50338 Class 101 Driving Motor Composite Lavatory

Home Railway	Plym Valley Railway	Location History	West Somerset Railway Mar 08-Aug 09
Current Location	Plym Valley Railway		Barry Tourist Railway Aug 09-Apr 23
Current Status	Operational		Plym Valley Railway Apr 23-Present
Current Livery	BR Green (Plain End)
TRA Designation	4
Partner Vehicle(s)	50222
Owner
Website
Record Last Updated	8 July 2023
Preservation Modifications Very non standard interior. The vehicle has modern wall panelling, Mk3 carriage style seating and carpets fitted.
Preservation Information Latterly part of Laboratory 19 "Iris 2", 50338, along with its partner 50222 , was extensively modified for departmental use in 1989 at Cardiff Cathays Workshops. This included the installation of air conditioning and extensive messing facilities. The vehicles were acquired straight from Network Rail by Cambrian Transport in 2008 and loaned free to the West Somerset Railway. The vehicles were quickly repainted into lined BR Stock Green at Dunster, so as to fit in better with the heritage nature of the line. The intention was for the set to be based at Dunster to be used to travel out to permanent way worksites providing messing and toilet facilities at remote locations as required. It could also haul works rail vehicles to site. However shortly afterwards, following changes at senior level of the West Somerset Railway, the new management did not see any value in providing such facilities and requested that the set be removed from the railway. At this time, Cambrian Transport had acquired the Barry Tourist Railway, and 50338 was moved there in 2009. Here the vehicle was extensively modified to increase its suitability for preservation use. All the messing facilities were removed, including shower, drying room and beds! It was considered that the vehicle was far too heavily modified to return to original Class 101 condition, so an interesting approach was taken to refit the interior with more modern features similar to those that it may have been fitted out with, had the vehicle operated on the mainline longer than it actually did in reality. Between 2010 and 2014, 50338 received a lot of work. More modern wall panelling was installed and Mk3 carriage style seating and carpets were fitted to the interior. With its smart interior and air conditioning, the owners consider it one of the most comfortable 1st Generation railcars in existence! 50338, along with its partner, 50222, was pressed into service on the Barry Tourist Railway, either operating under its own power or hauled or piloted with a steam locomotive. In 2014 the set was used for some notable filing work, with some interior shots appearing in an episode of Doctor Who. The set became a mainstay of the railway, although the acquisition of more stock later meant that the set was not used quite as regularly as it used to be. In June 2022, the space that 50338 occupied on the railway was required for a mainline operator so the vehicle was put up for sale. The Plym Valley Railway were the new owners and 50338 was relocated the following spring.
Future Plans Following driver training it is planned for 50338/50222 to enter service at the Plym Valley.

	50338 deparing Barry Island via road transport early in the morning, 14/4/23. Jake Didcote

	50338/50222 in service at Barry, 27/11/21. Scott Coombes

	50338/50222 heads for the causeway at Barry, 6/15. Aron Stenning

	50338/50222 stabled inside the shed at Barry, 14/12/13. Nick Wilcock

	50338 inside the shed at Barry, 8/6/13.

	50338 in use as hauled stock at Plymouth Road station, 17/6/12. Nick Wilcock

	50338 & 50222 running along the causeway at Barry, 6/6/10. David Beardmore

	50338 & 50222 on the Barry Island Railway, 6/6/10. David Beardmore

	Seen on the West Somerset Railway freshly painted into green. Chris Adams

	Shortly after arrival at Dunster, 14/6/08. Simon Edwards