51568 Class 108 Driving Motor Composite Lavatory

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Keith & Dufftown Railway

Location History

East Anglian Railway Museum Apr 95-Aug 01

Current Location

Keith & Dufftown Railway

 

Keith & Dufftown Railway Aug 01-Present

Current Status

Operational

 

 

Current Livery

BR Green (Speed Whsikers)

Visited Railways

Private Site: Horsham (Storage) Mar 94-Apr 95

TRA Designation

4

   

Partner Vehicle(s)

52053

 

 

Owner

Keith & Dufftown Railway

 

 

Website

www.keith-dufftown-railway.co.uk

   

Record Last Updated

19 November 2022

   

Preservation Modifications
Named "Spirit of Banffshire"

Preservation Information
51568 was latterly stored at Blackpool after withdrawal in February 1993. Preserved the following year by Diesel Unit Preservation Associates Limited (DUPA), the vehicle was moved to the East Anglian Railway Museumwhere it joined a growing fleet of Class 108 vehicles.

An engine replacement saw the unit operational very quickly. It was also repainted into BR Green livery and partnered with 52053 by Easter 1996.

However the size of the fleet combined with the EARM's small running line resulted in 51568 not seeing much use. The vehicle, still paired with 52053, was put on loan to the then embryonic Keith & Dufftown Railwayin 2001, where it was named "Spirit of Banffshire".

When DUPA decided to downsize their Class 108 fleet to one 2-car set, they disposed of 51568 and the vehicle was sold to long term custodians the KDR.

Since 2010, the arrival of new vehicles and maintenance requirements meant that 51568 now operates with several different partners.

A repaint followed with the vehicle having a slight change when speed whiskers were applied to the front end.

51568 remains in traffic. It normally operates paired with52053 but can be strengthened to 3-cars with the addition of 56491.

Future Plans
To maintain in service.

 

51568/52053 stabled in the sidings at Dufftown, 14/8/22. Darren JB

   

51568/52053 at Keith Town, whilst running service trains, 3/9/21. Andrew Lambert

   

51568/52053 standing at Keith Town, waiting to work a passenger service back to Dufftown, 2019. Martyn Hearson

   

51568, separated out of a set and stabled at Dufftown, 8/10/18. Deborah Stokes

   

51568 stabled at Dufftown, 19/8/11. Ian McLoughlin

   

51568 proudly bears its name, 19/8/09. Brian Battersby

   

51568 & 52053 stabled at Dufftown, 17/5/08. David Beardmore

   

51568 just after repainting at the East Anglian Railway Museum in preparation for going on hire to the Keith & Dufftown Railway, July 2001. Lawrence Beeching

   

51568 in its early years of preservation at Chappel, 1997. John Sullivan