507001 at Birkenhead NorthLooking absolutely stunning in BR Blue/Grey livery, Merseyrail's 507001 departs Birkenhead North with 2W28 West Kirby - West Kirby via Liverpool service 2.12.23 In late November 2023, Merseyrail unveiled 507001 in a modified version of the original BR Blue/Grey livery carried by the fleet when they first entered service in 1978. The livery has been modified with all Grey doors to meet PRM regulations.   The livery is also to commemorate the future withdrawal of the fleet during mid 2024.

On to the trip and on hearing the news of 001's relivery, I decided to drive down to Liverpool to get some photos while the unit was still clean!   On the day in question, 001 was in service on the West Kirby branch so it meant a drive through Liverpool and over to Birkenhead North for some photos!   Heavy traffic in Liverpool meant that the journey took longer than expected and that I didn't reach Birkenhead North station till 1pm (about an hour later than expected). 

Luckily I caught 507001 a few times passing through and 001 looked fantastic!   As well as 001, there was also the opportunity to photograph some of the class 508s, which were facing imminent withdrawal at the time and indeed at the time of writing have all been withdrawn and scrapped with 508136, one of the units photographed on the day, being withdrawn just a few days later.   

On 2nd December the units passing through Birkenhead North were:

• New Brighton line: 508131, 507030, 508120, 507004
• West Kirkby: 507018, 507001, 777018, 508104, 508136

Thanks to the failure of a class 777 operating on a Chester service on the Mersey Loop, there was chaos in Central Liverpool, with delays and early turn backs on some services to get back to time.  Unfortunately I received a notification on my phone whilst in Birkenhead that there was an amber weather warning for snow in Cumbria declared so I took the decision to call it a day around 3.30 after final photo of 507001 and head back up the road alot earlier than planned.   It was lucky I did as heavy snow around the M6 between Tebay and Shap almost led to me being stranded, lucky I had left when I did as 30 minutes later and I'd have never made it home to Lanarkshire!   Luckily I did though!

507001 at Birkenhead NorthLooking absolutely stunning in BR Blue/Grey livery, Merseyrail's 507001 pauses at Birkenhead North with 2W28 West Kirby - West Kirby via Liverpool service 2.12.23	777018 & 507001 at Birkenhead NorthNew and Old together at Birkenhead north as Merseyrail liveried 777018 pauses with 2W26 12.51 West Kirby - West Kirby service as BR Blue/Grey liveried 507001 pauses with 2W28 West Kirby - West Kirby service 2.12.23
507001 at Birkenhead NorthFreshly reliveried into a modern variation of BR Blue Grey livery, pioneering class 507: 507001 departs Birkenhead North with 2W23 12.06 West Kirkby - West Kirby via Liverpool loop service 2.12.23	50718 &507001 at Birkenhead NorthMerseyrail 'Good Communications' liveried 507018 & freshly reliveried back into a modern variation of BR Blue Grey livery: 507001 depart Birkenhead North with 2W25 & 2W23 12.36 & 12.06 West Kirkby - West Kirby via Liverpool loop services 2.12.23
508131 at Birkenhead NorthLiving on borrowed time with withdrawal of the remaining class 508s expected in the coming weeks, 508131, which still has the addition of facemasks to it's Merseyrail Good Communications livery, arrives at Birkenhead with 2N26 12.38 New Brighton - New Brighton via the Liverpool Loop service 2.12.23	508120 at Birkenhead NorthRetaining facemask vynals and living on borrowed time with withdrawal imminent in the coming weeks, Merseyrail 'Good Communications' liveried 508120 departs Birkenhead North with 2N27 12.53 New Brighton - New Brighton via Liverpool Loop service 2.12.23
508136 at Birkenhead NorthWith withdrawal only a matter of weeks away, Merseyrail Good Communications liveried 508136 pauses at Birkenhead North with 2W27 13.06 West Kirby - West Kirby via the Liverpool loop service 2.12.23	508104 at Birkenhead NorthWith only a short time left in service, soon to be withdrawn Merseyrail 'Good Communications' liveried 508104 departs Birkenhead North with 2W24 12.21 West Kirby - West Kirby service 2.12.23