59517 Class 117 Trailer Second Lavatory (Ex Composite)

Home Railway	Paignton & Dartmouth Railway	Location History	Paignton & Dartmouth Railway Feb 94-Present
Current Location	Paignton & Dartmouth Railway
Current Status	Operational (Hauled Stock)
Current Livery	Non Standard Chocolate & Cream
TRA Designation	4
Partner Vehicle(s)	59003, 59004, 59494, 59503, 59507 & 59513
Owner	Dart Valley Railway plc
Website	None
Record Last Updated	1 February 2024
Preservation Modifications Several preservation modifications have been made to 59517, including the fitting of public address, additional plates to the corridor ends to allow coupling to Mark 1 coaching stock, the replacement of 1st class seating with second (new capacity: 77 second), replacement of seating in one end with an open buggy/luggage area and non authentic upholstery. The vehicle carries the name "Poppy".
Preservation Information 59517 was preserved in 1994 for the Dart Valley Railway (later Paignton & Dartmouth Railway), who collected a large number of Class 117 centre cars in a short space of time. As DMU suburban vehicles are externally similar to older Great Western loco hauled vehicles, but with much lower maintenance, 59517 was soon put into traffic along with many other suburban centre cars forming a GWR style rake of loco hauled coaching stock. The vehicle was painted in a non authentic GWR chocolate & cream livery to further suit this role and was named "Emily" 59517 has never operated in preservation as a powered DMU and is part of a fleet of seven Class 116 & 117 vehicles based on the line working all year round carrying passengers on steam services. In January 2010 59517 was repainted. During 2018 the vehicle received further overhaul work including a refit and repaint. In honour of the 100 year commemorations of the signing of the armistice in 1918, 59517 was renamed "Poppy", and was displayed at Paignton station over the weekend of the centenery. Its importance in the line's day to day operations has ensured the vehicle's wellbeing, and investment has been made to enable the vehicles continued operation in preservation for several decades now. So it is thought that the future is secure for the vehicle.
Future Plans To maintain in service.

	59517 stabled at Paignton, 21/9/23. Nigel Benning

	59517 stabled at Paignton, 4/10/22. Ken Jones

	59517 in service, 12/9/19. Carl Watson

	59517 stabled at Kingswear, 23/7/17. Carl Watson

	59517 stabled at kingswear, not required for services that day, 27/4/14. Chris Moxon

	59517 stabled at Kingswear, 20/4/08. Peter Jeffree

	59517 on the Paignton & Dartmouth Railway, 26/8/07. David Beardmore

	59517 (59494 is behind) on the Paignton & Dartmouth Railway where it's used as hauled stock, seen here at Kingswear, 26/5/01. Roger Marks