Railcar of the Year 2019
Congratulations to the winner of the Railcar of the Year award: Class 121 W55024.
The Nominations
Class 101 M50203 (Great Central): Class 101 M50203 was nominated for the hard work put in by its small restoration team to get the job done to a deadline. 2019 saw the 50th anniversary of the final (DMU operated) trains to run along the now preserved section of the closing Great Central mainline. With such an important anniversary on the horizon, at the start of the year owning group Renaissance Railcars set themselves the target to realise their long held (since 2003) ambition to have two Class 101 sets operational on the railway. The final train in 1969 was formed of two 3-car sets in multiple so the completion of M50203 would allow a very close 5-car formation to be operated exactly 50 years later to recreate that evening 50 years on at an event in early May. Having pulled out all of the stops, M50203's interior, exterior and mechanical restoration was completed up to a point where passengers could be carried on the day, it being the 1990's since 50203 had last operated in passenger service. Partner vehicle 50266 was also repainted to match, creating a pleasant blue 2-car set.
Class 108 M50980/M52054 (Weardale): This Class 108 power twin set was nominated in recognition of the effort of a small team who have worked hard to raise a pair of vehicles back from the brink having been severely run down. As is often the case, the vehicles were purchased by a society as running vehicles but closer examination revealed a can of worms created from years without overhaul. Whilst still by no means perfect, the Railcar Association's annual convention, due to be held at the Weardale Railway in October that year, was the deadline in which to get the two vehicles into a suitable state to be relaunched into passenger service following purchase. The pair were obtained to provide respite to single unit E55012 which had for the past few years provided 100% of the railways ordinary heritage passenger trains. The 108 set made its target and were indeed used over the weekend successfully, the pair of vehicles carrying passengers regularly once again.
Class 108 M51933/M56504 (Llangollen): The next nomination was also a green liveried Class 108 2-car set, only this time with slightly less power having a trailer car. However the story was almost identical to the first. Following the departure of a Class 108 to the Midland Railway Butterley, the Llangollen fleet found itself short of a set, so a loan was agreed with newly purchased Class 108 set M51933/M56504 now based at the Llangollen Railway having been relocated from its previous owners located down south. The set was found to have serious work required before it was to the standards that the Llangollen Railcar Group operate to. Consequently, the vehicles were delayed in entering service whilst a huge list of tasks was worked through. This work was completed in time for the set to star at their annual Railcar gala, the single event in the calendar that required all of their sets in service. The pair could later be found plying their trade in North Wales and were given a a new lease of life under their new custodians.
Class 121 W55024 (Chinnor): 2019 saw the return to passenger service of single unit "bubble car" W55024, at the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway. Since being preserved in 2013, the vehicle had been under restoration which was particularly complex owing to the severe modifications made to the vehicle during its time as a route learner and sandite vehicle. The normal restoration of exterior bodywork and mechanical aspects was completed along with a complete rebuilding of the missing interior, using reclaimed parts from other vehicles obtained over the years, married to brand new parts. This completed the vehicle was repainted, pleasingly retaining its unique maroon livery applied during its departmental life. This nod to 55024's previous life also made it different to the many other green liveried single units preserved. In April 2019 the vehicle was relaunched into service, carrying passengers for the first time since 1993! It was nominated for the quality of the restoration work, which provided a very presentable and usable vehicle for many years to come, plus the remarkable feat of the departmental back conversion, only the second time in preservation this had been achieved on a Class 121.
Class 121 W55028 (Swanage): The second ex departmental Class 121 single unit to be nominated, the Swanage Railway's Class 121. However this one was not recognised for a back conversion, which was completed almost 10 years previously, rather, a new form of overhaul: that to mainline standards. Mainline operation of preserved DMU's is fraught with difficultly, with many obstacles and the natures of the vehicles themselves making registration to run economically unviable. However the Swanage Railway, as part of their quest to operate summer shuttle services from the mainline at Wareham down their line to Swanage, had led them to undertake a project to re-register four vehicles to run on the section of mainline to Wareham, the first of which was 55028. The vehicle had received a very comprehensive and long running overhaul at Eastleigh Works, in order to make it fit for mainline running, following 10 years off the network at Swanage. The vehicle was returned to the Swanage Railway in the autumn and had been noted as in very good condition during its test and training runs. Whilst the vehicle had yet to make its mainline debut, it was nominated as the overhaul itself had been completed.
Voting Pattern
As if quite often the case, the pattern for the whole competition was displayed within the first 48 hours, it becoming obvious that initially was to be a two horse race between the Chinnor single unit and the Great Central 101. An unusually high surge of votes came in very quickly, and these two shot above the others. However the votes for 55024 continued to climb and climb and it took the top position for the remainder of the month. Further votes continued to trickle in, an unusual surge, mid way through the voting period, saw another 115 votes added to 55024's total, propelling it into the record books with 556 votes by the close of play. During all of this, the two Class 108 sets were having a smaller race by themselves which proved to be far more narrowly won. With a difference of just one vote, the Llangollen 108 set just pipped the Weardale set. Well done to the restoration teams responsible for the work done to all the nominations, and particularly the winners at Chinnor. 55024 will be running throughout 2020 at its home railway for anyone wishing to sample the vehicle.
736 votes were cast in total, making this year the most popular year on record. 55024 well and truly smashed the record for the most voted for vehicle in the award's history, attracting more than double the number of votes of the previous record holder: Swedish Railcar 1212. 55024 won fair and square with 75% of the votes cast in its favour. 55024 becomes the first Class 121, and indeed the first suburban build vehicle, to win the award. Many thanks to all those who took the time to nominate and vote.
| Place | Vehicle | Number of Votes |
| 1st | Class 121 55024 | 556 |
| 2nd | Class 101 50203 | 122 |
| 3rd | Class 121 55028 | 27 |
| 4th | Class 108 51933/56504 | 16 |
| 5th | Class 108 50980/52054 | 15 |