Built in 1948, the class 506 multiple units each consisted of a motor coach (Nos. M59401-8) a centre trailer (Nos. M59501-8) and a driving trailer (Nos. M59601-8). They were built as a batch of 100 units, 92 of which became the Class 306 units which worked on the Liverpool Street to Shenfield line. However, in 1960, the 306's were converted to work on A.C. voltage, and thus only the eight Hadfield sets remained in their original condition.
Before the 506's made their appearance, passengers from Glossop travelled on the "push-pull" train to Dinting, and changed there for the train to Manchester. When the 506's entered service on 3rd June 1954 the fast efficient service they provided was welcomed by all passengers who used the line, but to the people of Glossop it also made the need for a change at Dinting unnecessary.
The 506 units were slightly overshadowed by the EM1 and EM2 locomotives which had come into service on the Woodhead route approximately six months earlier. It was originally intended to operate the units as an "interval" service between the hourly loco-hauled trains to Sheffield, but due to various problems this idea was abandoned. The EM1 and EM2 locomotives took sole charge of the passenger trains to Sheffield, and the 506 units were assigned to the route over which they operated to the end.
A depot was built at Reddish in 1953, for the maintenance of the locomotives and multiple units, and the future of the line looked secure. However, in 1963 Dr. Beeching, then the Chairman of British Railways, recommended the closure of certain lines which he deemed to be uneconomic. The Woodhead route was not threatened with closure, but in 1964 closure notices were circulated for the Glossop branch line. The people of Glossop and Hadfield fought the closure, and in 1966, although the Sunday service was lost the line was reprieved. The irony of the situation is that, with the Woodhead route closed from Hadfield onwards, we have today exactly the reverse of the situation which Dr. Beeching envisaged in 1964!
The train service was reduced to hourly operation in the middle of the day in 1964, but in 1977 the half-hourly service was reinstated, and also a quarter-hour service was introduced during the peak hours. The extra trains, on their return journey, terminated at Guide Bridge and continued as empty stock to Reddish Depot. Since the closure of the depot in 1983 they have terminated at Manchester Piccadilly.
In 1968 the sets received the "Rail Blue" livery with full yellow ends.
During the 1970's the full glare of the spotlight fell on the Woodhead route and the withdrawal of its passenger service. The 506 units continued as before, but their tally of passengers must have been greatly increased as people travelled from far and wide to photograph the last few passenger trains over the Woodhead route!
In 1980 the multiple units were again repainted, this time in British Rail's Inter-City blue/white livery. Also from this time they carried the combined B.R./G.M.T. logo. G.M.T. paid a large subsidy towards the continued operation of the line.
During 1981, with the final tragic closure of the Woodhead route, the Class 506 units lost their travelling companions, the EM1 locomotives, which had shared the line with them for 26 years.
1983 was not a good year for 506's! Reddish Depot, where the staff had cared for them so well, closed in March 1983, and the maintenance of the units was transferred to Longsight Depot. Maintenance was not so thorough as it was at Reddish, and there was to be even less attention as their long term of service drew rapidly to a close.
In the last few years of service two "hybrid" units were created. At its last maintenance check '01 set was found to have cracked axles. '02 set had failed a number of times recently, due in part to corroded exterior pipework, but had sound axles, and so it was decided to pair the motor coach from '01 set, which was not affected by the cracked axle trouble, to the centre trailer and driving trailer of '02. The only evidence of this change was the number on the bodyside of the motor coach, which always read M59401! The other "hybrid" had been around for a little longer. Whilst '06 set was stabled at Longsight in November 1983, a fire began in the transformer of a Class 303 unit, and spread to the 506. The centre trailer and driving trailer were damaged and withdrawn but the motor coach was saved. The Class 303 unit was badly damaged. The motor coach of '08 unit had previously been withdrawn, and the remaining two coaches of '08 set were coupled to the undamaged motor coach from '06 set. Unlike the more recent hybrid, the '6' on the motor coach end and the bodysides was crudely changed to an '8'. What made it more noticeable was the fact that '08 set was never repainted in blue/white livery and so two-thirds of the unit was blue and one third blue/white. The irony of this tale is that, when re-electrification to 25,000 volts A.C. was completed in December, the Class 303 units replaced the 506's!
It may be wondered why no attempt was made to convert the 506 sets for A.C. operation, as with the Shenfield sets. The Shenfield sets were converted some years ago, and the 506's were then too old for this to be considered.
When withdrawal took place in December 1984, most units were sold to Berrys at Leicester for scrapping, but unit '04 was secured for preservation by the then West Yorkshire Transport Museum. Initially it was stored at Dinting Railway Centre before being moved to the former BR depot at Hammerton Street in Bradford. Eventually, it was decided to dispose of most of the rail exhibits, and the 506 was purchased privately and was up at Butterley. By now the bodywork was deteriorating rapidly past the point of no return, so she ended her days in Booths scrapyard at Rotherham in August 1995. The driving cab from the motor coach was saved, and is now located at Barrow Hill. Technical Specifications
With thanks to the former members of the 506 Group