56271 Class 108 Driving Trailer Composite Lavatory

Home Railway	East Somerset Railway	Location History	Private Site: MOD Long Marston Mar 94-Nov 11
Current Location	East Somerset Railway		Midsomer Norton Nov 11-Oct 13
Current Status	Operational		East Somerset Railway Oct 13-Present
Current Livery	BR Blue (Half Yellow Panel)
TRA Designation	4
Partner Vehicle(s)	51909
Owner	Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group
Website	facebook.com/TheMendipTractionandRollingStockGroup
Record Last Updated	1 April 2024
Preservation Modifications The middle saloon has had seating alterations and tables fitted, which reduced the seating capacity by 5. Various mechanical/operational improvements have been made to the original design, particularly in the crew areas. These modifications have included a barry charging lead so that the vehicle can charge its batteries from the adjacant alternator fitted powercar, more modern electrical windscreen wiper motors, LED cluster style marker head/tail lights with a high intensity option for running in the dark and more modern control buttons etc on the drivers desk.
Preservation Information 56271 & 51909 were withdrawn in July 1993 and bought the following year as a set by the Bitton Diesel Group for a proposed off-peak service on the Avon Valley Railway, expected to start in 1996 when the extension to the River Avon was to open. This service did not immediately materialise, in the mean time 56271 was stored with much of the railway’s other reserved stock at the Ministry of Defence’s Long Marston site. When a DMU service was finally introduced in 2008, 56271 & 51909 were found to be in poor condition, so a Class 107 set was hired to fulfil the role instead, 56271 therefore continued to be stored at Long Marston with an uncertain future. However 2011 saw a surprise revival for the vehicle, in the form of a long term loan agreement with the growing Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust, who were seeking a DMU to provide passenger trains at their expanding railway at Midsomer Norton. 56271 saw rapid restoration progress both before and after the move in November 2011, with the tired graffiti stricken livery replaced by green primer along with repairs to the cab. By December the set was moving under its own power and was in use for driver training and santa specials. In 2012 & 2013, 56271 & 51909 were operating the passenger services at Midsomer Norton. In May 2013, 56271's primer was finally coated with BR green gloss complimented by a (non authentic) white bodyside stripe. The chassis was also repainted black and the bufferbeams red. September 2013 saw the vehicle sold and moved to the East Somserset Railway, where overhaul work was quickly started. 56271's middle saloon seats were reconfigured to include facing seating "bays". Tables were also fitted. In 2014, 56271 received a full mechanical exam and undertook its first test runs on the ESR in January, with interior work including the repainting of the seat frames. In April, the vehicle operated its first passenger services on the line, and continued to operate on several weekends. In October/November the rear end corrosion was tackled which required the removal and overhaul of the corridor connection. 56271 then returned to service with 51909, with rolling improvements being made all the time. January 2019 saw the vehicle moved inside for contract rebuilding of the cab front, followed by bodywork repairs and a full repaint. This had always been the plan of the owning group, who had hitherto been operating the vehicle in a rather shabby green livery that had been applied in a hurry six years previously. The work was completed rapidly and to a high standard, with the vehicle returned to traffic for the 2019 running season. In December 2023, 56271 was taken back into the shed to repaint the end and one side following a failure of the original paint. This was done rapidly and the vehicle returned one month later. The same winter, leaking water tanks aboive the toilet were repaired along with replacement of the rear saloon ceilings which had been damaged. 51909 & 56271 continue to regularly operate services at the East Somerset Railway.
Future Plans To maintain in service.

	56271/51909 working a Branch Line Society charter around as much unusual track on the site as possible, 22/3/24. Jason Smith

	56271 inside the shed having failed paintwork on one side and one end rectified, 22/12/23. The Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

	56271/51909 stabled at Cranmore, 19/9/21. Ken Jones

	56271 (left), coupled to newly painted partner 51909 for a change, during works to "replumb" the control gear back into 51909, 13/8/20.The Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

	A fine sunny view of 56271/51909 back in service at Cranmore, 22/5/19. Paul Weston

	The repaint completed at Cranmore, 23/3/19. Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

	The sides and corridor end prepped and in undercoat, 17/2/19. Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

	The new cab front looking good, 5/2/19. Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

	The cab stripped down for contract repanelling, 17/1/19. Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

	56271 on its last day in traffic as a shabby green vehicle, 17/10/18. Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

	56271/51909 stabled at Cranmore, 6/9/17. Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

	A corridor end view of 56271 during shunting at Cranmore, 24/8/16. Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

	56271/51909 an Mendip Vale, 5/8/15. Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

	56271 with its corridor connection removed to allow steelwork repairs to be made, 30/10/14. Tom Bailey

	56271/51909, undergoing final test runs on the East Somserset Railway, 16/4/14. Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

	56271, arriving onto the East Somerset Railway, 25/10/13. Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

	56271 in service at Midsomer Norton, 7/7/13. Geoff Clark

	56271 & 51909 stabled at Midsomer Norton, 29/9/12. Daniel Deacon

	54271 & 51909 in service at Midsomer Norton operating Santa Specials, 18/12/11. Stephen Lowe

	54271 & 51909 at Midsomer Norton having recently been relocated from storage at Long Marston. Much of the vehicle has received green primer, 27/11/11. Stuart Mitchell

	54271 in store at Long Marston during an open day event, 2009. Richard Moxon

	56271 in storage at Long Marston, 7/6/08. Chris Moxon

	56271 in storage at Long Marston, 23/10/05. Simon Edwards

	56271 in storage at Long Marston, 23/10/05. Simon Edwards

Interior

	The completed rear saloon following ceiling repairs, 19/3/24. Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

	The toilet water tank and rear saloon ceiling replacement was the main project for the winter 2023/24 shutdown, 4/11/23. Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

	The rear saloon with seating removed to allow the replacement of the panelling, 14/3/15. Ian Stoate

	New signage fitted to the first class saloon, 11/2/14.Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

	Rearranged seating and new tables fitted to the middle saloon, 11/12/13.Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

	The middle saloon, being cleaned before seating is refitted, 11/11/13.Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group