Last day at Besses booking office I was there at 5:30am and finished at 6:00pm. I would've stayed until the last train but it was too sad a day, so I went home to the family , besides I had to be there the next day too. The day after at besses the line manager and cashier came about 9am and after a couple of the scrap line trains had passed any remaining money was collected along with the safe keys and portis ticket machine , 3rd rail shorting bar...and even the kettle! Booking office emptied of all BR property (and a few personal items) the keys were handed to the line manager who locked the door and after a handshake and a "good luck with your new job"(I became a signaller) we all just trooped down to Bury old road...and... that was it.

I was an Apprentice Electrical Engineer Fitter at the Bury MPD when the 504 stock was first introduced and I worked on them for 3 years. They were a vast improvement on the original Electric trains from 1918 which were being used when I first started my Apprenticeship. The electronics were miniature compared to the old stock but much easier to work on and fault find. Many happy memories of working on them and I wish I had a quid for every brake shoe I changed on them!

It's nice to see something that isn't metrolink or pacer based. I would love to have taken a ride on one of these 504s.

Fabulous video capturing an immaculate Class 25 sandwiched in between two class 504s.

These look better than the rubbishy trams we have nowadays!

I have lived in Manchester nearly 20 years and knew the Bury line used to be ex heavy rail, but had no idea it was 3rd rail. Amazing video! Thanks for sharing. 😁😁😁👍👍👍

I remember jumping on these a lot til the metro link came in.

Wow great post. Loved these units, you used to bounce on the lively seat springing and quick was they. Don't think the teams are faster now!. Served part of my apprenticeship at Bury car shop, happy days. Thanks for the memories.

A class 504 driving trailer was sent to London as a replacement for a damaged class 302 driving trailer. I think it was in the 1970s.

Rode that train in East Lancashire Railway, I think that might be me at 11.17, its nearly 28+ years ago, I would like to travel back in time.

Class 504 electric multiple unit trains served the Manchester Victoria to Bury line well and the conversion to Tram operation led to the retirement of the remaining sets.

Look at the sparks coming from the underside of the units

I used to ride the class 504s to Manchester every week, I lived right next to the line on 15 willow road , And grew up in the Area .Every week i would ride into Manchester to buy a science fiction book with my spending money, About 1 pound, that my dad gave me ,He used to work at Prestwich hospital, which has also gone now.

Seems like they were going straight from the a heavy rail line to the metrolink line. The masts are already in for the catenaries here.

Fabulous video John, very sad day, loved these units every one of them.

When I was young I used to travel from Bury to school in Salford on the original 5-car (I think) Lancashire & Yorkshire electric stock -- they were drab and musty, but open plan (and with reversible seats) and a huge platform at the door that you could open when the train was still moving so we could leg it to Manchester Cathedral where the bus for the next leg of our journey began. I remember the 504s being introduced in their smart green livery, about 1958 was it? I'd love to see some moving images of that old stock -- can anyone help?

Never seen an EMU pull away so quickly as these sets did.

very nice blast from the pass john and a joy to see cheers......kev

Ding Ding! Wish I could have been about when these were! :( probably far better ride than Metrolink!

and less than a year later the metrolink would start from where the 504's left off

They looked very grotty in the final years

brilliant this. proper memories

I think the guy at the end of the platform in the blue jumper and light grey trackies at 9:55 is me! I remember being there when two 504s were work with a class 25 between them. Was this the only occasion?

They're propper trains the class 304's and was far better than this modern italian cheap looking tin-can shit of what now dominate the Manchester Victoria to Bury line!!! I love the sound of the electric motors on the class 304s 😎

Last shot - so sad...

At about 8:45 you can see the poles for the electrification ready for the trams

Great Video, I have subscribed.

Great vids

We are currently restoring the sole surviving 504 unit at the East Lancs Railway in Bury. If you are interested in helping then please contact me

It may of been the less pretty/glamours units but damn it!!!?!....

lots of pre Metrolink Bury line footage but yet to find anything for Altrincham.

Looks like some sort of signalling / track circuit issue at 6:10?

They had sets like that but 3 car formation liverpool to crewe

Those seem to arc a lot more than top contact 3rd rail

1:49 What did that bloke say?

+London Underground 1973stock ''See you later tonight''

8:00 Why did the Class 504's not have gangways between the individual carriages?

Did drivers ever actually use the horns on EMUs, or weren't they fitted with any?

Is all that arcing at 6.00 normal? Is it ok for it to do that? I got "arc eye" from welding back in the 80's, was well painfull, just wondering is all.

British rail in 1991 Fine additions for the secondhand market of ireland Not really, but could you _IMAGINE_

So if there's only one set preserved but we see here 2 sets being delivered to ELR - the elephant in the room question is.... what happened to the second set?

504s were 3rd rail?

So that is the Jaffa livery.