51351 Class 117 Driving Motor Brake Second
Home Railway |
Location History |
Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway Nov 94-Jan 97 |
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Current Location |
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Private Site: MOD Long Marston Jan 97-Oct 01 |
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Current Status |
Stored - For Sale |
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Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway Oct 01-Present |
Current Livery |
Primer |
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TRA Designation |
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Partner Vehicle(s) |
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Owner |
Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway |
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Website |
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Record Last Updated |
18 August 2024 |
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Preservation Modifications |
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Preservation Information It is not known if the vehicle operated in passenger service whilst at Chinnor. In 1997, the vehicle was stored at the MOD’s Long Marston site, intended for the future Stratford & Broadway Railway scheme. In 2001, the vehicle was sold to John Down and moved to the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway, where it was restored to operational condition, receiving a repaint into BR unlined Green livery. A number of areas of restoration were undertaken, including making good the guttering and also re-panelling the interior. The vehicle was tentatively launched into traffic in 2008, although further restoration work was required to make the vehicle fully serviceable. However a change in the owner's circumstances meant the vehicle never saw much use in service, and was out of action the following year, “stored serviceable” and being unpopular for passenger duties on the line. In June 2010, the set lost its centre car, 59520, which had been sold. In April 2012 following the owner's death it was acquired by the railway itself and authorisation was obtained to embark on restoration to passenger service. A replacement set of batteries were fitted followed by the sucessful starting of both engines and testing of the gearboxes and final drives. The period of inactivity threw up a long list of minor mecanical issues which had to be worked through. The vehicle moved under its own power for the first time in several years during October 2012. In February 2013 the vehicle entered the workshops for a full bodywork overhaul. The first part of the year saw roof work including the reinstatement of blanked off vents and resealing. The rear corners of the vehicle saw major welding repairs and repanelling, as did the cantrail areas which had rotted badly. The cab front started to be patched, but in May the descision was made to repanel the entire end. By Augut large sections of the secondmn's bodyside were being replaced with framework repairs made as required. In October, the bogies were cleaned up and repainted black. Other exterior parts such as air tanks and chassis members were also treated during the winter. Interior work included repanelling parts of the guards compartment and repainting. 2014 saw the major overhaul continue. The cab roof dome/headcode box was cleaned, reglazed and refitted. By spring, bodywork had progressed to the stage where areas on both side of the vehicle were emerging in primer. On the interior front, the seats were stripped and repainted green, and the cab was cleaned up and repainted. The restoration then slipped firstly into a on/off pattern with periods stored outside sheeted over between periods of progress, before later being abandoned altogether. 51351 continued to be stored and its condition sadly deteriorated again. Eventually, in August 2024, it had been decided to not continue with a DMU in the railway's future strategy and 51351 was put up for sale. |
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Future Plans |
Interior