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Merseyrail Stock

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Ivo

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Something that has been bothering me for a while and I can't seem to find a definitive answer...

What exactly is the difference between a 507 and a 508 please?

TIA :)
 
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sprinterguy

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The class 508s were originally built as four car units (With one trailer vehicle now added into class 455 units, of course), while the 507s have been 3-car trains right from the very beginning.

I couldn't tell you whether there is any more to it than that, though.
 

jopsuk

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I very much get the impression that in other builds they'd be two subclasses, not seperate classes.
 

jopsuk

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there's subclasses with biggesr differences than that!

What is a class and what is a subclass seems to have often been haphazard, and it's not something that's died out either.
 

Lampshade

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The main differences are the compressors, and 507s were 3-car from the beginning, whereas all 508s were built as 4-car.
 

D365

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In regards to the 507/508 differences, I recall the compressor and original formations being different as has been said.

In regards to the procurement project guy, oh no! Ex-Bombardier, any partiality there? I hope he has the sense to suggest a combined order with new stock for GN Moorgate, possibly 378s.
 

Class172

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The class 508s were originally built as four car units (With one trailer vehicle now added into class 455 units, of course), while the 507s have been 3-car trains right from the very beginning.

I couldn't tell you whether there is any more to it than that, though.
I never realised that they were originally all 4 cars, though I was aware that some 508 carriages had been inserted into 455s.
 

table38

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"interestingly" the Merseyrail ones are currently numbered in the ranges 507/0 and 508/1 to avoid confusion.
 

507 001

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theres also differences in wheel slip and slide protection.

A 508 has 2 compressors, one, in one of the DMSOs is the same as the 507 compressor. The other is under the TOS and is the same as a southern slam door unit compressor.

The one in the DMSO makes a whirring buzzing noise, the one in the TOS makes a thumping noise.

Theres also slight differences in the cabs, the 507s have a larger, bulb lit speedo and brake gauge whereas the 508s have a smaller plastic surrounded speedo and brake gauge (think 455, sprinter etc) Which I believe is luminous.
 

slicedbread

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The 508s had controls for the passengers to open (and close) the doors (like the 455s do). The controls are plated over but still easy to spot.
 

John55

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In regards to the 507/508 differences, I recall the compressor and original formations being different as has been said.

In regards to the procurement project guy, oh no! Ex-Bombardier, any partiality there? I hope he has the sense to suggest a combined order with new stock for GN Moorgate, possibly 378s.

This keeps coming up but just because BR built similar trains for Merseyrail and the GN suburban routes why would it be sensible to do the same now? Merseyrail has a different requirement for rolling stock and let us hope that they don't end up with trains which are incompatible with the infrastructure again just so they can come out of the same factory as the GN trains.

It is almost certain that new trains will come with a build and maintain contract so it is probably more important that the GN stock maintenance can be integrated with another operator (FCC or EC or someone else) than any issue of build cost.

Merseyrail will be a stand alone operation so it doesn't matter in that case.
 

D6975

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"interestingly" the Merseyrail ones are currently numbered in the ranges 507/0 and 508/1 to avoid confusion.

It was general policy for years that EMUs should be locally identifiable just by their last 3 digits. Dates back to when most EMUs only carried the last 3 numbers of course.
That's why 314s start at 201, 318s start at 250, 320s at 301 etc.

It's been relaxed more recently, hence 334001 and 380001
 

507 001

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They were completely removed a few years ago
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The 508s had controls for the passengers to open (and close) the doors (like the 455s do). The controls are plated over but still easy to spot.

They were removed a few years back
 

prod_pep

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A 508 has 2 compressors, one, in one of the DMSOs is the same as the 507 compressor. The other is under the TOS and is the same as a southern slam door unit compressor.

Both compressors on the 508s sound the same - the "thumping" noise you describe.
 

D365

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This keeps coming up but just because BR built similar trains for Merseyrail and the GN suburban routes why would it be sensible to do the same now? Merseyrail has a different requirement for rolling stock and let us hope that they don't end up with trains which are incompatible with the infrastructure again just so they can come out of the same factory as the GN trains.

It is almost certain that new trains will come with a build and maintain contract so it is probably more important that the GN stock maintenance can be integrated with another operator (FCC or EC or someone else) than any issue of build cost.

Merseyrail will be a stand alone operation so it doesn't matter in that case.

Let me rephrase that; at least slightly similar so that manufacturing costs can be bought down. Probably not going to happen, totally different operations as you said.
 
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