4-speed epicyclic gearbox
Safety system(s)	AWS
Multiple working	■ Blue Square
Track 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.^[1]

Overview

Driver's cab, with the signal token in the middle

The 108 was formed as a 2-, 3-, or 4-car unit. Its aluminium body led the type to be classed as a lightweight unit. These units stayed in regular service until 1990, when they began to be withdrawn from traffic.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 on withdrawal and lack of asbestos have ensured that many of this class are now used on preserved railway lines.^[2]

Orders

Accidents and incidents

• On 19 October 1987, after the Glanrhyd Bridge over the River Towy at Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, was washed away by floodwater, a passenger train operated by a Class 108 unit fell into the river. Four people were killed.^[3]
• On 22 August 1990, a two-car Class 108 unit overran a signal and was in a head-on collision with a three-car unit majority-composed of Class 108 cars at Hyde Junction, Greater Manchester. Twenty-eight people were injured.^[3][4] The accident report noted the poor structural condition of the Class 108 vehicles compared to that of the Class 101 vehicle involved in the accident, and called for the 108 class to be withdrawn "as quickly as is practicable".^[5]

Preservation

Five Class 108 vehicles at Bewdley on the SVR

Many vehicles have been preserved on heritage railways. 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 lines for a very long time.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to British Rail Class 108.

• Class 108 Derby 2,3 & 4-car DMUs - on Railcar.co.uk
• Llangollen Railcar Group - owners of preserved DMUs on Llangollen Railway.
• The Railcar Association
• The DMU Group (West Midlands)