59117 Class 101 Trailer Composite Lavatory

Home Railway

Mid Norfolk Railway

Location History

Swindon & Cricklade Railway May 02-Jun 02

Current Location

Mid Norfolk Railway

 

Mid Norfolk Railway Jun 02-Present

Current Status

Stored

 

 

Current Livery

BR Blue & Grey

 

 

TRA Designation

3

   

Partner Vehicle(s)

51434 & 51503

 

 

Owner

Matthew Smith Class 101 Fund

 

 

Website

www.facebook.com/EastAnglianRailcarGroup

   

Record Last Updated

13 Janaury 2024

   

Preservation Modifications
Internally the two second class saloons have been reconfigured considerably in preservation. All the original triple seats have been replaced with double seats and several have been rearranged to create more family friendly bays facing each other. This has reduced 59117's seating capacity to 12 First and 38 Second. The toilet is also no longer used.

Preservation Information
59117 was latterly part of set L840, which was operating at Reading, but the centre car was made surplus to requirments following the introduction of the new "Turbo" units in the area, and was withdrawn in December 1993. The vehicle was purchased for preservation after being "found" at Derby and joined 51434 & 51503at theSwindon & Cricklade Railway, now under the ownership of Matthew Smith, a keen preservationist interested in saving the vehicles as DMUs in their own right.

The set became the first Class 101 3-car set in preservation. The trailer cars remained rare and even with over 40 Class 101 vehicles now in preservation, there are only three 3-car sets.

In 2002 the vehicle was repainted into Blue & Grey livery.

Tragically in 2002, Matthew Smith lost his battle with cancer and 59117 was transferred to the “Matthew Smith Class 101 Fund”.

The set was moved to the Mid Norfolk Railway in 2002 where it saw an extraordinary amount of use for the rest of the decade, at times working 90% of the railways services.

After the introduction into traffic of the MNR's own Class 101 set in 2008/2009, the workload was reduced on 59117 and the vehicle was withdrawn for some much needed maintenance.

The vehicle was kept operational during the repairs until mid 2011 when the requirement to undertake heavier work resulted in a withdrawal from service. Although some work was completed on reasealing windows, the vehicle was stored pending the completion of repairs to51503.

In October 2012, restoration work on other vehicles became advanced enough for 59117 to re-enter occational service as a 3-car set again, but it later fell back out of use and entered a much longer storage period.

Demands on resources for the powercars along with a general decline in the overall first generation fleet at the railway meant 59117 has remained in store with little immediate prospect of fortunes improving.

Future Plans
The owning group hope to return the vehicle to traffic in the future.

 

A somewhat forlorn looking 59117 stored in the sidings at Dereham, 2/12/23. Chris Moxon

   

59117 stored at Dereham, 6/4/19. Chris Moxon

   

59117 stored at Dereham, 28/8/17. Chris Moxon

   

59117 stabled at Dereham, 10/8/14. Richard Moxon

   

59117 stored at Dereham, 17/6/12. Chris Moxon

   

59117 stored at Dereham, 5/7/11. Chris Moxon

   

59117 out of service at Dereham, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon

   

59117 out of service at Dereham, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon

   

59117's underframe at Dereham, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon

   

59117 stabled at Dereham, 12/3/03. David Beardmore

   

59117 on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway, 1/12/01. Stuart Mackay

 

Interior

 

View of the front vestibule, located in the area that would be the cab if the vehicle was not a centre car, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon

   

The front (first class) saloon, looking towards the "front" of the vehicle, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon

   

The front (first class) saloon, looking towards the "rear" of the vehicle, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon

   

The middle saloon, note the 2+2 seating in what would have been a 2+3 saloon, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon

   

In the middle saloon a luggage rack still survives from the vehicle's time in the Reading area, where these extra racks were fitted for the increased luggage demands expected on services to Gatwick Airport, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon

   

The rear saloon, note the 2+2 seating in what would have been a 2+3 saloon, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon