Merseyrail Class 507s and 508s

For over forty years the 75-mile 750v DC, third rail Merseyrail electric system was operated by a fleet of Class 507 and Class 508 electric multiple units. They were originally built at the British Rail Engineering Limited works at York between 1978 and 1980 as part of a similar build of EMUs that encompassed BR Classes 313/314/315/507 and 508, with 750 individual cars being constructed. The Merseyrail 507s and 508s underwent refurbishment during their operational lives, but with most rolling stock having a fatigue life of around forty years, and to bring the network up to date, a new fleet of EMUs was ordered from Stadler Ltd in 2016. With the arrival of the first of the new Class 777s in 2020, the writing was on the wall for the old fleet, which by then was some of the oldest rolling stock in daily passenger use on the national network. Subsequently, the Class 507s and 508s were withdrawn from service, a process that was completed in 2024. Martyn Hilbert illustrates the fleet’s last period of operation between 2020 and 20204, when the trains gained almost cult status in the eyes of enthusiasts and observers.