51372 Class 117 Driving Motor Brake Second

Home Railway	Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway	Location History	Chasewater Railway May 94-09
Current Location	Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway		Private Site: Titley Junction 09-Jul 17
Current Status	Stored		Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Jul 17-Nov 24
Current Livery	BR Blue (Full Yellow End)		Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway Nov 24-Present
TRA Designation	5
Partner Vehicle(s)	None
Owner	Scottish Railway Preservation Society
Website	srps.org.uk
Record Last Updated	23 November 2024
Preservation Modifications None
Preservation Information 51372 was preserved on the Chasewater Railway soon after its withdrawal in January 1994, to act as a locomotive hauled control trailer vehicle. For this reason, the vehicle has never been “in the limelight” and its history is therefore quite illusive. By 1995 the vehicle was in passenger service as a hauled coach painted in a non standard maroon & cream colour scheme. Being a relatively short line, the ability of 51372’s many doors to load and unload passengers very quickly was much appreciated by the railway. At some point in the early 2000's the vehicle was repainted into BR Blue with full yellow ends and continued to be used as a hauled vehicle. However the extending of the Chasewater Railway and introduction of run round loops meant that the requirement for 51372 was diminishing. In July 2003 the vehicle was put on display during the Annual Railcar Convention. Over the next five years 51372 continued to see occasional use in the line's passenger train as locomotive hauled coaching stock. Deemed surplus to requirements in 2009, 51372 was sold and moved onto a private site at Titley Junction where the station area was being brought back into use under the title “The Kingfisher Line”. The site was not normally open to the public except on selected open days and was essentially a private project. There appears to be no evidence that 51370 ever operated in passenger service at Titley Junction and after several years it was confirmed that 51372 was indeed out of use and in storage. 2017 saw 51372 sold to Cotswold Diesel Railcar Ltd and was moved to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway shortly afterwards, becoming the fifth Class 117 vehicle to arrive on the railway. Upon purchase, 51372 was assessed by its new owners with a view to deciding its future. Despite some loose plans for possible restoration as a third DMU set for the railway (unusually partnered with Class 107 52029) this option was eventually discounted when in 2021 it was officially announced that 51372 was a spares donor and would remain stored to provide parts for the operational Class 117 & 122 fleet as required. In 2023, as expected, the part-stripped 51372 was declared surplus to requirements and put up for sale. However it struggled to find a buyer. The following year, rather unexpectedly the main operational Class 117 3-car set based on the line was sold on and 51372 was included in a 4-vehicle deal in order to continue to provide spares for the main set. The new owners were the Scottish Railway Preservation Society who moved 51372 to their base at the Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway. 51372 remains in storage at Bo'ness as a spares donor for the Class 117 set.
Future Plans 51372 will continue to provide spare parts for 51363, 59510 & 51405. It will not be restored to service and may eventually be scrapped after it has surrendered enough components.

	W51372 now stored at the end of a long siding outside Toddington, 14/7/24. Aaron Browning

	W51372 out of traffic at Toddington, 24/4/22. Chris Moxon

	W51372 in a long row of vehicles trapped at Toddington during the Covid 19 "lockdown" measures, 1/6/20. GWSR DMU Group

	W51372 stored at Toddington, 24/3/18. Chris Walker

	W51372 soon after being unloaded at Toddington following its recent sale and movement to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, 25/7/17. GWSR DMU Group

	51372 stabled at Brownhills West, 15/6/08. David Beardmore

	51372 stabled at Brownhills West, 22/7/07. Kevin Boyd

	51372 in use as a hauled coach on the Chasewater Railway, 16/9/06. Richard Moxon

	51372 in use as a hauled coach at Brownhills West, 16/9/06. Richard Moxon

	51372 at Brownhills West, 15/5/04.

	At Brownhills West with 59444 behind during the 2003 Railcar Convention, 12/7/03. Paul Moxon

	At Brownhills West with 59444 behind during the 2003 Railcar Convention, 12/7/03. Steve Hodgson

	With 59444 during the 2003 Railcar Convention, 12/7/03. Ian Francis

	51372 stabled on the Chasewater Railway, 2/2/99. Stuart Mackay

	Thought to be 51372, 1995. John Law