Class 507+508 Differences (Merseyrail Only)

[dannyandy]

As a user of merseyrail for many years I am surprised I haven't found any but I cannot seem to find and real differences between the two classes. The only one I can seem to find is that on 508s a compressor can be heard, dont know if this is just coincidence or a fact. Any ideas or facts greatly welcomed since I cant find any real info on the internet I thought I would ask here since it has been a wonder of mine for a while now.

 

[D365]

508s have two compressors of a different type, I believe. Back when they were built with 4 carriages for short-term use in the Southern region before phasing into Merseyrail. The trailer vehicles are still going strong in the infamous 455/7s. 507s were 3-car Mersey from the start. Similar in a way to the 314/315 differences (aside from the latter also has different motors and was planned for 6.25kV AC before that was removed).

Have found some stuff on teh interwebs in the past.

 

[headshot119]

The 508s also drop back to emergency lighting when going over a section gap.

 

[507 001]

508s have 2 compressors as they were built as 4 car units, 507s only have 1.
There are differences in WSP systems, but I can't remember exactly how thy differ.
There are also slight differences in the cabs.

IIRC that's about it........

The 508s should really have been 507/1s......

 

[D365]

The 508s should really have been 507/1s......

But would that make the 315s 314/1s? There are slightly more differences there AIUI.

 

[8J]

The 508 compressor is more of a "thumping" noise than the 507's compressor.

As already mentioned, light circuits are different to 507's too. I much prefer to travel on the 507's but cant for the life of me work out why!!

 

[507 001]

But would that make the 315s 314/1s? There are slightly more differences there AIUI.

Possibly, but as you say there are more differences there, including I believe in control systems and motors?
My point being that there are fewer differences between a 507 & a 508 than there are between a 150/1 & a 150/2

The 508 compressor is more of a "thumping" noise than the 507's compressor.

As already mentioned, light circuits are different to 507's too. I much prefer to travel on the 507's but cant for the life of me work out why!!

You know what, I'm exactly the same! I think it's got something to do with the 508s having worked on the dirty SR *tongue in cheek mode=on

 

[jopsuk]

What gets designated a sperate class and what gets designated as the same class is not subject to hard and fast rules at all.

Arguably 317 & 318 could be the same class, and 320 to 322 another. Pushing it a bit, all of class 317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 455 and 456 are pretty much the same design in different varients (even 325 perhaps).


The latest 377s will be really quite different to the orginal ones, to the extent that 379s could be regarded as the same class. And 375s are the same thing as orignal 377s- so that's more or less the same class, that comes in 3-5 car formations (mainly 4), in DC-only, AC only and dual voltage, with a heavily revised version (379 and 377/6-8) that's partly numbered the same, split across three class numbers (14 subclasses)- 410 units, that could probably be classed as one class with far less subclasses.

There's a fair bit of variation between 172s (preumably as with the 168s, Chilterns 172s can work with 16x not 15x?).

Bascially, don't go looking for logic in why some are classes whilst some are subclasses.

Quick totting up:
317-325, 455, 456 "mega class" would be 500 units (including scrapped)
375, 377 and 379 would be 410 units - 484 if 357s were considered as the same thing
"1972" design 313-315, 507, 508: 217units
450, 350, 360: 240 units
168-171: 157 units

 

[Wikipedia]

317-325, 455, 456 "mega class" would be 500 units (including scrapped)

Assuming that is an accurate figure and not rounded that is only just smaller than the number of 47's built overall.

 

[jopsuk]

It's adding up all the "built" units from, um, wikipedia. So the actual number is slightly smaller- though I think the only scrapped unit is a single 325?

It was an enromously succesful design- remeber that the 137 Class 150s are bascially the same thing, as were the two class 210s, just with a diesel power source.

(aplogies for the off-topic posts, but I think we concluded the orginal question a while back!)

 

[D6975]

I can remember going round Crewe works and photographing a loco with 87 201 chalked on the cabside.

No prizes for what no. that carried when it was completed.

 

[starrymarkb]

158&159 come in at 204 sets

 

[Ploughman]

There is one very noticeable difference between 507s and 508s.

The number.

 

[dannyandy]

508s have two compressors of a different type, I believe. Back when they were built with 4 carriages for short-term use in the Southern region before phasing into Merseyrail. The trailer vehicles are still going strong in the infamous 455/7s. 507s were 3-car Mersey from the start. Similar in a way to the 314/315 differences (aside from the latter also has different motors and was planned for 6.25kV AC before that was removed).

Have found some stuff on teh interwebs in the past.

The 508s also drop back to emergency lighting when going over a section gap.

508s have 2 compressors as they were built as 4 car units, 507s only have 1.
There are differences in WSP systems, but I can't remember exactly how thy differ.
There are also slight differences in the cabs.

IIRC that's about it........

The 508s should really have been 507/1s......

Thanks for all the help everyone I have noticed the lights going off and on over section gaps but never realised it only happened on 508s, I suppose the biggest give-away is the compressor!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The 508 compressor is more of a "thumping" noise than the 507's compressor.

As already mentioned, light circuits are different to 507's too. I much prefer to travel on the 507's but cant for the life of me work out why!!

Thanks for the help and yes me too id much rather go on a 507 rather than a 508 but like you cannot work out why because they're near enough identical!