56358 Class 101 Driving Trailer Composite Lavatory

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East Anglian Railway Museum

Location History

East Anglian Railway Museum Oct 03-Present

Current Location

East Anglian Railway Museum

 

 

Current Status

Operational

Visited Railways

Severn Valley Railway Oct 04

Current Livery

BR Blue (Full Yellow End)

 

 

TRA Designation

4

   

Partner Vehicle(s)

56358

 

 

Owner

Diesel Unit Preservation Associates Limited

 

 

Website

None

   

Record Last Updated

8 July 2023

   

Preservation Modifications
None

Preservation Information
Withdrawn from service in May 2001, 56358 was selected as the best available trailer car at MOD Shoeburyness - it also as a bonus had a history of running on the Marks Tey to Sudbury line. The vehicle arrived at EARM in October 2003 and had the batteries charged and brakes tested ready for service within 2 days.

Still in tired Regional Railways livery, 56358 made its passenger preservation debut in March 2004 running with 51213.

Since then the interior and exterior condition has slowly been returned to its 1970's condition. The vehicle is fortunate in being the only trailer car in preservation with the original bulkhead and toilet cubicle Formica panels. The restoration work has included a repaint into BR Blue in September 2004, and the return of the original tungsten lighting, first class seating & sprung buffers. 56365 was purchased as a source of replacement original Formica panels in order to replace the 1990's cream Formica present in this vehicle.

In October 2004, the vehicle visited the Severn Valley Railway for the spectacular Railcar50 celebrations which involved a never-to-be-repeated line up of DMUs from all around the country at one gala event. This was only possible due to generous funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

In 2011 the vehicle was repainted, and the hi intensity headlight also removed returning it to its mid 70's condition externally.

The vehicle operated semi-regularly on the short demonstration line at Chappel with partner 51213until it became shabby once again and due for repaint. At the end of the 2019 season it was withdrawn from service and in early 2020 enetered the shed for more bodywork and a repaint. By the March the cab end had been completed and repainted into yellow. With the railway experiencing problems with structural corrosion on its Mark 1 carriage fleet, 56358 was hastily painted blue (repairs incomplete) and put back into traffic on a temporary basis for the December 2020 festive trains with 51213.

Future Plans
Plans for the future include further interior backdating to complete the 1970's look, mainly the installation of original pattern Formica to the side walls, recovered from 56365. A Route Indicator Box similar to that fitted to partner vehicle 51213 is also to be built and fitted.

 

56358/51213 in use at Chappel, 23/5/21. Dom Shaw

   

56358/51213 in use on the demonstration line at Chappel passing the partially built "steam shed" which was housing two diesels at the time including W&M Railbus E79963! 56358 had been returned to traffic in a part completed state to run festive trains whilst the railway completed corrosion repairs to the Mark 1 coaches normally used on those services, 12/12/20. Chris Moxon

   

56358 inside the shed at Chappel, having received cab end repairs and a repaint to this area, 7/3/20. Mark Cornell

   

56358 now looking very shabby, in use at the diesel gala, 29/9/19. Mark Cornell

   

56358/51213 in use at Chappel, 30/4/17. Carl Watson

   

E56358, now starting to look slightly tired, at Chappel, 23/4/16. Mark Cornell

   

E56358 stabled at Chappel, 30/12/14. Richard Moxon

   

E56358 stabled at Chappel, 8/1/13. Q47541M

   

E56358 & E51213, looking very 1970's stabled at Chappel, 20/9/12.Graham Bell

   

E56358 & E51213 stabled at Chappel, 15/1/12. Wibble45

   

Freshly repainted 56358 at Chappel, 1/4/11. Andy Neil

   

56358 seen inside the shed at Chappel, 31/7/10. Nigel Gould

   

56358 at Chappel, 21/6/09. David Beardmore

   

153306 passes 56358 at Chappel station, representing two generations of Sudbury branch DMUs, 26/10/08. Chris Moxon

   

56358 at Chappel station, undergoing interior restoration, 26/10/08. Chris Moxon

   

Rear view of 56358 at Chappel station, undergoing interior restoration, 26/10/08. Chris Moxon

   

E56358 and possibly E50599 at Chappel, 30/8/06. Andy Cole

   

At Chappel station, 6/1/05. Darren Johnson

   

At Bridgnorth on the Severn Valley Railway for the Railcar50 event, 16/10/04. Simon Edwards

   

In multiple with 53170, 16/10/04. Simon Edwards

   

At Kidderminster on the Severn Valley Railway for the Railcar50 event, 11/10/04. Stuart Mackay

   

54358/51213, mid restoration, make their preservation passenger debut at Easter at the East Anglian Railway Museum, 14/3/04. James West

 

Interior

 

The cab (drivers side) of 56358. This rarely sees use by drivers, as the operation at Chappel normally involves the driver staying in the powercar with the guard in 56358's cab as a lookout, 12/12/20. Chris Moxon

   

The cab (secondmans side) of 56358. This rarely sees use by drivers, as the operation at Chappel normally involves the driver staying in the powercar with the guard in 56358's cab as a lookout, 12/12/20. Chris Moxon

   

The first class saloon of 56358, with the correct first class seating reinstated. Also of note is the original first class blue Formica panelling on the right. The left hand side is still to be treated but the panels are in stock ready, 12/12/20. Chris Moxon

   

The middle saloon of 56358. The ceilings and lighting have been fully backdated to 1970's condition, however the seat moquette and Formica side panelling remains to be completed, when time/resources allows, 12/12/20. Chris Moxon

   

The rear saloon of 56358. The ceilings and lighting have been fully backdated to 1970's condition, however the seat moquette and Formica side panelling remains to be completed, when time/resources allows, 12/12/20. Chris Moxon

   

First Class seating in 56358, 9/7/11. Andy Neil

   

The middle saloon in 56358. Note the replaced ceiling and the return of original tungsten lighting, 9/7/11. Andy Neil