British Rail Class 506

The British Rail Class 506 was a fleet of eight three-car electric multiple units built for local services between Manchester, Glossop and Hadfield on the Woodhead Line, which was electrified in 1954 at 1,500 volts DC overhead. Ordered by the LNER in 1938, they were built in 1950 but did not enter service until June 1954, on the same production lines as the similar Class 306, making about 100 units of basically similar design. Metro-Cammell built the motor and trailer cars of the fleet and Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon the driving trailers. Each power car had four 185 hp GEC traction motors, and unlike the Class 306 they stayed equipped for 1,500 volt DC operation for their whole lives.