51572 Class 108 Driving Motor Composite Lavatory

Home Railway	Weardale Railway	Location History	East Kent Railway Jul 93-Dec 96
Current Location	Weardale Railway		Mid Norfolk Railway Dec 96-04
Current Status	Stored		Wensleydale Railway 04-Jun 09
Current Livery	BR Green (Half Yellow Panel)		Stainmore Railway Jun 09-Mar 15
TRA Designation	5		Wensleydale Railway Mar 15-Feb 23
Partner Vehicle(s)	None		Weardale Railway Nov 23-Present
Owner	Weardale Railway Trust
Website	None	Visited Railways	Barrow Hill Feb 23-Nov 23
Record Last Updated	1 December 2023
Preservation Modifications The secondmans side of the cab (including the desk) has been modified to include a second driver's style seating position, this was part of a plan to run better driver experiences but was not fully executed.
Preservation Information Withdrawn in January 1993, 51572 was preserved along with partner 56224 in July 1993 and was initially based at the East Kent Railway However in 1995 following a dispute, all of the East Kent Railway’s DMUs were sold, 51572 & 56224being acquired by Railcar Enterprises, moving to their base at the Mid Norfolk Railway the following year. By 1999 the set was running, and (with 55006) formed the opening train to Wymondham on the MNR during May that year. In 2004, as part of reorganisation, the vehicle was sold to Class 107 Ltd where it was to be used as a spare vehicle on the rapidly expanding Wensleydale Railway. Whilst there it was repainted from its Network SouthEast livery into original BR Green. However by 2009 51572 was up for sale again, moving to its current home at the Stainmore Railway that year. The vehicle joined trailer car 56274, which became its intended partner. Five years of restoration work was completed, however the vehicle was sold again in 2015 and returned to the Wensleydale Railway under a new owner. Early reports suggested that 51572 was being readied for service on the line, however it was later known that 51572 had joined an ever increasing number of stored units in the sidings at Leeming Bar. 51572 remained in store and in December 2020 was put up for sale following the arrival of several second generation units on the line. It remained on the market for some time before eventually it was purchased by the Weardale Railway Trust who required a donor vehicle to assist the repair of their own Class 108 DMCL 52054. 51572 moved to Rampart, Barrow Hill, in early 2023 and was stripped of many parts to replace the damaged 52054 examples. The two vehicles were shipped to the Weardale Railway later in the year once the repairs had been completed. On arrival at 51572's new home it was stored as a continued source of spare parts for 52054.
Future Plans 51572 is now in an incomplete state having been a spares donor for sister 52054. Its future is now not certain and it is assumed it will continue its role as a donor before eventual disposal?

	M51572 having arrived at Rampart, Derby, to assist with the collision repairs to 52054, 4/3/23. Darren JB

	M51572 stands on the back of a lorry on the slip road of the A1(M) at Wetherby services, 16/2/23. Matthew Kent

	M51572 stored in the bushes at Leeming Bar, 28/9/21. Aaron Browning

	M51572 stored in the sidings at Leeming Bar, 17/2/20. Darren JB

	M51572 stored in the sidings at Leeming Bar, 6/10/19. Chris Moxon

	M51572 in the yard at Leeming Bar, 4/7/15. Richard Thornton

	M51572 under restoration at the Stainmore Railway, 24/4/11. John Carter

	M51572 under restoration at the Stainmore Railway, 4/4/10. John Carter

	M51572 newly arrived at the Stainmore Railway, June 2009. Graham Johnston

	A recently repainted M51572 in service at Leeming Bar, 12/8/04. David Beardmore

	51572 seen soon after arrival on the Wensleydale Railway, 2004. Alistair Beadle

	51572 stabled at the north end of Dereham station, 2002. Reg Vardy

	51572 & 56224in Dereham station, 17/9/01. Stuart Mackay

	51572 & 54224 stabled at Dereham, 27/7/97. On tour with the class 13 army

	51572 at Shepherdswell on the East Kent Railway, 1995. John Law

	A fresh looking 51572 at the East Kent Railway, 15/1/95. Tim Rogers

Interior

	The drivers side of the cab, 6/10/20. Chris Moxon

	The secondmans side of the cab, showing the modifications to the desk and seat intended for better driver experiences, 6/10/20. Chris Moxon

	The first class section, 6/10/20. Chris Moxon

	The middle saloon, 6/10/20. Chris Moxon