Class 310 / 304 EMU disposals

[balders]

Hi,

 

I gather, apart from one aborted attempt, none of the above managed to struggle into preservation. What I used to take as daily background noise in the railway scheme of things have sort of, well, slipped away and died (OK OK I was busy concentrating on other stuff at the time, like work and family)

 

Where were they disposed of? I've had a Google trawl, but can't find much specific. I assume it would have been through a myriad of private contractors.

 

Any pointers gratefully received. Looking in my old records, travel on these was a daily event. I recall enjoying the comfort of the 304's, like something from the 50's.

 

Cheers.

 

Guy

[dave_long]

I'm not sure about the 304s but the 310s were insulated with asbestos and that had to be disposed of when they were scrapped which pretty much meant gutting all the units, so preservation was always going to be a long shot for these units, there are a couple of gutting carriages around iirc the electric museum at Coventry had a 312 coach I think before the new owners took over but there is no sign of it anymore unless someone knows any different.

[woodenhead]

For me 304s bring back school memories as my senior lower school backed onto the line between Mauldeth Road and Burnage and sitting in one meant a trip to Crewe.

 

310s represented a day out to the West Midlands, didnt get to ride them as much as it was also 304s on the Walsall services which I would ride as far as Bescot.

 

Remember using a 350 on a service from Birmingham to Warrington, not a patch on 310 for ambience or comfort.

 

It's odd, one minute they were all there and then they were gone...forever.

[Dave47549]

.

[balders]

Cheers Dave

[bennyboy]

I think that one 304 was initially saved from the cutters torch, but then the usual problem of finding the space/money to restore it reared its head and it ended up being disposed of.

[Arpleymodeller]

Booths of Rotherham chopped all the 310s(or almost all) between 2006 and 2009. 2 class 312 coaches still exist somethere, dont know where though?

The Railway Magazine mentioned them being moved somewhere sometime last year.

[balders]

Booths of Rotherham chopped all the 310s(or almost all) between 2006 and 2009. 2 class 312 coaches still exist somethere, dont know where though?

The Railway Magazine mentioned them being moved somewhere sometime last year.

 

Many thanks mate, I thought Booths may have had a big hand in it due to the asbestos

 

 

 

[Arpleymodeller]

The asbestos and all internal fittings were removed at MOD Shoeburyness and the gutted shells were taken by road to Booths for cutting. Tragic that they were all scrapped

 

If your interested,fotopic has a few pictures of the 310s in their final hours

[balders]

........thanks mate. Once the boy's gone to bed I'll see what I can find! Whatever it is will be infinitely more interesting than Strictly Come Dancing On Ice or whatever the bloody he'll it is

 

***there's plenty on there.......both at the MOD and Booth's. Interesting, but a bit depressing considering I thought they'd probably just been shifted to East Anglia not scrapped. Oh well, another little bit of me youth whittled away****

[298]

No class 304 or 310 vehicles remain, although similar vehicles with the same "face" still exist, TSO 71205 and DTCO 78037 from 312792 are preserved at the Electric Railway Museum in Coventry, they are the only two coaches from this type of unit. The only Class 308 vehicle preserved is BDTSOL 75881, which is at the Pump House Museum, Walthamstow (although the K&WVR raided a few other coaches for spares for their Mk1 suburban coaches). There is also a class 506 on the East Lancs, and rumours a cab from the other unit that went there is still around.

 

Three class 304 units were outlined for preservation, from memory I think they were 304008, 11 & 21. It was agreed to preserve one unit, and 21 was chosen as being in the best condition. One sponsor withdrew because they would only invest in the earlier type, and the intended home for the unit changed their minds and decided they would no longer accept an EMU and negotiations to save a driving car came to nothing. The unit, whilst in store at Crewe South Carriage shed suffered extensive vandalism, and the decision was made to scrap the unit.

 

What annoys me is the intended home could have used the 304 as hauled stock for passenger shuttles, instead of having to buy & restore their own coaches from which they won't earn storage fees. Preservation eh...?

[PaulCheffus]

There is also a class 506 on the East Lancs, and rumours a cab from the other unit that went there is still around.

 

Hi

 

Are you sure. I thought it had been scrapped when it was moved from Bradford as the body work was very deteriorated.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[298]

Hi

 

Are you sure. I thought it had been scrapped when it was moved from Bradford as the body work was very deteriorated.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

 

 

Sorry, I meant the class 504 as used on the Bury line.

 

The last time I looked the cab from the 506 was at Barrow Hill, near the entrance.