51941 Class 108 Driving Motor Brake Second
Home Railway |
Location History |
Severn Valley Railway Mar 91-Present |
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Current Location |
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Current Status |
Operational |
Visited Railways |
Worcester (open day) May 93 |
Current Livery |
BR Green (Speed Whiskers) |
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TRA Designation |
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Partner Vehicle(s) |
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Owner |
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Website |
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Record Last Updated |
10 March 2024 |
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Preservation Modifications |
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Preservation Information In 1992 the set was increased to 3 cars with the entry to traffic of 59250. In 2004, 51941 participated in the very successful Railcar50 event, operating as a 5-car Class 108 which included all of the SVR 108 vehicles. The highlight was a 12 car special which was the longest DMU formation ever to operate in preservation. In 2006, 51941 went into Kidderminster carriage works for lifting to enable replacement of a vacuum brake cylinder. In May 2011, 51941 was withdrawn from traffic for a contracted overhaul. The work was awarded to Bewdley Carriage & Wagon, who had previously outshopped DMBS 50933 to a high standard. Mechanical work included major maintenance to engines, brakes and associated systems. Internally, the rear of the vehicle was re-converted back into a guard’s area. Externally the vehicle received bodywork repairs to the cab end, corridor end and guards doors. This work included a full repaint into green. The roof was also reriveted and repainted, and the corridr connection rebuilt. The vehicle was outshopped in mid October and soon returned to service. Prior to the start of the 2019 running season, an engineering inspection of the Class 108 vehicles based on the SVR led to the whole fleet being withdrawn from service until mechanical repairs had been undertaken, specifically to the bogies and running gear. With resources only available to repair one vehicle at a time, 51941 was stored out of use until it could be dealt with. In November 2022, 51941 reached the top of the queue of vehicles to be rectified, and was lifted off its bogies at Kidderminster and temporarily placed on some spare accomodation bogies, the originals then being sent away to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for a contract mechanical overhaul. Exactly a year later the bogies were returned and refitted to 51941 which was able to be reassembled and the vehicle tested. After five years out of traffic, 51941 made a much welcomed return to service in December 2023 paired in a 2-car set with 52064. This was the key which unlocked a return to service of a complete set on the Severn Valley and heralded the first major milestone in the recovery scheme following the 2019 mass withdrawal. After only two months, centre car 59250 rejoined the set returning it to three cars once again. 51941 continues to operate services on the SVR as a 3-car set. |
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Future Plans |
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M51941 awaits departure from Bridgnorth on the 10:30 to Kidderminster. For this day the vehicle carried a "Railcar 70" headboard marking 70 years since the first Derby Lightweights entered service on BR and 20 years since the famous "Railcar50" super-gala was held at the Severn Valley, 2/3/24. Chris Moxon |
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M51941/E52064 back in passenger service fopr the first time in several years, 29/12/23. Darren JB |
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M51941 being lifted off its bogies inside the diesel shed at Kidderminster, 5/11/22. Mark Miller |
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M51941 at the head of a mis-matched formation inside the carriage shed at Kidderminster. M51941 (along with the other three vehicles behind it) had sadly spent the whole of the 2019 season out of service awaiting repairs, 5/10/19. Mark Miller |
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M51941 in its usual haunt the Bewdley Rock Siding, 26/6/18. Mark Miller |
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M51941 leads a 3-car set at Bridgnorth, 27/2/16. Robin Harrison |
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M51941 in an unusual corner at Bridgnorth, 1/11/15. Richard Hargreaves |
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A rare image of M51941 separated from other vehicles at Bewdley, 2/4/15. Kevin Gale |
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M51941/NE59250/M52064 near Bewdley, 10/3/14. DMU Group (West Midlands) |
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51941 leads a full 5 car set between Bewdley & Kidderminster, 3/4/13. Ben Darby |
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M51941/NE59250/M52064 stand at Kidderminster with the 11:44 Kidderminster-Bewdley during the diesel gala, 6/10/12. Chris Moxon |
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M51941 split from the set at Bewdley, 17/4/11. Stuart Axe |
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51941 at Bridgnorth during the 2010 Railcar Convention Fish & Chip special, 9/10/10. Chris Moxon |
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51941 passing 55020 at Bewdley during the 2010 Railcar Convention, 8/10/10. Chris Moxon |
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51941 in multiple with 55006 at Kidderminster during the 2010 Railcar Convention, 8/10/10. Chris Moxon |
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51941 passing 55006 at Highley during the 2010 Railcar Convention, 7/10/10. Chris Moxon |
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51941 at Highley during the 2010 Railcar Convention, 7/10/10. Chris Moxon |
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51941 at Highley during the 2010 Railcar Convention, 7/10/10. Chris Moxon |
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51941 leads a 4-car formation at Bewdley, 13/2/10. Rob Phillips |
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51941 arriving into Arley, 13/2/10. Rob Phillips |
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51941 stabled at Bewdley, 10/10/09. David Beardmore |
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51941 stabled in the rock siding at Bewdley, 26/4/08. Brian Battersby |
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Seen at Arley, 16/10/04. Gazza Prescott |
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51941, 59250 & 52064 at Bewdley, 2/10/04. Simon Edwards |
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In the Rock Sidings at Bewdley, 14/4/01. Stuart Mackay |
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51941, 59250 & 52064 at Bewdley, 18/6/94. David McGuire |
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51941 on display at the Worcester open day event, 2/5/93. Nick Blyth |
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51941 & 52064 seen very soon after entering traffic, 19/10/91. Tony Willmore |
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51941 & 52064 soon after arrival into preservation, 14/7/91. Tony Willmore |
Interior
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The cab (drivers side) inside M51941, 2/3/24. Chris Moxon |
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The cab (secondmans side) inside M51941, 2/3/24. Chris Moxon |
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The front saloon inside M51941, 2/3/24. Chris Moxon |
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The middle saloon inside M51941, 2/3/24. Chris Moxon |
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The guards van inside M51941, 2/3/24. Chris Moxon |
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View of the front saloon, taken during the Railcar50 event, October 04. Mathew Hawley |
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View of the middle saloon, taken during the Railcar50 event, October 04. Mathew Hawley |