British Rail Class 505
Encyclopedia
British Railways Class 505 were 1,500 V DC electric multiple unit
s (EMUs) introduced in 1931 by the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway
(MSJAR). Although assigned to TOPS
Class 505 by British Rail
ways, these units were withdrawn before the TOPS numbering system came into common use for multiple units, and the Class 505 designation is very rarely used.
Following the 1923 Grouping
, the MSJAR company was owned jointly by the LMS
and LNER
. It operated a 13.7 km (8½ mile) route between Manchester London Road (now Manchester Piccadilly
) and Altrincham
in Cheshire
. The MSJAR was electrified in the early 1930s on the 1,500 V DC overhead system.
). In 1983 they were moved to the Midland Railway Centre (now Midland Railway - Butterley
) in Derbyshire
where they are undergoing restoration. Here they joined centre trailer coach M29663 (MSJAR 114) which had been bought by Derby City Council. This coach was broken up in 2006. No driving coaches have been preserved.
to an LMS design and were a much more conservative style of train than the Southport
and Wirral
line EMUs which the LMS introduced just a few years later.
The third class compartments were later re-classified as second class by British Railways in 1956.
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
s (EMUs) introduced in 1931 by the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway
Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway
The Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway was a suburban railway which operated a 13.7 km route between Altrincham in Cheshire and London Road Station in Manchester....
(MSJAR). Although assigned to TOPS
TOPS
Total Operations Processing System, or TOPS, is a computer system for managing the locomotives and rolling stock owned by a rail system...
Class 505 by British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ways, these units were withdrawn before the TOPS numbering system came into common use for multiple units, and the Class 505 designation is very rarely used.
Following the 1923 Grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
, the MSJAR company was owned jointly by the LMS
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
and LNER
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
. It operated a 13.7 km (8½ mile) route between Manchester London Road (now Manchester Piccadilly
Manchester Piccadilly station
Manchester Piccadilly is the principal railway station in Manchester, England. It serves intercity routes to London Euston, Birmingham New Street, South Wales, the south coast of England, Edinburgh and Glasgow Central, and routes throughout northern England...
) and Altrincham
Altrincham
Altrincham is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on flat ground south of the River Mersey about southwest of Manchester city centre, south-southwest of Sale and east of Warrington...
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. The MSJAR was electrified in the early 1930s on the 1,500 V DC overhead system.
Overview
22 3-car EMUs and two spare power cars were built for the new electric service, which started on 11 May 1931. It was common with the earlier generation electric trains for the power cars to require much more engineering workshop time than the trailers, and several systems had additional power cars built. These trains were based at Altrincham depot and ran exclusively between Manchester and Altrincham for forty years. In 1939 eight additional trailers were added, both new build and secondhand conversions, inserted into eight of the 3-car sets, and these allowed 7-car trains to be run on many peak hour services. The Altrincham electrics had substantial power installed and were well able to handle the extra car. As with other Manchester area suburban electric services, demand reduced notably from the 1950s onwards, and the 7-car trains were eliminated.Route shortened
The 1931 service ran from Altrincham, through Manchester Oxford Road, to Manchester London Road (nowadays Manchester Piccadilly). In 1961 it was decided to extend the 25Kv electrification project from Crewe to Manchester Piccadilly through to Oxford Road station, and thus the Altrincham electric trains had to be cut back to that point, where new terminal platforms for them were provided in a rebuilt station. The long term intention was to link the two routes as a through service, but this did not happen for another 10 years.Withdrawal and preservation
In April 1971 all the Class 505 Altrincham Electric units were withdrawn when the line was converted from 1,500 V DC to 25 kV AC. Two centre trailer cars, M29666 and M29670 (MSJAR 117 and 121), were purchased by the Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society and moved to the Yorkshire Dales Railway (now Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam RailwayEmbsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
The Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England, . It is part of the former Midland Railway branch from Skipton to Ilkley . The E&BASR currently runs from Embsay via Draughton and Holywell to Bolton Abbey station, a distance of...
). In 1983 they were moved to the Midland Railway Centre (now Midland Railway - Butterley
Midland Railway - Butterley
The Midland Railway – Butterley is a heritage railway, formerly known until 2004 as the Midland Railway Centre, at Butterley, near Ripley in Derbyshire.-Overview:...
) in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
where they are undergoing restoration. Here they joined centre trailer coach M29663 (MSJAR 114) which had been bought by Derby City Council. This coach was broken up in 2006. No driving coaches have been preserved.
Description
The Altrincham Electrics were built with a wooden frame construction and individual compartments, with no corridors or gangways. They were coupled as 3-car sets and often operated in multiple as 6-car trains at rush hours. The units were built by Metropolitan CammellMetro Cammell
The Metropolitan Cammell Carriage and Wagon Company was a Birmingham, England based manufacturer of railway carriages and wagons, based in Saltley and subsequently Washwood Heath....
to an LMS design and were a much more conservative style of train than the Southport
British Rail Class 502
The British Rail Class 502 was a type of electric multiple unit originally built by the London Midland and Scottish Railway at their Derby Works...
and Wirral
British Rail Class 503
British Rail Class 503 trains were 70 mph electric multiple units. They were introduced in two batches — in 1938 by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway with a further batch in 1956 by the then nationalised British Railways...
line EMUs which the LMS introduced just a few years later.
Formation
Each 3-car Altrincham Electric comprised:-- A motor coach, with driving cab, guard’s compartment, electrical equipment and third class passenger compartments. This coach was powered by four 328 hp. GEC traction motorTraction motorTraction motor refers to an electric motor providing the primary rotational torque of a machine, usually for conversion into linear motion ....
s and also carried the unit’s pantographPantograph (rail)A pantograph for rail lines is a hinged electric-rod device that collects electric current from overhead lines for electric trains or trams. The pantograph typically connects to a one-wire line, with the track acting as the ground wire...
. - A centre trailer coach, with no driving cab. The centre car had a number of first class compartments, in addition to third class accommodation.
- A driving trailer coach, with third class compartments.
The third class compartments were later re-classified as second class by British Railways in 1956.
Specification
| Class 505 Altrincham Electrics | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system: 1,500 V DC overhead | |||||
| Description | Carriage numbers (MSJAR) |
Carriage numbers (British Railways) |
Passenger Seating Capacity |
Length | Weight |
| Driving Motor Brake Third | 1 to 24 |
M28571M to M28594M |
Third Class: 72 | 58 ft (17.67 m) |
57 tons (57.9 tonnes) |
| Trailer Composite | 101 to 122 and 151 to 158 |
101-122 M29650M-M29671M and 151-158 renumbered M29390M-M29396M except 153 which was converted to Driving Trailer 74 in 1949 | First Class: 40 Third Class: 48 Subsequently modified to First Class: 24 Third Class: 72 |
58 ft (17.67 m) |
30 tons (30.5 tonnes) 151 and 152 were built in 1939 153-158 to MSJA 1939 (153 built 1929 ex Watford line 154-158 built 1926 ex Southport line) |
| Driving Trailer Third | 51 to 72 and 74 |
51-56 renumbered M29231M-M29236M car 57 withdrawn 1948 58 renumbered M29237M 59-72 renumbered M29239M-M29252M 74 renumbered M29238M The number 73 was not used |
Third Class: 108 | 58 ft (17.67 m) |
31 tons (31.5 tonnes) |