Class 504's : The End of the Line

[@adelestevens]

Last day at Besses booking office I was there at 5:30am and finished at 6:00pm. I would've stayed until the last train but it was too sad a day, so I went home to the family , besides I had to be there the next day too. The day after at besses the line manager and cashier came about 9am and after a couple of the scrap line trains had passed any remaining money was collected along with the safe keys and portis ticket machine , 3rd rail shorting bar...and even the kettle! Booking office emptied of all BR property (and a few personal items) the keys were handed to the line manager who locked the door and after a handshake and a "good luck with your new job"(I became a signaller) we all just trooped down to Bury old road...and... that was it.

[@BibTheBoulderTheOriginalOne]

Yep, the railway can be a ruthless and heartless environment...you still a bobby?

[@theovanstaden5766]

Amazing @Adelle, yes always sad to move away from something You like, i used to work for south african railways in the 1980,s, lol i stil miss those days!

[@bagelbomb1887]

Awww I bey I used to buy tickets off ya as it was my local station happy memories ❤

[@johnhealy8513]

Fabulous video capturing an immaculate Class 25 sandwiched in between two class 504s.

[@toddhunter5257]

I have lived in Manchester nearly 20 years and knew the Bury line used to be ex heavy rail, but had no idea it was 3rd rail. Amazing video! Thanks for sharing. 😁😁😁👍👍👍

[@toddhunter5257]

It's nice to see something that isn't metrolink or pacer based. I would love to have taken a ride on one of these 504s.

[@andybolton7176]

Wow great post. Loved these units, you used to bounce on the lively seat springing and quick was they. Don't think the teams are faster now!. Served part of my apprenticeship at Bury car shop, happy days. Thanks for the memories.

[@amadeusbond267]

These look better than the rubbishy trams we have nowadays!

[@stephenduncan3605]

I don't like the seats on the Metrolink Trams, they are the most uncomfortable seats ever.

[@colinvespa4709]

Rode that train in East Lancashire Railway, I think that might be me at 11.17, its nearly 28+ years ago, I would like to travel back in time.

[@tweetypie25]

Fabulous video John, very sad day, loved these units every one of them.

[@mcfcste99]

I remember jumping on these a lot til the metro link came in.

[@brucecohen3001]

A class 504 driving trailer was sent to London as a replacement for a damaged class 302 driving trailer. I think it was in the 1970s.

[@JohnGrayOnline]

When I was young I used to travel from Bury to school in Salford on the original 5-car (I think) Lancashire & Yorkshire electric stock -- they were drab and musty, but open plan (and with reversible seats) and a huge platform at the door that you could open when the train was still moving so we could leg it to Manchester Cathedral where the bus for the next leg of our journey began. I remember the 504s being introduced in their smart green livery, about 1958 was it? I'd love to see some moving images of that old stock -- can anyone help?

[@GarethT902]

Your very much correct the L&Y stock operated until the 1950s when they were replaced by the 504 sets. Andrew Coward has a book detailing there history.

[@GeoffLord1]

I was an Apprentice Electrical Engineer Fitter at the Bury MPD when the 504 stock was first introduced and I worked on them for 3 years. They were a vast improvement on the original Electric trains from 1918 which were being used when I first started my Apprenticeship. The electronics were miniature compared to the old stock but much easier to work on and fault find. Many happy memories of working on them and I wish I had a quid for every brake shoe I changed on them!

[@grahampearson5670]

Class 504 electric multiple unit trains served the Manchester Victoria to Bury line well and the conversion to Tram operation led to the retirement of the remaining sets.

[@MegaCullie]

very nice blast from the pass john and a joy to see cheers......kev

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

Look at the sparks coming from the underside of the units

[@jayzo]

Seems like they were going straight from the a heavy rail line to the metrolink line. The masts are already in for the catenaries here.

[@nigelkthomas9501]

I think the guy at the end of the platform in the blue jumper and light grey trackies at 9:55 is me! I remember being there when two 504s were work with a class 25 between them. Was this the only occasion?

[@SuperANNOYANCE]

Ding Ding! Wish I could have been about when these were! :( probably far better ride than Metrolink!

[@JaveyEL6369]

They were horrendous to travel in to be honest. When crossing the points after Woodlands road near to Queens road for example, I sometimes thought they would jump off the track. The ride was bouncy to say the least, and they were noisy and dirty. Rose coloured spectacles come to mind.

[@acesfn7316]

I remember these trains. The were sometimes jumpy but they had far better seats

[@olikirrage6851]

If you would like to ride one they have one at the east Lancashire railway in bury however it has had to be stripped down for aspestos

[@chennygrapes]

As a kid they were super bouncy to ride on 😎 loved them and i still miss them trains

[@verybiggreensteameng]

I used to ride the class 504s to Manchester every week, I lived right next to the line on 15 willow road , And grew up in the Area .Every week i would ride into Manchester to buy a science fiction book with my spending money, About 1 pound, that my dad gave me ,He used to work at Prestwich hospital, which has also gone now.

[@RFSA180]

brilliant this. proper memories

[@peterbryant3030]

At about 8:45 you can see the poles for the electrification ready for the trams

[@DC4260Productions]

8:00 Why did the Class 504's not have gangways between the individual carriages?

[@None-zc5vg]

They were introduced in 1959 on a fairly short route at a time when most stations were still manned and when stations had toilet facilities: hence these units had no toilets and didn't need gangways. By 1991, there were only toilets at termini or larger stations, but the trams replacing the "504s" still had no toilets. Some of the similar modernised A.C.-powered "305" units sent up to the area from London and used on longer routes than the Bury line still had no toilets, despite having gangways fitted.

[@roberthill6216]

Suburban stock didn't tend to have gangways. Whether it be loco hauled dmu or emu. They were only meant for short commuter journeys.

[@DC4260Productions]

1:49 What did that bloke say?

[@EM-yk1dw]

Never seen an EMU pull away so quickly as these sets did.

[@lner3777]

They looked very grotty in the final years

[@tsangpogorge]

lots of pre Metrolink Bury line footage but yet to find anything for Altrincham.

[@bowlerstuff9589]

everything else I think was new.but Altrincham being served by trains

[@deathbyteacup]

Looks like some sort of signalling / track circuit issue at 6:10?

[@enigmagamer112]

and less than a year later the metrolink would start from where the 504's left off

[@BritainsRailways]

Great Video, I have subscribed.

[@tonyclegg582]

Great vids

[@SteamLance]

Did drivers ever actually use the horns on EMUs, or weren't they fitted with any?

[@astolfo523]

15:30

[@thepofmeister9087]

Last shot - so sad...

[@ChrisWheatley-s2k]

Those seem to arc a lot more than top contact 3rd rail

[@braddooley7959]

They had sets like that but 3 car formation liverpool to crewe

[@justinobrien3593]

They're propper trains the class 304's and was far better than this modern italian cheap looking tin-can shit of what now dominate the Manchester Victoria to Bury line!!! I love the sound of the electric motors on the class 304s 😎

[@micknotfromleitrim]

Is all that arcing at 6.00 normal? Is it ok for it to do that? I got "arc eye" from welding back in the 80's, was well painfull, just wondering is all.

[@Martindyna]

I imagine it is normal for these units although more modern designs hold the conductor shoe more firmly on the 3rd rail, e.g. the original Eurostar power car conductor shoes rarely sparked in dry weather. Of course in the rain and especially in icy conditions a great spark show usually results.

[@TheAxelay]

It may of been the less pretty/glamours units but damn it!!!?!....

[@Ontheballpaul72]

We are currently restoring the sole surviving 504 unit at the East Lancs Railway in Bury. If you are interested in helping then please contact me

[@johnnyboy3949]

Paul Lambert how will that work since the units used third rail? Are you fitting Diesel generators? Or will they be loco hauled?

[@acesfn7316]

I thought they scrapped the lot

[@MontyCantsin5]

Nope. Restoration is still ongoing.

[@john-of-the-north]

So if there's only one set preserved but we see here 2 sets being delivered to ELR - the elephant in the room question is.... what happened to the second set?

[@stephenduncan3605]

John of the North I heard the other one was scrapped late in 1994

[@None-zc5vg]

I believe vandalism prompted the preservationists to scrap one unit and retain some parts for use as spares, etc..

[@GarethT902]

The East lancs only expected one set but the other was bought reportedly as a joke for £504. Unfortunately there was not much room for storage back then. It was decided to put it up for sale but even when offered for free there were no offers. So after any useable parts had been removed it was sent for scrap.

[@EnterprisingRailFilms]

+London Underground 1973stock ''See you later tonight''

[@vincitveritas3872]

504s were 3rd rail?

[@doorhanger9317]

not just any third rail, side contact at high-voltage 1.2kV, a unique system apparently only shared by the Hamburg S-Bahn. Odd really, because it seems to have many advantages.

[@vincitveritas3872]

@@doorhanger9317 thanks. 👍

[@N00N01]

British rail in 1991 Fine additions for the secondhand market of ireland Not really, but could you _IMAGINE_

[@iron1349]

So that is the Jaffa livery.

[@jsp7202]

No, the Jaffa livery was applied to some Southern Region units. The livery on the 504 was the Greater Manchester PTE livery.

[@martinbitter4162]

Ferris Welker reminds me of the Strathclyde livery (?)

[@stephenduncan3605]

Martin Bitter they are similar but Greater Manchester features brown where in Strathclyde would be black!

[@None-zc5vg]

@@martinbitter4162 Some Glasgow 3-car A.C. "303" units worked the Manchester area ca. 1984: they had no gangways or toilets and broke down a lot on my local line.

[@johnchurch4705]

The Jaffa livery was also applied to the class 309 sets that went from Liverpool St ( London) to Clacton , Essex.