50256 Class 101 Driving Motor Brake Second

Home Railway	Wensleydale Railway	Location History	East Kent Railway Nov 03-Nov 16
Current Location	Wensleydale Railway		Wensleydale Railway Nov 16-Present
Current Status	Stored
Current Livery	BR Blue (Half Yellow Panel)
TRA Designation	4
Partner Vehicle(s)	56343
Owner	Vince Middlebrough
Website
Record Last Updated	12 March 2022
Preservation Modifications None
Preservation Information Preserved in 2003 with partner 56343, the vehicle entered preservation service very quickly. The set ran most of the EKR’s passenger services, the railway taking full advantage of the economies of using DMU's. The railway undertook a repaint in the open from Regional Railways to BR Blue over a period of two years. The process began in late 2006 with the cab end and one side complete by March 2008. The remaining parts of the vehicle were completed by March 2009. During 2012, 50256 received a series of mechanical repairs as the exisiting equipment had not required attention since the vehicle was preserved. The vehicle received replacement gearboxes, brakeblocks and an exhauster. However mechanical reliability continued to be a problem periodically and in 2014 a Class 108 set was brought to the railway to ease the burdon on 50256/56343. In 2016 the railway undertook a review and concluded that it did not see 50256/56343 as part of their future fleet. The set was sold and relocated to the Wensleydale Railway later that year, reportedly bought by loco owner and railway businessman Harry Needle. After arriving at the Wensleydale Railway, dispite the engines being started up very shortly after unloading, 50256 was placed into storage without operating any services on the line, in common with a great number of first generation vehicles on the line. It was stored for many years. In 2022 the vehicle was sold to Vince Middlebrough. 50256 currently remains in store, its condition continues to deteriorate as evidence suggests the vehicle is not watertight.
Future Plans The new owner wishes to restore 50256 to service.

	A corridor end view of 50256, in store in the sidings at Leeming Bar, 6/10/19. Chris Moxon

	50256 shortly after unloading at Leeming Bar, 20/11/16. Alex Lomax

	50256 leads an all-blue hybrid set consisting of 50256, 56343 & 51562 at Shepherdswell, 22/6/15. Simon Potter

	E50256 in service during the evening at Shepherdswell, 27/7/14. Josh Watkins

	E50256 & E56343 stabled at the East Kent Railway, 2/9/12. Simon Potter

	E50256 & E56343 in service on the East Kent Railway, 18/8/12. Simon Potter

	E50256 & E56343 in service at Shepherdswell, 25/7/12. Simon Potter

	E50256 & E56343 at Shepherdswell, 26/2/11. John Oram

	53256 & 54343 in service at Sheperdswell, September 2004. Nigel Carroll

	53256 & 54343 in service at Sheperdswell, September 2004. Nigel Carroll

	53256 & 54343 in service at Shepherdswell, Easter 2004. Peter Wreford

Interior

	50256's cab, 6/10/19. Chris Moxon

	50256's cab, 6/10/19. Chris Moxon

	50256's front saloon, 6/10/19. Chris Moxon

	50256's front passenger vestibule, which has suffered from water ingress, 6/10/19. Chris Moxon

	50256's middle saloon, 6/10/19. Chris Moxon