51188 Class 101 Driving Motor Brake Second
Home Railway |
Location History |
Midland Railway Butterley Feb 05-Jul 07 |
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Current Location |
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Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Jul 07-Feb 18 |
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Current Status |
Operational |
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North Norfolk Railway Feb 18-Present |
Current Livery |
BR Green (Half Yellow Panel) |
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TRA Designation |
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Partner Vehicle(s) |
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Owner |
101692 Group |
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Website |
None |
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Record Last Updated |
18 August 2024 |
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Preservation Modifications |
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Preservation Information The vehicle was later withdrawn for a full overhaul inside and out, which was completed to excellent standards. Both engines were refurbished, and externally in 2006 it was returned to its 1960's early blue livery, with wrap round yellow ends (the first Class 101 to be returned to this livery variation). The gutters were also shortened and the high intensity headlight removed. Internally, the seats were reupholstered and all other components cleaned and/or repainted giving the interior a very smart appearance. The cab and guards van was also refurbished, losing their grey colour in favour of the original maroon and yellow colour schemes respectively. Soon after the completion of repairs in 2007, the vehicle was moved to the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway where it was paired with 51505which was painted to match. The vehicle was re-lauched into passenger service in July 2007. For several years it was the railway's main running set. By 2011, 51188 was running with a variety of different partners as maintenance requirements dictated. In 2014, the cab front of 51188 was repainted. July saw a fuel pump on the No1 engine replaced. In November, a poor radiator fan bearing for No1 engine was replaced. The No2 engine also received a recon fuel pump. The completion of Class 101 50253's restoration in September 2015 allowed the EVR to form fixed operating sets, with 51188 being paired with51505 once again. It ran sucessfully for several seasons in this power-twin formation. At the start of the 2018 season, 51188 was loaned out to the North Norfolk Railway to substitute for DMBS 51228 which was suffering from an over-running overhaul, so that the railway could have two operational DMU sets. Formed with trailer 56352, part of the loan deal was to repaint 51188, which by this time was looking very shabby. The original plan was to complete this repaint before 51188 saw any NNR use, however a serious engine failure on the line's other set (51192), quickly left the (newly arrived) 51188 as the only operational powercar, so it was pressed into service for the 2018 season in shabby blue colours. The original loan was intended to be for one season. By late 2018 the overhaul of 51228 was completed giving the North Norfolk Railway two working powercars at last. This allowed 51188 to be withdrawn in November of that year for the much overdue repaint, but not before the vehicle had run an impressive 5,281 miles in traffic. The bodywork and repaint was completed over the winter, with 51188 emerging in BR green the following spring. In April 2019 the vehicle was returned to traffic (with 56352) and shared duties with the other Class 101 set. The loan agreement was extended to become open ended as DMU running had been reduced at the Ecclesbourne Valley so 51188 was deemed more useful staying at the North Norfolk for the forseeable future. It ran 2,729 miles. 51188 was barely used during the 2020 season (with only 97 miles run) due to the Covid-19 pandemic which led to the railway favouring compartment stock over open stock. 51188 returned to regular service in 2021 after open stock and DMU services were reintroduced. The vehicle had a particularly busy July & August, as following record passenger numbers, for the first time the railway's summer holiday timetable (which has two late afternoon DMU trips) was booked as a 4-car set rather than the usual two. That year the vehicle ran 3,030 miles. During 2022 the vehicle suffered a cylinder head gasket failure on No2 engine which knocked it out of service following excessive coolant consumption. Fortunately owing to the fact that powercar 51228 was also at that time out of traffic for engine repairs, the repairs to 51188 were deemed urgent in order to maintain a railcar service on the railway, so it was very swiftly stripped, repaired and reassembled. 51228 was to remain absent from the operating fleet for most of the year, the result being 51188 operating over 90% of the DMU turns clocking up an impressive 4,915 miles. Autumn 2022 saw 51188 taken inside for cosmetic attention. The paintwork from the 2019 repaint had not lasted well, so any loose paintwork and early stage corrosion was chipped out, treated and patch painted. The whole exterior was then rubbed down, given a coat of gloss and varnished. The roof was also repainted. Internally, little work was required other than the replacement of a damaged ceiling panel in the guards van after a historic water leak. The new panel looked odd after painting, so the decision was made to give the whole guards van ceiling a coat of paint. The paintwork refresh was followed by a period in the Loco Dept to clear all of the small niggling faults that had built up over the past few years. This involved improvements to the vacuum system, the final drive suspension and repairs to the top end of the No2 engine which had been fitted with incorrect head gaskets twelve months prior. Suitably refreshed, 51188 operated for most of the 2023 season running with regular partner 56352 which by then had become extremely careworn in appearance. The railway's other set (51228 & 56062) sat most of the season out, as the trailer car was withdrawn for an intermediate overhaul and the powercar was maintained in operational condition as a spare but was held back owing to poor cosmetic appearance. The result was 51188 being the only presentable vehicle and taking the lion's share of duties, with 3,728 miles operated. In September 2023, 51188's regular partner 56352 was downgraded to a "servicable spare" until such a time as it could have bodywork and a repaint. It was replaced by newly restored Class 104 DTCL 56182 which had entered service following a nine year major restoration. This finally gave a cosmetically acceptable 2-car set to run. In 2024, the 101692 Group officially pulled out of the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway and relocated its vehicles. 51188 had been away from home on hire for over six years, so the change did not affect the vehicle directly, however from this point it was decided that whilst 51188 was still technically on hire to the North Norfolk (from the owning group), it would now not be "returning" to the Ecclesbourne Valley. For the first part of 2025, 51188 was briefly paired with DTSL 79263 so that the latter could be launched into service and enjoyed following overhaul. This was because 79263's intended partner for 2025 (51192) was not ready in time. A few months later, 51188 was returned with DTCL 56182. 51188 continues to operate regularly as a "hybrid" 2-car set with 56182. |
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Future Plans |
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M51188/M56182 arriving into Holt 18 minutes late, working 2M34 16:48 Sheringham-Holt as part of the Mixed Traction Gala, 8/6/24. Chris Moxon |
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M51188 (left) posed for an impressive all-green Class 101 lineup in Weybourne yard, with M51192 (centre) and E51228 (right). At the time of writing, this was the only time three vehicles of the same class and carrying the same colour had been lined up in preservation, 2/5/24. Chris Moxon |
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M51188 (left) posed for an impressive all-green Class 101 lineup in Weybourne yard, with M51192 (centre) and E51228 (right). At the time of writing, this was the only time three vehicles of the same class and carrying the same colour had been lined up in preservation, 2/5/24. Chris Moxon |
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M51188 hauls a tail load out of the sidings at Sheringham, the occasion being the launch day of Class 104 DTCL M56182, which would become M51188's new operating partner, 9/9/23. Chris Moxon |
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M51188 in the yard at Weybourne after completion of its repaint. The gloss green, roof and bufferbeam were freshened up with a coat of gloss and varnish, whilst the numbers, lining and yellow panel were masked up, cleaned and varnished, 25/11/22. Chris Moxon |
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M51188/E56062 on a service train passes stored 51192 at Bridge Road Carriage Sheds, 15/4/22. Jack Phipps |
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M51188/E56062 on a service train enter Kelling Cutting on a Sheringham-Holt service, 15/4/22. Jack Phipps |
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To create space in the yards at Weybourne, M51188/M56352 were transferred under their own power to the storage sheds at Bridge Road, Holt, for the winter, 27/1/22. Chris Moxon |
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Viewed from Sheringham signal box, M51188/M56352/E51228/E56062 trail into Sheringham ECS ready to work the final two trips of the day's service, as is traditional on the railway's summer holiday timetable. Due to record passenger numbers, for the first time these trips were booked as a 4-car set rather than the usual two, 23/8/21. Chris Moxon |
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M51188 (right) crossing E51228 at Weybourne during the Mixed Traction Gala, which saw the first passing of two Metro Cammell sets along the line since BR days, 25/7/21. Chris Moxon |
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M51188 leads a 4-car formation during a test run with M56352, E51228 & E56062 behind. This was the first 4-car DMU to run on the line since the 1960's and was made possible ready for the Mixed Traffic Gala event after substantial electrical repairs to the multiple working located in the cabs of 51228 & 56352, both of which were damaged, 15/4/19. Chris Moxon |
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M51188 having been brought up to BR green gloss, with lining (in the later 101 style) in progress, 29/3/19. Chris Moxon |
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M51188 having quickly reached the undercoat stage of its repaint, 1/3/19. Chris Moxon |
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M51188 having had all its sanding and filling completed followed by a coat of primer, 22/2/19. Chris Moxon |
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M51188 with bodywork completed and rubbing down for repainting well underway, 1/2/19. Chris Moxon |
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M51188 in the Carriage & Wagon workshops being stripped down for external bodywork repairs, 12/19. Chris Moxon |
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M51188/M56352 stabled at Weybourne at the end of the day's services. At this point in time, the set was in traffic 5 days a week, 25/6/18. Chris Moxon |
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M51188 at Weybourne sheds having recently been formed with trailer car M56352 and sucessfully tested, 25/2/18. Chris Moxon |
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M51188 being towed from the unloading point at Sheringham to the workshops at Weybourne by Class 08 D3935 where the former will be readied for service, 22/2/18. Chris Moxon |
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M51188/E51505 depart Wirksworth during the Railcar Association convention weekend, 27/9/15. Chris Moxon |
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M51188 under exam shortly after its yellow end was repainted, 2/14. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway DMU Group |
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M51188/E51505 pause at Wirksworth on Easter Monday waiting to work the 16:20 to Duffield. W55006 can be seen on the right with the Ravenstor shuttle, 1/4/13. Chris Moxon |
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M51188/E51505 pass Windley with the 17:10 Duffield-Wirksworth service, 1/4/13. Chris Moxon |
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M51188/E51505 between Idridgehay and Wirksworth with the 17:10 Duffield-Wirksworth service, 1/4/13. Chris Moxon |
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M51188 stabled at Wirksworth alongside M79900, 2/12/12. John Stokes |
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M51188 stands at Duffield running in an unusual formation: paired with Derby Lightweight M79990 in readyness for the weekend's services, 15/7/11. Leigh Gration |
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M51188 paired with W51360 at Wirksworth, 14/5/11. Leigh Gration |
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51188 at Wirksworth, 24/3/11. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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51188 at Duffield on the front of a 5-car test train consisting of 51188/59303/51505/51360/50599, 20/3/11. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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51188 on the rear of the return Duffield 5-car test train consisting of 51188/59303/51505/51360/50599, 20/3/11. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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51188 in the bitter cold weather at Ravenstor, having worked the 1-in-27 incline from Wirksworth, 10/11/10. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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51188 at Shottle, 3/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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51188 at Duffield, at this stage still in the process of rebuilding, 2/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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51188 at Duffield, at this stage still in the process of rebuilding, 2/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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Cab view of 51188 at Duffield, showing the interesting wrap round yellow ends, 2/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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51188 at Wirksworth, whilst operating driver experiences as part of ther Annual Railcar Convention, 2/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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51188 stabled at Wirksworth, 5/7/09. David Beardmore |
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M51188/E51505 arrive into Wirksworth, 4/5/08. Brian Battersby |
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55006 and 51188 on a beautiful autumn day at Wirksworth. The bubble car was doing the Gorsey Bank trips, the 2-car Met-Cam (with 51505) was doing parallel demonstration runs, 20/10/07. Richard Buckby |
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Seen soon after arrival at Wirksworth, coupled to 55006 for a test run to Idridgehay, 21/7/07. Richard Buckby |
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Seen soon after arrival at Wirksworth, coupled to 55006 for a test run to Idridgehay, 21/7/07. Richard Buckby |
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Soon before departing Butterley fro the EVR, 19/5/07. Simon Edwards |
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Looking great in 1960s blue livery with wrap-around yellow end in the yard at Butterley, 8/7/06. Robert Chilton |
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51188 after completion of it's first revenue earning service, a schools charter. The passengers are seen disembarking at Butterley, 15/3/05. Stuart Mackay |
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At the head of 101692 in Butterley station. It was ready to work a schools charter the following day, which was cancelled due to the weather, 23/2/05. Stuart Mackay |
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Snow or no snow, work goes on! A Leyland 680 engine destined for 51188 is steam cleaned outside the shed at Butterley , 23/2/05. Stuart Mackay |
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Just two days after arriving, with just charging the batteries the vehicle is seen at Riddings Junction after completing its first test run as a driver trailer coupled to 101 692, 18/2/05. Stuart Mackay |
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In Butterley yard, 18/2/05. Ian Francis |
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In Butterley yard, 18/2/05. Ian Francis |
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The vehicle is seen on a low loader from Shoeburyness, passing the entrance to Butterley station, 16/2/05. Stuart Mackay |
Interior
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Cab view of 51188 (driver's side), clearly showing the restoration work undetaken two years previously, 2/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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Cab view of 51188 (secondman's side), clearly showing the restoration work undetaken two years previously, 2/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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The front saloon looking forwards towards the cab, 2/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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The middle saloon looking towards the rear of the vehicle and showing the reupolstered seating, 2/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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The refurbished guards van, 2/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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The cab was given a thorough overhaul at Butterley before moving, 21/7/07. Richard Buckby |
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The interior was given a thorough overhaul at Butterley before moving, 21/7/07. Richard Buckby |