59493 Class 117 Trailer Composite Lavatory

Home Railway	South Devon Railway	Location History	West Somerset RailwayAug 95-Nov 18
Current Location	South Devon Railway		South Devon Railway Nov 18-Present
Current Status	Stored
Current Livery	BR Green
TRA Designation	4
Partner Vehicle(s)	None
Owner	5542 Ltd
Website	5542.co.uk
Record Last Updated	7 June 2021
Preservation Modifications None
Preservation Information 59493 was preserved by the West Somerset Railway in 1995 for use on off peak services. The railway had previously run an interesting variety of different DMU sets but wished to standardise on maintenance, so aquired five Class 115 powercars along with six Class 115/117 trailer cars as a direct replacement for the earlier sets. By March 1996, 59493 (along with 59506, 59510 and 59515) had been painted into a non authentic carmine & cream livery and formed a vacuum braked 4-car hauled coaching stock rake. Like many suburban centre cars at this time, the vehicle was not preserved as a DMU vehicle, being used as hauled coaching stock because they looked similar externally to some designs of GWR coaching stock. This dedicated 4 coach set was later disbanded when one of the vehicles was sold on to another railway. 59493 remained on the WSR and was repainted back into BR Green, seeing use once again in DMU sets, in between Class 117 and later Class 115 powercars. By 2003 the vehicle had been repainted into plain green, this was later lined and between 2005 and 2007 the vehicle ran between Class 117 powercars 51352 & 51376. It then reverted to a loco hauled coach. During the 2010's 59493 performed a duel role, either boosting the operational Class 115 3-car set to 4 coaches if required (rarely), but also available as a hauled coach to strengthen the length of Mk1 coaching rakes during busier galas. It was spending increasingly longer periods out of use. In November 2018, 59493 was moved to the South Devon Railway, reportedly as a stop gap to replace some withdrawn rolling stock that required repairs. It was used there as loco hauled stock. What was originally reported as a loan, later transpired into a sale, so 59493's permenent home became the South Devon, owned by steam loco support group 5542 ltd. 59493 currently requires welding and bodywork repairs, and has been stored awaiting the work to be completed.
Future Plans It is planned to complete the welding repairs to the vehicle before returning it to service as a loco-hauled coach on the line. However the recent arrival of two Class 117 powercars would suggest there is future potential for 59493 to operate again in a "proper" DMU set.

	A sorry looking 59493 stored at Buckfastleigh, it had been stripped out for bodywork repairs which were never undertaken, 19/5/21. Stuart Smith

	W59493 stabled at Minehead, 11/8/12. Nigel Gould

	Confirming that W59493 is still in passenger service, the vehicle is seen here providing additional capacity in a loco hauled set at Minehead, 29/1/11. John Oram

	W59493 stabled at Minehead, now repainted into BR lined green. It is now thought that the coach sees duel use as both a hauled coach and a 4th vehicle in the operating DMU setwhen required, 4/9/10. Chris Moxon

	W59493 stabled at Minehead, 5/10/08. Bill Pugsley

	59493 stabled at Minehead, now repainted into an unlined green livery but still thought to be operating as a hauled coach, 25/4/03. Robert Frise

	59493 stabled at Minehead, in Carmine & Cream livery during the days when it operated in a 4-car hauled coaching stock set, 3/10/99. Stuart Mackay