51073 Class 119 Driving Motor Brake Composite
Home Railway |
Location History |
Mid Norfolk Railway Dec 96-Jul 04 |
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Current Location |
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Ecclesbourne Valley Railway May 06-Present |
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Current Status |
Stored |
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Current Livery |
BR Blue & Grey |
Visited Railways |
Midland Railway Butterley (Contract Restoration) Jul 04-May 06 |
TRA Designation |
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Partner Vehicle(s) |
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Owner |
Pat Lidget |
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Website |
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Record Last Updated |
1 April 2024 |
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Preservation Modifications |
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Preservation Information In 1996, 51073 was thoroughly cleaned ready for proposed use by the National Diesel Railcar Museum project, which later collapsed, the vehicle remaining in store. Due to commitments with other vehicles, little restoration work was done on the vehicle. It was in a poor and incomplete state and was later put up for sale. After failing to find a new owner, 51073 was retained and the descision made to restore it to operating condition as it was one of only three surviving Class 119 vehicles. The vehicle was sent to the Midland Railway Butterley in 2004 where contract bodywork restoration was undertaken, rapidly emerging in BR Blue livery during 2005. Some work underneath was also done, returning many of the larger missing components including both engines and final drives. Whilst 51073 had been receiving contract repairs, its owning group had relocated their vehicles to the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, so 51073 joined the fleet there in 2006, where the vehicle was stored again due to lack of volunteer resources. In November 2008 the restoration recommenced with the new and growing team based on the EVR. Apart from a thorough exterior clean, work focused on the interior with the steelwork rust treated from the inside then covered with insulation. 2009 saw some woodwork restored in January and returned to the vehicle including the internal cab-to-saloon door. On the ouside, the vehicle received a new cab window. During March, the ceiling has been fitted to the first saloon. Warmer weather in April saw attetion turned to the underframe with many components such as exhausts and electrical boxes repainted and refitted. This work continued throughout the summer with the bogies and underframe progressively receiving a fresh coat of black. In November the No2 engine was sucessfully started up. Early 2010 saw the team retreat back into the interior where more woodwork was completed, before other commitments caused the restoration to be suspended in February for nearly two years. In December 2011 the restoration was restarted, with work concentrating on the interior finishings. During the winter months, some of the cab wiring/controllers were refitted. By April 2012, the only passenger vestibule has been de-refurbished with the orange Formica replaced with a wood grain alternative, the ceiling replaced and both interior sliding doors rebuilt and refitted. Between May & December, all of the passenger saloons were pannelled with new Formica, along with new wooden trim. The timber window surrounds were restored and refitted along with the luggage racks. Ceilings were replaced, repainted and fitted and the tungsten lighting returned. Carpet was fitted to the first class saloons and replacement lino in second class. The first class seating was then cleaned and installed. Some mechanical work was also done, with the No1 engine being started for the first time since restoration. A start was made on refitting and testing the various replacement mechanical components which had been stripped from the vehicle twenty years previously. Inspired with the now quite dramatic visual results, the restoration of 51073 continued to progress in 2013. During January, mechanical restoration of vacuum and air components had been completed to the stage where the vehicle was able to move under its own power for the first time since 1993 (20 years). Inside the vehicle, the second class seats were fitted (completing that saloon) and restoration of the guards van and cab was started in February. In March a new cab desk and restored Formica panels were installed vastly improving this area, and the vehicle made its first full (9 mile) line test run sucessfully. April saw replacement lino and a refurbished driver's seat fitted to the cab, as well as the fitting of the first class seating. Exterior metal repairs to rotten cant rail in the guards van area were also completed. In May, work to repaint the vehicle was started and the guards van interior received new panelling. By June the vehicle had emerged, very smart, in BR Blue & Grey livery concluding the exterior work. Inside, the guards van area was completed with the cage repinted, varnished parcel shelves restored/fitted and also a new ceiling. Final mechanical improvements were made before the restoration was finally completed. In August 2013, 51073 became the first Class 119 to carry passengers for approximately 20 years when it was launched at the railway's Multiple Memories gala. It was the first vehicle to be fully overhauled in house at the EVR, so held a special place in the fleet. It entered regular service most commonly paired with Class 101 E51505, although sets were often reformed using other vehicles if required. 51073 won The Railcar Association's Railcar of the Year 2013 award. In April 2014, as part of an A exam, the injectors on No1 engine were changed for some overhauled ones. During July, an injector pipe on No2 engine had to be replaced after it cracked in service. In August, 51073 featured in local news when it opened the rebuilt Shottle station, a ribbon next to the cab being ceremoniously cut. The completion of Class 101 50253's restoration in September 2015 allowed the EVR to form fixed operating sets, with 51073 being paired with Class 108 50599. The late 2010's saw DMU running reduced at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, which meant 51073/50599 started to be used less frequently due to the set's unusual layout and low capacity. In 2019 the withdrawal of 50599 from service, plus the departure of another vehicle from the railway, led to 51073 being paired with Class 101 51505 for a time. This created a set with slightly better seating capacity, but 51073's external appearance was letting it down, so use continued to be limited. In March 2020 at the annual railcar gala 51073 was used for the final time, being taken out of service after the event for bodywork repairs and a repaint. Unfortunately the Covid pandemic severely affected the railway and the ability to undertake the overhauls programme and 51073 was one of the victims. Although mechanically fully servicable, the bodywork degredation prevented the vehicle from any further use and there was no resource available for rectification. Some three and a half years of storage followed, during which time the railway continued to review the need for such a large resident DMU fleet. 51073's low seating capacity potentially made it a less desirable vehicle. A start on repairing 51073's filler-heavy main bodysides was made in the autumn of 2023, but the work was brief and the vehicle returned to storage. |
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Future Plans |
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W51073 looking rather sorry for itself, stored in the yard at Wirksworth, 31/12/23. Darren JB |
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A damp W51073, paired with Class 101 E51505, at Ravenstor having worked the shuttle up the hill from Wirksworth during the annual railcar gala, 15/3/20. Chris Moxon |
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W51073/E53599 shunting between services at Duffield, 19/5/18. Chris Moxon |
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W51073/E53599 call at Shottle, 14/5/16. Brian Battersby |
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W51073 at Duffield during the Railcar Association convention weekend, 27/9/15. Chris Moxon |
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W51073/E59303/E51505 lead M51188/E50599 into Duffield during the railcar gala, 9/8/14. Richard Hargreaves |
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W51073 performing shunting duties at Wirksworth, 9/2/14. Chris Walker |
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W51073 after completion of its repaint into Blue & Grey. complete with set number L594, 14/6/13. Leigh Gration |
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W51073 after completion of its repaint into Blue & Grey. Here is a view of the Railair Reading-Gatwick signage which was applied towards the end of the vehicle's running days, reproduced in preservation in vinyl, 14/6/13. Leigh Gration |
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W51073 part way through its repaint, much of the preparation work completed on the drivers side, 23/4/13. Leigh Gration |
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W51073 at Ravenstor having worked its first test run in preservation (outside of a yard) and also its first run in multiple with another vehicle (M51118/E51505), 26/2/13. Leigh Gration |
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W51073 and the vehicle's restoration team, 2013. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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W51073 under restoration at Wirksworth. The interior has been rebuilt during 2012 and work also progresses underneath, 2/12/12. John Stokes |
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51073 emerges during a shunt at Wirksworth, 1/12/11. Leigh Gration |
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51073 stored at Wirksworth, 3/7/11. Tony Hosking |
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51073 in the shed for a short while, 17/1/10. Leigh Gration |
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Night study of 51073 at Wirksworth during the Railcar Convention, 3/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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51073 on public display at Wirksworth during the Railcar Convention, 2/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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51073 on public display at Wirksworth during the Railcar Convention, 2/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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Rear view of 51073 on public display at Wirksworth during the Railcar Convention, 2/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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Corridor end of 51073 on public display at Wirksworth during the Railcar Convention, 2/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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51073's No1 engine on public display at Wirksworth during the Railcar Convention, 2/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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What does look impressive is when the engine is cleaned down and painted in a classic metallic blue colour, a colour which was often seen on engines which had been overhauled at a certain BR workshop! 19/7/09. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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Nice shiny aluminium paint has been applied to the radiators for both engines. The air tanks were originally white and will be repainted this colour eventually, 31/5/09. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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The rear exhaust has received a coat of paint. It is surprising what a difference a coat of paint can make. The corridor connection will require serious overhaul before the unit enters service, 27/4/09. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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The exhaust system for Engine No.1 going together, 23/3/09. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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The emergency valves that sit on the end of the communication chord in the cab. These have been painted in a beautiful bright red colour and really stand out nicely. The photograph doesn't really do them justice. These can now be fitted along with the pipes that they connect to, 14/3/09. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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51073 in the snow, 8/2/09. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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One of the first tasks was to give the unit a thorough wash over as the paintwork that had been done in 2005 was becoming quite dirty. With the aid of a pressure washer, this was quite a simple task, 2008. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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In the platform at Wirksworth. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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On shed at Wirksworth. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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At Wirksworth. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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On the jacks in Butterley carriage shed. The bogies were removed to fit a final drive, and the fuel tanks were also exchanged, 9/4/05. Stuart Mackay |
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The huge length of a Class 119 brake van is apparent in this shot of 51073 in the yard at Butterley, 18/2/05. Ian Francis |
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51073 at Swanwick Junction, 11/7/04. David Beardmore |
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Class 119 DMC 51073 seen at Swanwick not long after arriving at the Midland Railway Butterley from the Mid-Norfolk Railway, 9/7/04. Ian Francis |
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51073 stored at Dereham. Martin Reeve |
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In the yard at Dereham, Mid-Norfolk Railway, 16/9/01. Paul Moxon |
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51073 & possibly 59117 at Dereham, 27/7/97. On tour with the class 13 army |
Interior
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The ceiling in the guards van, completed and painted white, 16/6/13. Leigh Gration |
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Walls in the guards van after painting cream, and electrical trunking picked out in black, 9/6/13. Leigh Gration |
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The cage in the guards van repainted, 25/5/13. Leigh Gration |
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The first of the new guards van plywood panels installed, 19/5/13. Leigh Gration |
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First class seating fitted, 13/4/13. Leigh Gration |
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An ex-EMU drivers seat now fitted in the cab, 7/4/13. Leigh Gration |
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New lino fitted to the cab, 4/4/13. Leigh Gration |
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The new desk fitted in the cab, 3/3/13. Leigh Gration |
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The new desk, complete with operating controllers and gauges, fitted to the cab, 2/3/13. Leigh Gration |
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Repainting of the guards equipment and bulkheads in progress, 17/2/13. Leigh Gration |
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Repainting of the guards cage complete, 15/2/13. Leigh Gration |
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A forward facing view of the second class saloon, its restoration completed, 9/2/13. Leigh Gration |
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One of the first jobs in the guards area has been cantrail welding repairs followed by a coating of rust protective paint on the walls and ceiling, 5/2/13. Leigh Gration |
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A few of the second class saloon and the end bulkhead which was one of the few areas of original Formica that was salvagable. Mirrors and lighting shades have now also been fitted, 3/2/13. Leigh Gration |
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The only passenger vestibule showing the repainted door frame and the fitted door card, 3/2/13. Leigh Gration |
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Interior work has now started on the rearmost section o the vehicle, the guards van, seen here after the end bulkhead and door into the passenger saloon was cleaned up and painted, 3/2/13. Leigh Gration |
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The passenger vestibule receives its finishing touches including skirting boards and new lino, 27/1/13. Leigh Gration |
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The second class saloon approaching completion after the installation of the seating, 1/1/13. Leigh Gration |
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This view of the second class saloon shows the progress made including the reconnection of the engine coolant tanks followed by the laying of replacement lino, 23/12/12. Leigh Gration |
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The front saloon is nearly completed, with the finishing touches now being applied, such as the curtains, 1/12/12. Leigh Gration |
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Panels and luggage racks now fitted in the second class saloon, 17/11/12. Leigh Gration |
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The new ceiling completed in the second class saloon, 4/11/12. Leigh Gration |
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Seating positioned in the first class smoking saloon, 6/10/12. Leigh Gration |
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51073's guards van, being cleared out for restoration, 6/10/12. Leigh Gration |
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51073's guards van, being cleared out for restoration, 6/10/12. Leigh Gration |
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The two first class saloons with a newly fitted red carpet, 7/9/12.Leigh Gration |
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Completed interior lighting inside the first class smoking saloon, 25/8/12.Leigh Gration |
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The first class saloons have had the lino repmoved in preparation for the carpet fitting, 29/7/12.Leigh Gration |
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The first class smoking saloon edges closer to completion with all woodwork now complee and thje window frames fitted. The luggage racking has also been fitted, 28/7/12.Leigh Gration |
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Newly repaired and revarnished window frames now fitted throughout the first class saloons, 8/7/12.Leigh Gration |
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New Formica panels in the "small saloon", 3/6/12.Leigh Gration |
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Work concentrated on the first class smoking saloon interior, which has seen the ceiling completed, new Formica panels and associated wooden trim, 7/5/12.Leigh Gration |
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51073's only passenger vestibule is taking shape. The ceiling has now been fitted, along with lighting, new wooden Formica (to cover the previous orange scheme) and both sliding doors into the passenger saloons, 9/4/12.Leigh Gration |
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Early 2012 has seen interior work progressing. A fully refurbished interior sliding door has been refitted along with its pelmet (which sits above the door and covers the sliding mechanism), 30/3/12. Leigh Gration |
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Trial seating in 51073 after restoration recommenced following a break during 2011, 27/1/12. Leigh Gration |
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A refurbished window surround in the first class non-smoking is returned to the window, 22/01/10. Leigh Gration |
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Whilst work continued on the painstaking restoration of the original Formica on the back bulkhead, a team of people worked on removing the rust and bitumen paint from the sides and ceiling in the Second Class compartment in preparation for this to be painted with anti-rust paint. In just a weekend, the majority of the compartment was completed and the structure was not as rusty as first expected, 10/1/10. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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Snapping off the cream Formica which was damaged on the rear bulkhead revealed the original Formica underneath. This is slightly damaged but will probably be salvagable. This view shows the whole bulkhead with the cream removed. Some of the door surround has also been removed. The door is finished in the same Formica as the bulkhead and matches beautifully. The dark area on the right is where a small test piece of stain had been done previously - the stain looks better in real life than it does on the photo! The white marks on the left is the glue that remains which can be removed, 2/1/10. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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Removal of the water heater pipes has revealed an area which will need some anti-corrosive treatment. As an added bonus, the removal of the pipes saves the team having to construct boxing to cover the pipes up and install new water heaters, 22/11/09. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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The interior looking at its 'best' for public viewing, 20/5/09. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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The team have fitted the ceiling panels in the First Class Smoking compartment. Once the finger prints have been cleaned off and some cream gloss paint has been added they will look excellent. Wooden trim will be added to the joins to make these appear seamless. Everybody feels that this is a major milestone in the project, 14/3/09. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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The wiring for the tungsten lights that are being installed needed to be simpler and eventually this was achieved. Bulb holders and bulbs were temporarily fixed to the cross beam so that the lights could be used from the unit's batteries in darker conditions. The holders will be positioned correctly once the lamp shade holders are in place, 1/2/09. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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The window frames that have been stained and varnished in previous weeks returned to their home. They were reattached using specially sticky stuff to stop the window from rattling around and then screwed in with some nice-looking screws, 10/1/09. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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The photograph shows the progress on the woodwork. Both the beam down the left and the sliding gear pelmet have been sanded, prepared and stained. Even the door stop (top right) has been stained. The original Formica has been cleaned down and is now as good as new. Although it is difficult to tell from the photograph, the aluminium surround has had some attention from wire wool and metal polish making it look like a mirror! The same treatment was applied to the two vertical strips above, 2/1/09. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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Because of the cold weather condensation is a real issue. In order to try and combat this we decided to install the ceiling insulation. We await the arrival of the new ceiling panels. The centre strip was left because that is where the wiring for the lighting will go - the insulation will be installed after this is sorted. The Formica was also given a real good scrubbing so that old grime didn't get buried under the new panels once they were installed, 2/1/09. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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The majority of the First Class (Smoking) compartment having the rust ground off and then having Anti-Corrosive Green paint applied to everywhere. The Formica at the end has been cleaned to make the area look better. Although it is not easy to see in the photograph, the aluminium window surrounds have also been cleaned up with wire wool and metal polish and now look (and slide) much better, 21/12/08. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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The majority of the First Class (Smoking) compartment having the rust ground off and then having Anti-Corrosive Green paint applied to everywhere. The Formica at the end has been cleaned to make the area look better. Although it is not easy to see in the photograph, the aluminium window surrounds have also been cleaned up with wire wool and metal polish and now look (and slide) much better, 21/12/08. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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Even though little work had been completed in the cab, the opportunity was taken to apply rust-reversing paint to the desk frame. This just so happened to be a fetching pink colour! As the weather was dry on this day, the batteries on the unit were charged up which enabled the crew to see that the cab lights, marker lights and panel lights all worked, 21/12/08. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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The Guards compartment looking towards the back of the vehicle. An interesting feature of this unit is the cage for luggage. The cage was added for safe luggage storage during the unit's time working between Reading and Gatwick Airport. It is also completely in tact! 2008. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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view of the Guards Compartment looking towards the cab, 2008. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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The 2nd Class compartment looking towards the driver's end. Some of the seats remain and they are in reasonably good condition. They will definitely need a clean up. Leaning on the seat in the centre of the image is the emergency ladder! Towards the rear of the photograph are the strip lights that were installed during the 1980s overhaul, 2008. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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View from 1st Class Non-Smoking looking through 1st Class Smoking towards the cab. As the majority of people smoked in the 1950s, the Non-Smoking compartment only contained 6 seats! At the moment though, it is a store for all of the seats, 2008. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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This view is of 1st Class Smoking looking backwards. This is to be the first compartment that will be cleared and worked on. The luggage racks will be removed for refurbishment but those seats are very comfortable so they can stay right where they are, 2008. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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The cab will be worked on last because it gives the group opportunity to work on the underneath and make sure that all systems are working before they assemble the cab for use. The panelling for the desk was discovered further down the train but the intention is to install new panelling again. The majority of the controls were also found further down the train, including the throttle controller and gear controller. Usefully, the brake column is in place. The 'Air & Axle' panel will be left as the 1980s version as the wiring is complete and seems in very good condition. A speedometer and Control Air gauge will need to be added. Lurking around the area are virtually all of the required items to rebuild the desk correctly, 2008. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |