55031 Class 121 Driving Motor Brake Second

Home Railway

Ecclesbourne Valley Railway

Location History

Barry Island RailwayFeb 14-Sep 14

Current Location

Ecclesbourne Valley Railway

 

Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Sep 14-Present

Current Status

Stored

 

 

Current Livery

Network Rail Yellow

   

TRA Designation

5

   

Owner

Chris Lings

 

 

Website

evrdmugroup.wix.com

 

 

Record Last Updated

1 January 2022

   

Preservation Modifications
None although the vehicle was heavily modified in departmental service.

Preservation Information
55031 operated in mainline passenger services into the early 2000's with Silverlink on the Bedford-Bletchley line. In common with many of the single units, 55031 was latterly converted to a departmental vehicle numbered 977976 around 2003. Used by Network Rail as an emergency train for the Severn Tunnel, its bodywork was heavily altered for this purpose.

After being deemed surplus to requirements, 55031 was purchased as a spare parts donor by Arriva trains and was heavily stripped before passing into preservation at the Barry Island Railway in 2014.

In April 2014 the vehicle, which had been inspected by the new owners, was put up for sale after realisation that restoration was financially not viable for them. In September of that year a sale had been agreed and 55031 moved to the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway where it became a stores coach.

Future Plans
As 55031 is to be used as a stores coach there are currently no plans to return the vehicle to any form of service.

 

55031, partially sheltered by the overbridge, stored next to the sheds at Wirksworth, 4/7/21. Ken Jones

   

55031 gets ever mossier stored at Wirksworth, 15/8/20. Dave Bickley

   

977976 stored at Wirksworth, 26/4/19. Darren JB

   

977976 stored at Wirksworth, 28/9/15. Chris Moxon

   

977976 stored at Wirksworth, 6/6/15. Chris Moxon

   

977976 shortly after arrival at Wirksworth, 9/14. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway DMU Group

   

977976, just after arrival at Barry Island from Cardiff Canton, is shunted into the shed, 7/2/14. Nick Wilcock

 

Interior

 

The vastly modified interior, 9/14. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway DMU Group