50164 Class 101 Driving Motor Brake Second

Home Railway

North Yorkshire Moors Railway

Location History

Elsecar Railway Mar 05-Nov 06

Current Location

North Yorkshire Moors Railway

 

Chasewater Railway Nov 06-08

Current Status

Stored

 

North Yorkshire Moors Railway Jun 14-Present

Current Livery

BR Green (Half Yellow Panel)

   

TRA Designation

4

Visited Railways

Midland Railway Butterley (Contract Overhaul) 08-May 14

Partner Vehicle(s)

59539 & 50160

 

Llangollen Railway May 14-Jun 14

Owner

East Pennine Class 101 Double Power Car Group

 

 

Website

None

   

Record Last Updated

16 November 2024

   

Preservation Modifications
A bar area in the brakevan has been fitted by a young volunteer group from Elsecar.

Preservation Information
50164 is one of the oldest class 101 vehicles in preservation being released into traffic in 1956. After leading an uneventful career the vehicle gained “celebrity” status when it was painted in 1994 into green livery along with 5953950160 (also both preserved), gaining the name “Daisy”.

50164 was preserved along with its green partner 50160 rather than being split after withdrawal in December 2003. This car was chosen as one of the best coaches in the line of available stock at Shoeburyness. It was chosen on the grounds of requiring the least amount of attention to return it to service, from both bodywork and mechanical angle.

Initially secured for use by the Elsecar Railway, the set was operational within 10 days of arrival and was launched into service in March 2005.

However the 2-car set was moved 18 months later to the Chasewater Railway, where it performed services for some time before being withdrawn for overhaul in November 2007.

From the set, this vehicle was tackled first, moving to the Midland Railway Butterley in 2008 for contract repairs.

By April 2009 these were complete the vehicle having received a full external and mechanical overhaul. The vehicle was out-shopped in BR Green with a plain front end in time to run at the Midland Railway’s 2009 DMU Gala in multiple with 50170/50253. A yellow panel was applied soon after the event.

From 2009-2012 the vehicle lead a quiet life on the Midland Railway Butterley whilst waiting for the repairs to partner 50160 to be completed. This time was spent either in service paired with 50170 (after 50253 was withdrawn for repairs) or in storage.

In 2012, 50164 was returned inside and its overhaul finished to match 50160 which was also completed that year. However the vehicle was not returned to Chasewater and became quite nomadic, remaining in store at the Midland Railway Butterley for a further 18 months.

50164 & 50160 made their first passenger runs for a long time when they visited the Llangollen Railway in June 2014 for their Railcar Gala and shortly afterwards moved on again to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway where the set was to act as a stand-in for 101680 which had been withdrawn for overhaul. However 50164 was not used in passenger service during the year as some repairs were required.

In February 2015, 50164 entered regular preservation service for arguably the first time, as previous preservation use had always been on railways with rather short lines. In a happy coincidence, 50164 was reunited with its BR centre car and worked NYMR services as a 3-car set formed 50164, 59539 & 50160. 2015 was to prove a very busy year for 50164, being used for 68 days that year.

During 2016, DMU services on the NYMR continued to be provided with 50164/59539/50160 for a total of 56 days. This included some relatively high profile feeder services when the Flying Scotsman steam locomotive was in service in March. 50164 had been looking a little shabby so during the summer the vehicle was taken into the Carriage and Wagon workshop for a full repaint, along with internal repairs including cab floor covering, ceiling panel security, vestibule painting and a cab interior repaint. The improved paintwork has allowed 50164 to again look respectable alongside the steam fleet.

2017 saw a very similar pattern of services, 50164 being used for 51 days in traffic, with some of those days having relatively high mileages by preservation standards. The vehicle proceeded to run without issue in its 3-car formation for 2018 & 2019. After a break in 2020 due to Covid-19, services resumed in 2021 with the vehicle covering 1,890 miles.

In 2023 it was reported that 50164 had fallen out of service and that there were no plans by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for it to return. Further details are awaited on the exact situation.

Future Plans
Unknown.

 

50164 now stored in the siding at Levisham, 1/10/24. Nigel Benning

   

50164/59539/50160 stabled at the rear of the carriage sidings at Grosmont, 2/8/21. Richard Rooker

   

50164/59539/50160 calls at Levisham on New Years Day with a Pickering-Grosmont service, 1/1/19. Peter Wilson

   

50164/59539/50160 standing at Levisham with a Grosmont service, 12/16. Eddie Knorn

   

50164/50160 were relaunched into service during a one week visit to the Llangollen Railway for their railcar gala, seen here at Carrog preparing to return to Llangollen, 21/6/14. Chris Moxon

   

50164, with 50160 and Class 20 8001, at Swanwick Junction being shunted. The vehicle was in storage at this time despite having been contract overhauled, 22/9/13. Nigel Gould

   

50164/50160 stored at Butterley, 20/4/13. Derby Resident

   

50164 stands outside the sheds at Butterley, its contract overhaul all but completed. The vehicle has had external and mechanical work undertaken. Although removed in 2008 during the earlier stages of the overhaul, the 1990's era headlight has been returned to the vehicle, 14/7/12. Chris Moxon

   

50164 awaiting the completion of partner 50160 at Butterley, 23/5/10. David Beardmore

   

At Butterley, now sporting a half yellow panel once again. The front end blue square symbols have also been relocated, 25/4/09. Simon Edwards

   

During its brief period sporting an as built green end with no whiskers or yellow panel, at Swanwick Junction, 28/3/09. Chris Moxon

   

During its brief period sporting an as built green end with no whiskers or yellow panel, at Swanwick Junction, 28/3/09. Chris Moxon

   

Progress underway at Butterley, 27/9/08. Daniel Adkins

   

In the carriage shed at Butterley, during the contract repairs, 29/3/08. Chris Moxon

   

53164 stabled at Brownhills West, 9/9/07. Simon Edwards

   

Picture of 53164/53160 taken, a couple of days after their arrival at Chasewater, 12/11/06. John Daft

   

53164/53160 operating one of their first runs in preservation at Elsecar, 30/7/05. Steven Boulton