144016 - 55816, 55852 & 55839 - Class 144 Driving Motor Second, Motor Second & Driving Motor Second Lavatory

Home Railway

Aln Valley Railway

Location History

Aln Valley Railway Dec 20-Present

Current Location

Aln Valley Railway

Current Status

Operational

Current Livery

Northern Rail

TRA Designation

4

Owner

Aln Valley Railway Trust

Website

Aln Valley Railcar Group

Record Last Updated

11 October 2025

Preservation Modifications
The seating layouts in 55839 and 55852 have been modified, to give more space between the seats and several rows have been turned around to provide bays of four seats.

Preservation Information
144016 was preserved for the Aln Valley Railway in 2020 but had to be held in storage first at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway and later the Wensleydale Railway before final arrival by road at its preservation home in December 2020. On arrival it became the 14th Class 144 to be preserved.

144016 required some repair works which prevented it from entering preservation service, with the bodywork leaking which caused damage to the interiors. In early 2023, work to refurbish the unit for passenger service began. A broken coil spring on 55839 was replaced in early 2024. The seating layouts in 55839 and 55852 were then modified, to give more space between the seats and several rows have been turned around to provide bays of four seats. The interiors of these two cars were largely repainted.

In May 2024, 144016 made its passenger debut at the railway's first Pacer Gala/Running Day.

The splitter gearbox on 55852 was replaced in October 2024. Whilst still in service with Northern, some of the doorway floors had begun to distort and this began to hinder reliable operation of the doors. By September 2025, nine of the ten doorway floors had been replaced. All three cars had their bodyside Northern livery repainted, with vinyl lettering being reapplied.

A small team continues to work on the unit regularly. The underframe equipment is also being painted as time allows, and vinyl lettering is being reapplied. All painting is done outside as shed space is currently extremely limited.

Future Plans
To continue to improve the set's general condition and maintain in passenger service. It's planned to complete the floor/doorway repair work. At the end of September 2025, the paintwork on the cab ends and roofs was still to be addressed.

144016 (right) stabled alongside sister 144004 at Alnwick Lionheart, 1/25. Brian Cunningham

144016 in service for a charter at Alnwick Lionheart, 19/8/24. Ken Jones

144016 (left) alongside 144004 on the former's first day in passenger service in preservation, 18/5/24. Andrew Sutton

144016 undergoing limited repairs, 12/8/22. Darren JB

144016 stabled with 144004 behind, 16/8/21.Darren JB

A view of the passenger saloon, 19/8/24. Ken Jones