British Rail Class 508
The British Rail Class 508 electric multiple-unit passenger trains were built by BREL York works in 1979-80. They were the fourth variant of BR's standard 1972 design for suburban EMUs, eventually encompassing 755 vehicles and five classes. They have mostly worked on the Merseyrail network since 1983, and continue to do so, now refurbished by Alstom's Eastleigh Works. The Class 508 unit is now years old, making them among the oldest units still in service on the UK mainland rail network, after the Class 313 and Class 507.
Description
The class was developed for Merseyside following extensive trials and testing of the 4Pep/2Pep stock built in the early 1970s. Testing of Class 313 took place on the Northern Line on Merseyside, using 313013/063 which were loaned from the Great Northern Line of the Eastern Region to Hall Road depot. Original plans were drawn up for 58 Class 508s to be constructed, although costing issues limited the eventual number to 43. However, following planning and building, British Rail decided to divert 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. Based at Wimbledon Park depot, they soon became problematic due to their non-standard dimensions and brake problems caused by leaf fall. Once a new build of Class 455 EMUs were complete, the Class 508s were slowly sent to their originally intended home on the Merseyrail network. Driver training began at Kirkdale on 17 February 1982, and the first Class 508 began service on the Northern Line the following month. The first Wirral Line service commenced on 8 June 1984, and the Class 508s had completely displaced the Class 503 fleet by the end of March 1985. 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.Delivered to the Southern Region as four-car sets numbered 508 001–043, all of the sets were reduced to three cars for Merseyside operation by the removal of one trailer and renumbered as 508/1. The individual passenger door controls were plated over before they were sent north. The spare trailer car from each set was incorporated into class 455/7 EMUs. Carriage numbering is as follows:
- 64649-64691 - DMSO
- 71483-71525 - TSO
- 71526–71568 – TSO
- 64692-64734 - BDMSO
Current operations
Merseyrail
Merseyrail operates 27 508s, which are used interchangeably between the Northern Line and the Wirral Line. They commonly work 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
Past operations
Southeastern
leased twelve Class 508s freed up by capacity reductions on Merseyrail services in 1996, for operation on specific Kent services. Their main duties included to, to, to and to, as well as to for a short period. Units were based at Gillingham Depot.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. Following this timetable change the fleet was reduced to six serviceable units. There were five sets in 'warm store' at Ashford Chart Leacon, and one unit, 508212, was cannibalised to keep the surviving service units in operation, including the swap of its TSO coach with one from a unit that ran into a tree on the Redhill to Tonbridge Line. With the transfer of the Tonbridge to London via Redhill services to Southern, Southeastern placed its remaining 508s in store in December 2008.
Silverlink
leased three 508s from Angel Trains in 2003 for operation on the Watford DC Line to assist its fleet of EMUs. These were withdrawn following the delivery of Capitalstar units. These three Class 508/3 units were modified by Alstom Eastleigh to designs provided by Interfleet Technology to make them inter-operable with Class 313 units.Fleet information
- They were originally numbered 508001-508043. When they transferred to Merseyside they were renumbered 508101-508143 and designated as Class 508/1 to avoid confusion with the similarly numbered Class 507s.
- The Merseyrail 508s were refurbished in 2003/04. The first unit to re-enter service was 508110. The final unit to leave for the works for refurbishment was formerly black-striped 508137.
- Southeastern units were renumbered 508/2 when refurbished in 1996. 508203, 205, 207, 208, 210 and 211 were further overhauled at Wabtec, Doncaster in 2007.
- Silverlink units were renumbered 508/3 when they were refurbished in 2003, modified to make them compatible with Class 313s for operation on Euston to Watford Junction services.
- Both Southeastern and London Overground have withdrawn their fleets for replacement - Southeastern has been able to cascade existing rolling stock to the Sheerness and Medway lines, while the London Bridge to Tonbridge via Redhill service has been transferred to Southern; London Overground has fully introduced its new Class 378 units.
- 508/2 units 508201-508206, 508209, 508211 and 508212 as well as parts of 508207, 508208 and 508210 were scrapped at Eastleigh in 2013.
- 508/2 BDMSO carriages 64710 and 64720 survive.
- 508/2 DMSO carriages 64649 and 64712 survive and are in use at the Merseyside Emergency Services Training Centre, Seacombe.
- DMSO carriage 64664 and BDMSO carriage 64707 are in use as translator vehicles.
- All of the 508/3 units were scrapped at Eastleigh in 2013.
| Class | Operator | Number | Year Built | Cars per Set | Unit nos. | Notes |
| Class 508/1 | Merseyrail | 27 | 1979-80 | 3 | 508103-508104, 508108, 508110-508112, 508114-508115, 508117, 508120, 508122-508128, 508130-508131, 508134, 508136-508141, 508143 | Converted from 508/0 |
| Class 508/2 | Scrapped | 11 | 1979-80 | 3 | 508202-508208, 508210-508212 | Converted from 508/0 |
| Class 508/2 | Arlington Fleet Services, Eastleigh | 1 | 1979-80 | 2 | 508201 & 209 | Converted from 508/0 |
| Class 508/3 | Scrapped | 3 | 1979-80 | 3 | 508301-508303 | Converted from 508/0 |
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. Two ex-London-Overground units were moved to Warrington Arpley Yard in November 2009, but returned south soon after. Meanwhile, the ex Southeastern 508s were moved to Telford Railfreight Terminal for storage between May 2010 and February 2011 before they moved to Eastleigh for further storage in late 2011. On 14 August 2012, 508212 was moved to the Fire Training College at Moreton-in-Marsh.
Liveries
Class 508s have appeared in many colours over their lifetimes, more so than any EMU of similar type.- BR Blue and Grey : the initial livery lasted until well into their careers on Merseyside. The units also carried the MPTE 69 logo and Merseyrail branding on the driver's side of the outer ends of the driving vehicles after transfer to Merseyside.
- Merseyrail Original : yellow with white around the windows and black and grey stripes, exclusive to Merseyside EMUs.
- Connex Yellow and White : white with yellow effects down the sides.
- Merseyrail Revised : a lighter yellow, and no black stripe.
- Merseyrail trial liveries : One car of 508123 used for testing new liveries on each side of the carriage.
- Merseyrail Refurbished : silver, with vertical curved yellow stripes receding from the cab ends. The passenger doors were all yellow, introduced as a safety measure by Merseyrail. 'M' branding on the front ends and the sides, and a Merseyrail vinyl. The vinyl was purchased without graffiti protection, and so it does not wear well if vandalised. Several sets are run with their 'M' logos missing or worn away.
- Silverlink Metro : purple, green and silver, applied when they were modified in 2003.
- South Eastern Trains : white with yellow and black side stripes. Unit 508208 was one of the first to receive this, in May 2005.
- Southeastern : white, black and grey as carried by the 465/466 fleet, with the doors in corporate lilac.
- Merseyrail Capital of Culture : based around the Merseyrail Refurbished livery, with overlain graphics. One of the four sets in the promotional Capital of Culture liveries is 508134, with the theme of creativity with a purple background. Photographs depicted focus on some of the culture of Liverpool, such as the SuperLambBanana. The colourful liveries met with mixed reactions from travellers. It was most often on the Southport – Hunts Cross line. Passenger doors carry diagonal safety stripes.
- Merseyrail The Beatles Story : blue background, with mainly-white text and graphics, advertising The Beatles Story exhibition at the Albert Dock in Liverpool. The passenger doors are all yellow, as a safety measure which was introduced, previously, by Merseyrail. The livery is applied as a vinyl skin. This livery is unique to unit number 508111.
- Merseyrail Good Communications : six different designs, half with a yellow background, and half with a brushed metal background, applied with each set having one yellow side and one brushed metal side. Both sides have lifestyle text, in a rounded font, and graphics along a lower railway map-type stubbed stripe. The passenger doors are white on the yellow sides and yellow on the brushed metal sides. There is Merseyrail 'M' branding on each of the passenger doors, as well as on the cab fronts. The livery is applied as a vinyl skin.
Naming
- 508111 - The Beatles
- 508123 - William Roscoe
- 508136 - Capital of Culture
- 508136 - Wilfred Owen MC
- 508207 - James D Rowlands
Incidents
- 508031 ran through the bufferstops at Shepperton on 21 April 1982. Overnight braking trials near Kempton Park had contaminated the wheels with washing-up liquid that had been applied to the rails to simulate leaf mulch. The first two trains of the day had been warned about the possible low adhesion. The third one was not informed.
- 508118 was gutted by fire during 2001 at Birkenhead.
- On 26 October 2005 508124, forming 2W43 1706 West Kirby return via Liverpool Lime Street, derailed 200m short of Liverpool Central, caused by track gauge widening due to poor track condition. There were no serious injuries. The RAIB report cited incompatibility between Class 508 EMUs and the Liverpool Loop track as a causal factor, along with maintenance and other track design concerns.
- On 6 March 2007 508210, forming the 0500 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.
Replacement
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. In December 2016, Merseytravel announced that Stadler had won the £460 million contract and that the new trains would be delivered from summer 2019 with all the old trains replaced by 2021.