51388 Class 117 Driving Motor Second

Home Railway

Swanage Railway

Location History

North Norfolk Railway Oct 94-Dec 03

Current Location

Swanage Railway

Swanage Railway Dec 03-Present

Current Status

Operational (Mainline)

Current Livery

BR Green (Half Yellow Panel)

Visited Railways

Midland Railway Butterley (Contract Overhaul) 06-07

TRA Designation

4

Eastleigh Works (Contract Overhaul) Sep 14-Feb 20

Partner Vehicle(s)

59486 &51356

Owner

Website

swanagerailway.co.uk

Record Last Updated

22 September 2023

Preservation Modifications
None

Preservation Information
Withdrawn from British Rail service in July 1993, 51388 was preserved in 1994 along with TCL 59516 & DMBS 51346.

From 1994-1996 the vehicle received restoration work, and it moved for the first time in February 1995 on a test run, albeit on only one engine.

May 1996 saw 51388 outshopped in BR Green livery. Also during that year, the redundant headcode box was opened and photo copies of numbers taped inside the box to return it to its original appearance. 51388 & 51346 made their first runs at the June 1996 diesel gala event, as a 2-car set.

From 1996, 51388 operated much of the NNR's off peak diesel requireents, such as low-season work, mid season running alongside steam and high season running in the form of the first and last trains of the day.

Winter 1997 saw the heaters repaired on the vehicle allowing it to provide heat during winter services, and in 1998 new batteries fitted in the spring which resolved a number of problems, exacerbated by the winter weather, essentially caused by poor batteries.

In 2000 the roof was repainted but 51388 was suffering due to problems with the batteries. The set was dogged with mechanical issues and was regularly out of traffic. This, along with the realisation that long term the vehicles would require much work to the numerous doors, lead to the set being put up for sale shortly afterwards.

51388 was purchased by the Swanage Railway, who purcahsed the whole 3-car set (incluing unrestored TCL 59516) in 2003.

At Swanage 51388 & 51346 entered traffic and became the railway's main DMU set, replacing Class 10851933 & 56504 which was in need of refurbishment.

On 9th February 2009 51388 & 51346 became the first train to run passengers from the bay at Swanage since 1966 following the completion of resignalling work.

In 2010, 51388 was removed from traffic and stored awaiting overhaul, its duties being covered by Class 108 set 51933 & 56504 which had by this time been fully overhauled. A four year period of inactivity followed whilst the vehicle awaited restoration.

In September 2014, 51388 was removed from store and sent to Eastleigh Works for a further overhaul and mainline registration. The overhaul work, particularly the mainline specifications, took far longer than originally hoped for. The vehicles involved in the project were the subject of several setbacks concerning the mechanical components such as freewheel units and wheelsets. Combined, these issues led to 51388 being inside Eastleigh works for several years.

By late 2017 51388 was receiving mechanical overhaul work to the bogies.

It was to be February 2020 before the hugely expensive and delayed overhaul to mainline standard was completed. 51388, 59486 & 51356 finally returned to the Swanage Railway where they were stored operational to await the completion of paperwork to allow them to operate on Network Rail.

The Covid-19 pandemic further delayed the entry into passenger service, however during the summer of 2021 the 3-car set finally started running driver training trips along the line, with the long awaited relaunch into passenger following in August at the railway's "Rail to Roads" event. It had been over ten years since 51388 had carried passengers.

2023 was an important year for 51388 when it officially returned to mainline operation as part of the Swanage Railway's "Project Wareham". The much delayed registration was completed in time to run a whole season of almost daily connecting services from Wareham (on the South Western mainline) down the branch and through the preserved section to Swanage. It was the first time in 20 years that a Class 117had carried passengers on the mainline.

51388 currently mainline registered (for the short section from Worgret Jcn to Wareham) and operates mainline connecting shuttles and other off-peak services along the Swanage Railway in a 3-car set with59486 & 51356.

Future Plans
To maintain in service.

W51388/W59488/W51356 stands at Wareham on the Swanage connecting service. This was a fairly uncommon case of the Up platform being used at Wareham for the 117. The Down platform is usually used with the Up only being utilised in the event of service disruptions, 24/5/23. Nigel Benning

51388/59486/55028 waiting to depart from the bay at Swanage, 21/8/22. Tom Ford

51388/59486/51356 passing a campside allongside the railway whilst operating driver training runs, 13/8/21. Tom Ford

A Class 33 passes 51388, the latter out of use with its debut into service postponed by the Covid crisis, at Corfe Castle, 8/20. Dave Bickley

51388 preparing to leave Eastleigh Works back to Swanage, 3/2/20. Carl Watson

A freshly painted 51388 at Eastleigh Works, 26/11/19. Carl Watson

51388 during spraying, 10/4/18. Carl Watson

51388 in the paintshop being prepared for repainting, 5/4/18. Carl Watson

51388 during a rare period outside at Eastleigh Works, 31/1/18. Carl Watson

Door modifiocations are in evidence oon 51388 at Eastleigh, 9/11/17. Carl Watson

51388 has regained a headlight, 16/2/17. Carl Watson

51388 on stands during overhaul at Eastleigh, 3/3/15. Carl Watson

51388 outside awaiting workshop space at Eastleigh, 18/9/14. Carl Watson

51388 shortly after arriving at Eastleigh Works for contract overhaul, 9/3/14. Carl Watson

51388, 59486 & 51346 in store on the Swanage Railway, 15/4/12. Mike Gill

51388 & 51346 in store at Harmans Cross, 7/5/11. John Cordingley

51388 & 51346 in operation at Corfe Castle, September 2009. Simon Edwards

51388 outside the shed at Butterley, its contract overhaul now completed, 1/4/07. Chris Moxon

51388 outside the shed at Butterley, its contract overhaul now completed, 31/12/06. Simon Edwards

51388 stabled at Weybourne on the North Norfolk Railway, February 2002 . Stuart Mackay

51388/51346 leaves an impressive plume in the cutting at Windpump Crossing on a Sheringham-Holt service, 7/7/96. ee20213

A view of W51388's cab after arriving at Norden. Note the mainline additions fitted to the left and right of the drivers windscreen including central door locking controls, TPWS & GSMR, 17/5/23. Chris Moxon

A view of W51388's cab after arriving at Swanage. The former 4-character headcode box has been repurposed to house current day mainline electronic equipment, 17/5/23. Chris Moxon

The OTMR data recorder, or "black box", located under the first row of passenger seating behind the cab of W51388, 17/5/23. Chris Moxon

W51388's front passenger saloon, 17/5/23. Chris Moxon

W51388's middle passenger saloon, 17/5/23. Chris Moxon

W51388's rear passenger saloon, 17/5/23. Chris Moxon