# British Rail Class 108

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.

## Overview

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 These units stayed in regular service until 1990, when they began to be withdrawn from traffic.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.

## Orders

Table of orders :
| Lot No. | Car type | Qty | Fleet No. | Notes |
| 30406 | Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) | 26 | 50599–50624 | ER power-trailer and power-twin sets |
| 30407 | Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) | 5 | 50625–50629 | LMR power-trailer sets |
| 30408 | Driving Motor Composite with lavatory (DMCL) | 17 | 50630–50646 | ER power-twin and four-car sets |
| 30409 | Driving Trailer Composite with lavatory (DTCL) | 21 | 56190–56210 | ER Driving-trailer sets |
| 30410 | Driving Trailer Composite with lavatory (DTCL) | 5 | 56211–56215 | LMR Driving-trailer sets |
| 30411 | Trailer Second with lavatory (TSL) | 6 | 59380–59385 | ER four-car sets |
| 30412 | Trailer Brake Second with lavatory (TBSL) | 6 | 59245–59250 | ER four-car sets |
| 30460 | Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) | 12 | 50924–50935 | LMR power-twin sets |
| 30461 | Driving Motor Composite with lavatory (DMCL) | 12 | 51561–51572 | LMR power-twin sets |
| 30465 | Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) | 50 | 50938–50987 | LMR power-trailer sets |
| 30466 | Driving Trailer Composite with lavatory (DTCL) | 50 | 56221–56270 | LMR Driving-trailer sets |
| 30493 | Trailer Second with lavatory (TSL) | 5 | 59386–59390 | ER (power-twin to) three-car sets |
| 30498 | Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) | 9 | 51416–51424 | LMR power-trailer sets |
| 30499 | Driving Trailer Composite with lavatory (DTCL) | 9 | 56271–56279 | LMR power-trailer sets |
| 30601 | Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) | 50 | 51901–51950 | LMR power-trailer and power-twin sets |
| 30602 | Driving Trailer Composite with lavatory (DTCL) | 21 | 56484–56504 | LMR Driving-trailer sets |
| 30660 | Driving Motor Composite with lavatory (DMCL) | 29 | 52037–52065 | LMR power-twin sets |

## 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.
* 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. 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".

## Preservation

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.
Preserved examples :
| Set number | Vehicle numbers | Vehicle numbers | Vehicle numbers | Livery | Location | Notes |
| Set number | DMBS | TCL | DMCL | Livery | Location | Notes |
| - | 50599 | - | - | BR Blue | Ecclesbourne Valley Railway | Operational |
| - | 50619 | 59387 | 51566 | BR Green | Dean Forest Railway | Operational |
| - | 50628 | - | - | BR Green | Keith and Dufftown Railway | Operational |
| - | 52044 (DMCL) | - | 50632 | BR Blue and Grey | Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway | Scrapped |
| - | 50926 | - | 50645 | BR Blue and Grey | Great Central Railway | Under Restoration |
| - | 50928 | - | 51565 | BR Green | Keighley and Worth Valley Railway | Under restoration |
| - | 50933 | - | 52064 | BR Green | Severn Valley Railway | Operational |
| - | 50971 | - | 51571 | BR Green | Kent and East Sussex Railway | Operational |
| - | 50980 | - | 52054 | BR Green | Weardale Railway | Operational |
| - | 51922 | - | 51562 | BR Green (51922) and BR Blue (51562) | National Railway Museum | Static Display |
| - | - | - | 51567 | BR Blue and Grey | Ecclesbourne Valley Railway | Stored |
| - | 56274(DTCL) | - | 51572 | United Steel Red and Grey / BR Green | Wensleydale Railway | Stored |
| - | 51907 | - | 56490(DTCL) | BR Blue and Grey | Llangollen Railway | Operational |
| - | 51909 | - | 56271(DTCL) | BR Green | East Somerset Railway | Operational |
| - | 51914 | - | 56492(DTCL) | BR Green | Dean Forest Railway | Operational |
| - | 51919 | - | 52048 | BR Blue | Garw Valley Railway | Operational |
| - | 51933 | - | 56504(DTCL) | BR Green | Swanage Railway | Operational |
| - | 51937 | - | 56484(DTCL) | BR White Stripe/ Blue and Grey | Poulton & Wyre Railway | Under Restoration |
| - | 51941 | - | - | BR Green | Severn Valley Railway | Operational |
| - | 51942 | - | 56270(DTCL) | Network South East/BR Blue and Grey | Mid-Norfolk Railway | Stored |
| - | 51947 | - | - | BR Blue and Grey | Bodmin and Wenford Railway | Stored as a source for spare parts |
| - | 51950 | - | 52062 | Chocolate and Cream | Telford Steam Railway | Operational |
| - | - | - | 52044 | BR Blue and Grey | Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway | Operational |
| - | - | - | 52053 | BR Green | Keith and Dufftown Railway | Operational |
| - | - | 59245(TBSL) | 54207(DTCL) | Blood and Custard | Appleby Frodingham Railway Preservation Society | Operational |
| - | - | - | 56208(DTCL) | BR Green | Severn Valley Railway | Operational |
| - | 51618(Class 127) | - | 56223(DTCL) | BR Green | East Anglian Railway Museum | Operational |
| - | - | - | 56224(DTCL) | BR Green | Keith and Dufftown Railway | Operational |
| - | - | - | 56279(DTCL) | BR Green | Lavender Line | Operational |
| - | - | - | 56491(DTCL) | BR Green | Keith and Dufftown Railway | Operational |
| - | - | - | 56495(DTCL) | BR Green | Kirklees Light Railway | Static Display |
| - | - | 59250(TBSL) | - | BR Green | Severn Valley Railway | Operational |

## Model railways

In 2007, Bachmann introduced OO gauge models of the Class 108 in BR green, BR blue and grey, and Network SouthEast liveries.