51131 Class 116 Driving Motor Brake Second

Home Railway	Battlefield Line	Location History	Battlefield Line Feb 94-Present
Current Location	Battlefield Line
Current Status	Operational	Visited Railways	Severn Valley Railway Oct 04
Current Livery	BR Green (Half Yellow Panel)		Churnet Valley Railway Sep 08-Oct 08
TRA Designation	3
Partner Vehicle(s)	51321
Owner	Battlefield Line DMU Group
Website	None
Record Last Updated	15 March 2026
Preservation Modifications None
Preservation Information 51131 was preserved in 1994 after being withdrawn from the Birmingham area in July 1993 and was moved to the Battlefield Line where there was a growing collection of DMUs being maintained. It is thought that little restoration was required and that the vehicle entered service relatively quickly. Although originally designed to operate in a 3-car set, the vehicle was paired with rare Class 121 DTS 56289 as a suburban "power trailer" set. Various circumstances resulted in the Battlefield's DMU fleet being rationalised to one 2-car set and one single unit during the 1990's. 51131 was one of the vehicles selected to remain. However partner 56289 was sold on, resulting in 51131 being paired with unique Class 118 DMS 51321. The set was repainted, and was unusual at that time in retaining the later BR Blue & Grey livery rather than being reliveried into an earlier livery. In October 2004, the vehicle visited the Severn Valley Railway for the spectacular Railcar50 celebrations which involved a never-to-be-repeated line up of DMUs from all around the country at one gala event. This was only possible due to generous funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. In 2006 the vehicle was repainted on one side into BR Blue as a suprise before the annual Railcar Association Convention which was held at the railway that year. In 2008 the vehicle visited the Churnet Valley Railway where it was the star guest at the line's Scenic Railcar Weekend which incorporated the "opening" (on a limited basis) of a two mile extension to Oakamoor Sand Sidings. When the line's Class 122 55005 was withdrawn for major bodywork, 51131 & 51321 handled all of the Battlefield Line's DMU requirements, which involved much low season running as well as various gala appearances. In October 2011, 51131 was withdrawn from traffic for bodywork and mechanical overhaul. During 2013 the vehicle entered the shed for major repairs to the cab front and roof dome, this work was delayed however when in April 2014 the vehicle had to be removed from indoors. However the repairs were eventually completed, including a repaint and much other mechanical work. 51131 was returned to Blue & Grey, losing the plain blue on one side which it had previously carried. The repairs were completed in April 2017 and the vehicle returned to service with 51321. However the pairing was not to be for long as 51321 was withdrawn shortly afterwards for the same bodywork treatment. For the duration of 51321 being out of service, 51131 ran occasionally as a stengthening vehicle on the end of single unit 55005. 51321 returned to traffic in April 2025 allowing the usual pairing to be remade. Over winter 2025/26, 51131 was repainted into BR Green in order to match 51321 which had switched to this scheme during its major overhaul. The repaint was undertaken relatively quickly, probably thanks to the major repairs undertaken during the 2013-2017 period. 51131 continues to see service for many of the Battlefield Line's regular railcar services.
Future Plans To maintain in service.

	M51131 being used as loco hauled coaching stock for the line's steam gala, 3/2/24. Darren JB

	M51131/SC55005 stand at Shenton, 24/6/23. Jimmy Bee

	M51131 in multiple with 55005 at Shenton, 7/5/22. Chris Moxon

	M51131/M55005 at a wet Shackerstone, 6/8/19. Chris Baines

	M51131 temporarily paired with Class 122 M55005 running along the Battlefield line, 4/7/19. Paul Weston

	M51131 temporarily paired with Class 122 M55005 at Shenton, 4/7/19. Paul Weston

	51131 shortly after its bodywork repairs and repaint was completed, 22/7/17. Ian Runnell

	Repairs to the corroded cab front in progress at Shackerstone, 20/8/14. Alan Pitt

	Bodywork on the cab area of 51131 progresses outside in the headshunt at Shackerstone, 13/4/13. Nigel Gould

	M51131, now out of traffic and under overhaul in the headshunt at Shackerstone, 20/5/12. Daniel Adkins

	M51131 & W51321 in service at Shackerstone, 21/7/10. Andy Neil

	M51131 & W51321 stabled in the headshunt at Shackerstone, 23/8/09. Andy Cole

	51131 passing Class 104 50455 at Consall during a visit to the Churnet Valley Railway for the Scenic Railcar Weekend, 27/9/08. Chris Moxon

	51131 & 51321 emerge from Cheddleton Tunnel during a visit to the Churnet Valley Railway for the Scenic Railcar Weekend, 27/9/08. Chris Moxon

	51131 & 51321 depart Cheddleton during a visit to the Churnet Valley Railway for the Scenic Railcar Weekend, 27/9/08. Chris Moxon

	51131 & 51321 pass Consall Wood with a two wagon tail load during a visit to the Churnet Valley Railway for the Scenic Railcar Weekend, 27/9/08. Chris Moxon

	51131 & 51321 having arrived at Kingsley & Froghall a visit to the Churnet Valley Railway for the Scenic Railcar Weekend, 27/9/08. Chris Moxon

	51131 & 51321 at Kingsley & Froghall during an evening run, 27/9/08. Chris Moxon

	51131 & 51321 at Kingsley & Froghall during an evening run, 27/9/08. Chris Moxon

	51131 & 51321 in service at Shenton, 13/9/08. David Beardmore

	51131/51321 having arrived at Shenton during the annual Railcar Association convention, 9/9/06. Chris Moxon

	51131 viewed at night during the evening social BBQ, 9/9/06. Chris Moxon

	51131 viewed at night during the evening social BBQ, 9/9/06. Chris Moxon

	51131 at Railcar50, 15/10/04. Ian Francis

	51131 on the Battlefield Railway, 2/2/99. Stuart Mackay

	51131 & 54289 in service at Shackerstone, 25/7/97. On tour with the class 13 army

	51131 & 51321 at Shakerstone on the Battlefield Railway, beside maroon Class 107 TS in use as hauled stock, 17/7/96. Ian Francis

Interior

	A view of 51131's cab (driver's side), 20/9/11. Chris Moxon

	A view of 51131's cab (secondman's side), 20/9/11. Chris Moxon

	A view of 51131's driver's controls, 20/9/11. Chris Moxon

	51131's front saloon, 20/9/11. Chris Moxon

	51131's middle saloon, 20/9/11. Chris Moxon

	51131's guards van, 20/9/11. Chris Moxon

	51131's guards van, 20/9/11. Chris Moxon

	An interior shot, taken during Railcar50, October 2004. Mathew Hawley