59664 Class 115 Trailer Second Lavatory

Home Railway

Private Site: Talybont-on-Usk

Location History

Mid Norfolk Railway (County School) Mar 93-Apr 97

Current Location

Private Site: Talybont-on-Usk

 

Colne Valley Railway Apr 97-Jan 99

Current Status

Under Restoration

 

Mangapps Railway MuseumJan 99-Oct 03

Current Livery

BR Green

 

Barry Island RailwayOct 03-11

TRA Designation

4

 

Midsomer Norton Nov 12-?

Owner

Private

 

Private Site: Taly-ont-on-Usk May 22-Present

Website

None

   
   

Visited Railways

Private Site: Kingsbury (Storage) 11-Nov 12

Record Last Updated

16 April 2023

 

Private Site: Henstridge (Storage) ?-May 22

Preservation Modifications
The interior has been seriously modified for the vehicle's static role as a kitchen, mess room and volunteer space, with a lot of original seating and fittings removed.

Preservation Information
59664 was withdrawn in August 1992 and was preserved the following year with powercars 51669 & 51849 at the Mid Norfolk Railway’s northern outpost at County School station.

Restoration work on the vehicle was immediately undertaken, and by 1994 the vehicle was operating trains on the short running line.

Purchased by Suburban Preservation, the set was moved to the Colne Valley Railway where it joined a large fleet of suburban vehicles from several classes.

The set was later split up with the two original powercars being moved elsewhere. 59664 was relocated to the Mangapps Railway Museum, presumably in 1999 when the powercars were sold.

In 2003 the vehicle changed hands again, purchased by Carl Hookings who wished to restore and operate the vehicle at the Barry Island Railway. The vehicle was moved there in October of that year and was quickly repainted into BR Green.

In May 2004 the vehicle made its passenger debut at Barry, as a 3-car set with new partners 51655 & 51677.

2004-2008 saw the set operating services on the Barry Island Railway.

In 2008, the lease on the Barry Island Railway was terminated, and the DMU fleet of three sets was disbanded. The whole 3-car set was put up for sale in May 2009.

By February 2011, with no forthcoming sale, 59664 was sold to scrap merchants EMR. However, the company decided not to immediately cut up the vehicles as they were far from scrap condition.

By September 2011, 59664 had been sold, but it was over a year before the vehicle moved to its new home at Midsomer Norton. Shortly after arrival the vehicle received a great deal of interior modifications to suit its new static role as a kitchen, mess room and volunteer space. No work was done to the exterior other than a few emergency repairs to try and keep water out.

Following a decade of use as a mess room the railway decided 59664 had served its purpose and it was put up for sale in May 2021.

59664 was sold and moved temporarily into storage on an industrial estate in Henstridge some time later (date unknown) before moving on again to its new home at the closed Talybont-on-Usk station in May 2022.

59664 remains at Talybont-on-Usk, in the company of several Mark 1 coaches (bought following Llangollen Railway collapse) in private hands.

Future Plans
Given the isolated nature of the site, it is assumed that 59664 will be performing a static role in the future, though whether this is as holiday accommodation, storage facility etc is not known. Reports are likely to be sporadic given 59664 is out of the public sphere.

 

M59664 displaying evidence of former liveries as it is rubbed down ready for a repaint, 20/9/22. David Turnock

   

M59664, between Shaftsbury and Warminster, being transported from temporary storage in Henstridge to its new home at Talybont-on-Usk, 26/5/22. David Carter

   

M59664 located in its normal static position. The vehicle is now up for sale, 8/5/21. Somerset & Dorset Railway

   

M59664 located in its normal static position. Some of the modifications for static use can be seen. The vehicle is now up for sale, 8/5/21. Somerset & Dorset Railway

   

The main platform, a very rare place for M59664 after the vehicle was shunted out from its normal static location for the first time in seven years! 19/7/20. Barrie Papworth

   

M59664 in static use at Midsomer Norton, 7/9/19. Stuart Smith

   

M59664 in static use at Midsomer Norton, 1/5/16. Chris Walker

   

M59664 at Midsomer Norton, 8/2/14. Geoff Clark

   

M59664, in store and for sale at Barry Island, 17/3/11. Alfred Roberts

   

M59664, in store and for sale at Barry Island, 17/3/11. Alfred Roberts

   

M59664, in store at Plymouth Road (Barry) and for sale, 6/6/10. David Beardmore

   

M59664, stabled at Barry, 15/10/05. David McGuire

   

M59664, part way through a repaint at Barry shed, 23/11/03. Stuart Mackay

   

59664 stabled at County School, still in Network SouthEast livery, 3/5/93. Chris Boon

 

Interior

 

The former second class saloon inside M59664, which was used as a mess hut. Seating from the adjacant first class saloon has been relocated against one side, with facilities along the other, 8/5/21. Somerset & Dorset Railway

   

The former first class saloon inside M59664, stripped of seats and kitted out as a workspace, 8/5/21. Somerset & Dorset Railway

   

The remains of M59664's toilet compartment, stripped of most of its fittings and carrying modifications for static use, 8/5/21. Somerset & Dorset Railway

   

M59664's main second class saloon, 17/3/11. Alfred Roberts

   

M59664's first class saloon, 17/3/11. Alfred Roberts

   

M59664's first class saloon, 17/3/11. Alfred Roberts

   

M59664's first class saloon, 17/3/11. Alfred Roberts

   

M59664's main second class saloon, 17/3/11. Alfred Roberts