Class 506 at Reddish

Manchester-Glossop-Hadfield class 506 Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) No.M59408-M59508-M59608 stands at Reddish depot on 10th April 1971.

 

The BR Class 506 was a 3 car EMU built for local services between Manchester, Glossop and Hadfield on the Woodhead Line, which was electrified in 1954 on the 1,500V dc overhead system. There were eight three-car units, built in 1950, but they did not enter service until June 1954. Similar in design to the Class 306 EMUs (prior to their conversion to 25 kV AC operation), and built on the same production lines (making a total of 100 units of basically similar design), they were equipped with air-operated sliding doors. Unlike class 306, the eight class 506s remained solely equipped for 1,500V DC operation for their entire lives. This made them unable to operate on any lines other than the Woodhead route, although they rarely operated east of Hadfield due to low gearing and the risk of overheating. In 1981 the Woodhead line was closed east of Hadfield. In December 1984 the remaining section was converted to the standard 25 kV AC overhead system and the Class 506 EMUs were withdrawn following the last run on 7 December. Following withdrawal, unit 59404-59504-59604 was set aside for preservation, but the rest were all sent to Vic Berry in Leicester for scrap, being cut up in April 1985. The unit set aside for preservation was in the end cut up at Booth's of Rotherham and only a severed driving end of a motor open brake second, M59404 survives, which is preserved at the Barrow Hill Roundhouse.

 

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