51499 Class 101 Driving Motor Composite Lavatory

Home Railway	Mid Norfolk Railway	Location History	Mid Norfolk Railway Oct 03-Present
Current Location	Mid Norfolk Railway
Current Status	Under Restoration
Current Livery	BR Green (Speed Whiskers)
TRA Designation	4
Partner Vehicle(s)	51226
Owner	Mid Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust
Website	www.mnr.org.uk
Record Last Updated	13 January 2024
Preservation Modifications The second class seating has been modified to a 2+2 configuration to create a wider aisle. This has had the effect of reducing the vehicle's capacity to 12 first class and 44 second class passengers.
Preservation Information Arrived at Dereham in 2003 from Shoeburyness, with partner vehicle 51226 as set 101695. The set was selected for preservation due to general good condition & very good wheelsets. Restoration progress has been slow due to few volunteers. By early 2009 body & interior restoration was 90% complete, mechanical restoration being 80% complete. Partner vehicle 51226 entered service a few months before 51499, however this vehicle joined 51226 in time for the 2009 summer season. From 2009 51499 & 51226 operated a huge number of the MNR's day-to-day services. The withdrawal of the line's other working DMU left 51499/51226 working 100% of the off-peak services and the vehicles clocked up a lot of miles. After 10 years of service without rest or repaint, and with the new opportunties available following the erection of a large three road maintenence shed at Dereham, 51499 was withdrawn from traffic in 2019 for much needed repairs. It was moved undercover for the first time in its preservation life and a start was made on many of the required repairs. The railway's carriage & wagon volunteer team were the first to be able to dedicate time to the project, with doors being removed and replacement steel sections and internal panels fitted to repair the poorer examples. Work continues slowly alongside the commitments on the railway's coaching stock fleet.
Future Plans Future plans involve completing the interior work on the vehicle along with some mechanical repairs and heavy examinations to allow the vehicle to return to service. The vehicle will be repainted.

	51499 under restoration in the shed at Dereham. Progress has been slow of late, due to a general lack of volunteer labour, and being railway owned 51499 has had to allow Mark 1 & Mark 2 coaching stock to take priority. However it remains undercover and occasional work is progressed where possible, 2/12/23. Chris Moxon

	51499, undercover for the first time in its preservation life, receiving its overhaul inside the new shed at Dereham, 19/9/20. Peter Singlehurst

	51499/51226 at Wymondham Abbey waiting to return to Dereham, 28/8/17. Chris Moxon

	51499/51226 in a night study at Dereham, 11/7/15. Derek Orr

	51499/51226 arriving into Dereham during the Multiple Matters gala, 1/11/14. Chris Moxon

	51499/51226 call at Thuxton, 4/5/14. Derek Orr

	51499/51226 call at Thuxton, 16/6/13. Chris Moxon

	51499 leads an impressive 5-car formation including 51226, 51503, 59117 & 55009 at Thuxton, 20/10/12. GT47581

	51499 leads an impressive 5-car formation of MNR Class 101 vehicles during a gala weekend when the DMUs were being used as hauled stock, 14/5/11. Andy Neil

	51499 alongside 51503 at Dereham, 21/3/10. Martin Reeve

	51499 & 51226 awaiting departure time at Dereham, 30/7/09. Chris Moxon

	51499 & 51226 wait at Wymondham Abbey, 30/7/09. Chris Moxon

	51499 & 51226 arriving into Wymondham Abbey, 30/7/09. Chris Moxon

	51499 at Dereham undergoing restoration, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon

	51499 stabled at Dereham, 15/3/08. Simon Edwards

	51499 awaits restoration at Dereham. Note the paint has been scraped off to reveal the original right handed crest, 2/8/07. Daniel Adkins

	51499 at Dereham, 17/3/06. David Beardmore

	51499 & 51226 under restoration at Dereham. Martin Reeve

Interior

	51499's middle saloon. Note the triple seats have been removed and replaced by doubles, 28/8/17. Chris Moxon

	51499's rear saloon. Note the triple seats have been removed and replaced by doubles, 28/8/17. Chris Moxon

	51499's first class saloon. This was one of the few 101 vehicles to survive to the end of mainline operations with its first class seating intact, 16/6/13. Chris Moxon