51427 Class 101 Driving Motor Brake Second

Home Railway	Great Central Railway	Location History	Great Central Railway 03-Present
Current Location	Great Central Railway
Current Status	Under Overhaul	Visited Railways	Peak Rail (Contract Overhaul) May 15-Jan 16
Current Livery	BR Green (Speed Whiskers)
TRA Designation	4
Partner Vehicle(s)	50321
Owner	Renaissance Railcars
Website	facebook.com/renrailgcr
Record Last Updated	12 May 2026
Preservation Modifications None
Preservation Information Latterly part of Sandite set 960993 with partner 50321, but modifications to this role were minimal, with most of the changes being made within the brakevan area. Moved to the Great Central with three other vehicles as part of two Sandite power twins in 2003, this vehicle was part of the set selected for immediate return to service, and was operational mechanically by September 2003. Interior and exterior work followed with the set emerging in BR Green in 2004. The vehicle now forms part of a power twin set which sees very regular use on the first train of the day most weekends. In September 2012 the vehicle played a key part in the Railcar Convention held at the GCR that year, and was in use on the driver experience trips during the weekend. In 2014, the operating set was increased to 3 cars with the addition of unique Class 111 59575. In May 2015, 51427 was withdrawn from service and sent to Peak Rail for contract bodywork and a repaint, as it was felt that the work could not be done in house at that time. A lot of panelwork, particularly around the guards brake van, bodyside windows and cab end was found to be more asted than originally expected, however happily the original scope of work was able to be extended to include the extra body repairs, the changing of some springs and replacement of a worn engine. As part of the work a lot of the exterior fittings such as glass and door handles were removed. The vehicle was completed later in the year and returned to the Great Central the following January. A 10 year period of very sucessful running followed in a 3-car set with 59575 & 50321. In 2024, 51427 was withdrawn from traffic, primarily requiring tyre turning. However, a series of other cosmetic bodywork and interior tasks had also built up leading to an intermediate overhaul being tackled. The repairs proved to be somewhat protracted, taking around two-and-a-half years to complete. Assistance from both the Carriage & Wagon department at Rothley and the Locomotive department at Loughborough was utilised in a team effort, culminating in 51427 spending June-September 2025 in the shed at Loughborough receiving bodywork and repainting. 51427 is currently receiving the finishing touches to its overhaul prior to a return to traffic.
Future Plans To relaunch into traffic, initially as a 2-car set with regular partner 50321 whilst repairs to the centre car continue.

	E51427 being shunted at loughborough by 55009, whilst finishing touches are applied to its intermediate overhaul, 25/3/26. Phil Thorne

	The completed and freshly repainted E51427 outside the shed at Loughborough, 29/9/25. GCR Shed Works

	E51427, now glossed and being marked out for lining, 19/9/25. GCR Shed Works

	E51427 part way through paint prep at Loughborough, 8/8/25. GCR Shed Works

	E51427 shortly after entering the Loco shed at Loughborough for welding and bodywork repairs, 20/6/25. GCR Shed Works

	E51427 inside the Carriage & Wagon shed at Rothley for the roof to be attended to and repainted, 15/12/24. Jamie Swanson

	One of E51427's bogies being lifted to dispatch it for tyre turning, 8/9/24. Jamie Swanson

	E51427 lifted to extyract the bogies for tyre turning, 8/9/24. Jamie Swanson

	E51427/E50321 running Mountsorrel services, 26/2/23. Renaissance Railcars

	E51427 stands at Rothley during the railcar convention event, 10/9/22. Chris Moxon

	E51427/E59575/E50321 at Quorn & Woodhouse, at work at the GCR vintage and beer festival, 7/21. Harry Adkins

	E51427 at Swithland on a Mountsorrell charter, 23/2/20. Bruce Pollard

	E51427/E59575/E50321 on a festive service at Rothley heading back to Loughborough, 30/12/19. Bruce Pollard

	E51427/E59575/E50321 stands at Leicester North, 3/5/19. Paul Weston

	E51427/50266 stands at Swithland whilst working 2M10 Mountsorrell-Rothley during a diesel gala, 8/9/18. Chris Moxon

	E51427 stands at Mountsorrell having worked 2M26 13:45 Loughborough Central-Mountsorrell during the diesel gala, 9/9/17. Chris Moxon

	An alternative angle of E51427, in heavy use during the GCR's wartime weekend, 4/6/16. Bruce Pollard

	E51427, fresh from contract repairs/repaint, calls at Rothley, 23/4/16. Brian Battersby

	E51427 undergoing contract bodywork repairs and repaint at Rowsley, 7/6/15. Brian Cuttell

	E51427 being loaded onto road transport at Quorn, bound for bodywork repairs at Peak Rail, 7/5/15. Tom Ingall

	E51427 bound for bodywork repairs at Peak Rail, 7/5/15. Tom Ingall

	E51427 on a test run as a 3-car set with "new" centre car E59575 and usual partner E50321, 12/9/14. Bruce Pollard

	E51427/E50321 at Rothley, 23/10/11. Andy Neil

	E51427/E50321 at Loughborough, 23/10/11. Andy Neil

	E51427 catches the sunlight through the canopy at Loughborough Central during the Diesel Gala, 17/4/10. Chris Moxon

	E51427 stabled at Loughborough, 2/1/06. Simon Edwards

	E51427/E50321 & 53266 at Loughborough, 17/9/05. David Beardmore

	The vehicle becomes the first Class 101 in preservation to be painted into lined green. Taken just after the whiskers had been applied in Loughborough shed, 9/4/05.Tom Ingall

	Stabled at Loughborough, 2/1/04. Ian Francis

	Stabled at Loughborough, 12/11/03. Stuart Mackay

Interior

	51427's front saloon, 23/10/11. Andy Neil

	51427's middle saloon, 23/10/11. Andy Neil