59486 Class 117 Trailer Composite Lavatory

Home Railway	Swanage Railway	Location History	Private Site: Winfrith Jul 04-Mar 07
Current Location	Swanage Railway		Swanage Railway 10-Present
Current Status	Operational (Mainline)
Current Livery	BR Green	Visited Railways	Midland Railway Butterley (Contract Overhaul) Mar 07-10
TRA Designation	4		Eastleigh Works (Contract Overhaul) Sep 14-Feb 20
Partner Vehicle(s)	51356 & 51388
Owner
Website	swanagerailway.co.uk
Record Last Updated	22 September 2023
Preservation Modifications None
Preservation Information Latterly seeing service in Scotland as 3-car set 117310, 59486 was stored for several years before preservation in 2004. 59486 was purchased by Dorset County Council who wished to obtain three 3-car Class 117 sets for a proposed community rail link between Swanage and Wareham. 59486 was joined by two other vehicles from different sets, DMBS 51341 from 117704 and DMS 51398 from L702. In 2004 the 3-car unit was moved to a private site in Dorset where all nine of the Class 117 vehicles were being stored in readiness for the Swanage Railway's Wareham extension to bear fruit. However in 2007 the site had to be cleared with 51341, 59486 & 51398 moving to the Midland Railway Butterley for storage. 59486 only remained in store for 12 months however before being extracted for a contract restoration. The two powercars were later being sold for scrap. During 2008 59486 received external repairs and a full repaint into BR Green. Following completion the vehicle was borrowed and made its preservation passenger debut when it ran briefly with the railway's Class 127 set, giving a taster of what an authentic Class 127 4-car set would look like. The vehicle was then returned to store awaiting collection. In summer 2010 59486 was dispatched to the Swanage Railway, intended to join resident set 51346 & 51388. However the two powercars had recently been withdrawn from service requiring overhaul, so 59486 was also stored despite being in good condition. A four year period of inactivity then followed. In September 2014, 59486 was removed from store and sent to Eastleigh Works for a further overhaul and mainline registration. The overhaul work, particularly the mainline specifications, took far longer than originally hoped for. The vehicles involved in the project were the subject of several setbacks concerning the mechanical components such as wheelsets. Combined, these issues led to 59488 being inside Eastleigh works for several years. In September 2016 the vehicle had progressed to the stage where bodywork and painting was required. Moved into the excellent paintshop facility at Eastleigh, 59486 was transformed rapidly, emerging in the following month sporting a fresh coat of BR Green. By late 2017 59486 was receiving mechanical overhaul work to the bogies. It was to be February 2020 before the hugely expensive and delayed overhaul to mainline standard was completed. 59486 finally returned to the Swanage Railway where it was stored operational to await the completion of paperwork to allow it to operate on Network Rail. The Covid-19 pandemic further delayed the entry into passenger service, however during the summer of 2021 the 3-car set finally started running driver training trips along the line, with the long awaited relaunch into passenger following in August at the railway's "Rail to Roads" event. It had been 13 years since 59486 had carried passengers. 2023 was an important year for 59486 when it officially returned to mainline operation as part of the Swanage Railway's "Project Wareham". The much delayed registration was completed in time to run a whole season of almost daily connecting services from Wareham (on the South Western mainline) down the branch and through the preserved section to Swanage. It was the first time in 20 years that a Class 117had carried passengers on the mainline. 59486 currently mainline registered (for the short section from Worgret Jcn to Wareham) and operates mainline connecting shuttles and other off-peak services along the Swanage Railway in a 3-car set with51356 & 51388.
Future Plans To maintain in service.

	W59486 stands on mainline metals at Wareham working the last train of the day, 17/5/23. Chris Moxon

	A close up at Wareham showing the additional panel on the lower part of the door used for central door locking, plus the orange visual aid on the upper bodyside to show the doors are unlocked, 17/5/23. Chris Moxon

	59486 departing Eastleigh Works for a return to Swanage, 3/2/20. Carl Watson

	59486 outside Eastleigh Works, awaiting works on the power cars to be completed, 15/8/19. Carl Watson

	59486 looking very good, its bogies removed again to receive the highly delayed newly manufactured wheelsets. The overhaul is now on the home straight, 9/1/18. Carl Watson

	59486, its exterior paintwork being protected from potential damage now that it is back in the main works, 11/11/16. Carl Watson

	59486 having been prepped and quickly painted, in the paintshop at Eastleigh awaiting lining, 13/10/16. Carl Watson

	59486 having been moved into the paintshop, prior to an exterior transforamtion, 16/9/16. Carl Watson

	59486 at Eastleigh, not looking much different but the overhaul has progressed in other areas, 3/3/16. Carl Watson

	59486 at Eastleigh Works with its bogies removed and its overhaul started, 20/11/15. Carl Watson

	59486 outside the works at Eastleigh, having recently arrived for a contract overhaul to mainline standards, 18/9/14. Carl Watson

	59486 on static display at Swanwick Junction during the Midland Railway Butterley's DMU Gala. The vehicle was awaiting dispatch to the Swanage Railway following the conclusion of a contract overhaul, 28/3/09. Chris Moxon

	59486 at Swanwick Junction awaiting moving to Swanage, 11/10/08. Daniel Adkins

	59486 at Swanwick Junction awaiting moving to Swanage, 27/9/08. Daniel Adkins

	59486 is seen undergoing contact external restoration in the restoration shed at Butterley during the railway's DMU Gala, 29/3/08. Chris Moxon

Interior

	W59486's large first class saloon, 17/5/23. Chris Moxon

	W59486's small first class saloon, 17/5/23. Chris Moxon

	An interesting box (contents unknown!) located in the place of a seat in W59486's large first class saloon, 17/5/23. Chris Moxon

	W59486's large second class saloon, 17/5/23. Chris Moxon

	W59486's small second class saloon, 17/5/23. Chris Moxon