51360 Class 117 Driving Motor Brake Second
Home Railway |
Location History |
Crewe Brook Sidings Feb 94-Aug 99 |
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Current Location |
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Mid Norfolk Railway Aug 99-Mar 04 |
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Current Status |
Operational |
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Ecclesbourne Valley RailwayMar 04-Sep 13 |
Current Livery |
BR Unlined Green (Speed Whiskers) |
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Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Sep 13-Present |
TRA Designation |
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Partner Vehicle(s) |
Visited Railways |
East Lancashire Railway May 94 |
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Owner |
Cotswold Diesel Railcar Ltd |
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Website |
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Record Last Updated |
1 February 2024 |
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Preservation Modifications |
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Preservation Information However the 3-car set was disbanded in 1999 with all three receiving new homes. 51360 was moved to the Mid Norfolk Railway, purchased by Railcar Enterprises to be a much needed brake vehicle in the line's 108 set, which had been operating in DMCL-DTCL fomation (with no brake van). 51360 was later relocated to the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway in 2004 where it became the second DMU vehicle to arrive on the line. Re-launched into passenger service in May 2005, various restoration tasks have been completed between running, although a proper interior refurbishment will be required in the future. The roof, cab, chassis and guards van were repainted in 2009. In July 2011, the vehicle was revarnished. In 2013 the owner decided to sell the vehicle, which was bought quickly and relocated to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway in the autumn. On arrival, several outstanding tasks were undertaken, and the vehicle received engine repairs in Spring 2014 followed by interior stripping out to enable restoration work to take place. In August 2015, the vehicle was taken into the shed at Wincombe Carriage & Wagon Works for overhaul, as it had not received any major work for several years. One of the first tasks involved removing the 1980's wall coverings from the bulkheads which revealed original Formica under the glue in good condition. The seat frames were also prepared for repainting. On the exterior, some localised areas of corrosion and filler cracking were attended to followed by repairs to the cab front including removal of the 1990's headlight. The process of sanding down the bodysides was sarted with the white logos/numbers being the first to go. September saw more sanding/filling work, particularly to the cab end which also saw work done to the fibreglass headcode box to remove the blanking plate so glass could be fitted again in the future. The guards doors and surrounding areas required much in the way of steelwork repairs to allow then to open/close again properly. Work progressed enough for undercoat paint to start being applied to various areas. Patches on the roof were cleaned up and the whole roof then sanded down. On the interior, the first seat frames were painted (gloss black). During October the long process of bodyside sanding continued to progress, the rate of progress beng increased after the vehicle was relocated into the railway's paintshop. Several doors which were sticking shut received remedial attention, and many door edges had to be replaced as some were rotten beyond repair. New flooring was fitted to the interior and the insides of the doors had their old stickers/notices removed prior to repainting. The interior wooden window frames were sanded back and varnished. Work to repair the guards doors also continued and the ceilings in the guards compartment were repainted. November saw undercoat applied to the exterior, along with further prep work and filling. On the interior, repainting of the seat frames was completed whilst some of the rusty bodyside supporting framework was repainted. The areas above the luggage racks were cleaned down and repainted., as was the interior of the guards van. During December, the gloss painting was undertaken with the vehicle being transformed into fresh Rail Blue with yellow cab front. The solebar was repainted in black and the step boards replaced. The cab interior and ceiling was also repainted transforming its appearance. The luggage racks were cleaned and refitted into position. 51360 was returned to traffic in time for the 2016 running season, and substituted for 51363 in the main 3-car set when required. At the end of the 2017 running season, 51360 was turned the opposite way, to allow it to substitute for 51405 in the main 3-car set when required. It ran most services during the 2019 season as 51405 was spending an extended period of time out of traffic in the Carriage & Wagon works. Its return in 2020 allowed 51360 to be stood down once again from the main set. In 2021 the opportunity was taken to repair a long term bodywork issue on the corner of the cab which was a result of a quick repair during BR days after a collision. Much breaking filler was removed and repalced with proper shaped metal again before a patch repaint to finish off the repairs. In 2022, 51360 wasn't used and started receiving patches of green paint on the lower half of the bodysides. The repaint and other repairs continued into 2023 after which 51360 was returned to traffic, once again releasing 51405 from the 3-car running set for repairs. The vehicle emerged sporting early unlined green with speed whiskers, a very rare livery in preservation. |
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Future Plans |
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W51360 at Toddington having been reformed abck into the 3-car set following repairs and a repaint into early unlined green with speed whiskers, a very rare livery in preservation, 6/8/23. GWSR DMU Group |
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W51360 out of traffic at Toddington, 24/4/22. Chris Moxon |
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W51360 stabled at Toddington alongside other diesel traction, 23/2/20. GWSR DMU Group |
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W51360 working one of its final trains for the season before being stood down again as the "spare" powercar, 20/10/19. GWSR DMU Group |
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W51360 at Winchcombe waits for the passing steam hauled service to arrive, 11/7/19. Steve Beck |
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W51360 receives a wash and a brush up ready for the main season! 3/3/19. GWSR DMU Group |
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W51360, currently substituting for W51405, in service at Toddington, 10/3/18. Dave Henwood |
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W51360 being turned, on a lorry in the car park at Toddington. Allowing it to substitute for W51405, 19/9/17. Neil Carr |
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An unusual view of W51360 at Toddington from a secondman's perspective! 25/7/17. Kyle Baldwin |
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W51360 freshly outshopped, 5/1/16. Neil Carr |
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The final sections of blue being applied, 10/12/15. GWSR Carriage & Wagon |
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The cab end in top coat, 29/11/15. GWSR Carriage & Wagon |
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The first of the blue gloss is applied, 7/11/15. GWSR Carriage & Wagon |
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The cab end now in undercoat, 22/10/15. Neil Carr |
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Sanding down the bodysides, 2/10/15. GWSR Carriage & Wagon |
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The front end after the headlight had been removed, 1/9/15. GWSR Carriage & Wagon |
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51360 on arrival in the C&W workshops, 22/8/15. GWSR Carriage & Wagon |
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W51360/E59303/E50170 stabled at Wirksworth, 1/8/13. Frank Richards |
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W51360 seen stabled at Wirkswiorth on an Easter Monday, not required for that day's duties. At the time, the vehicle was formed with Class 101's E59303 & E50170, 1/4/13. Chris Moxon |
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W51360 seen stabled outside the shed at Wirksworth, 16/5/12. Nigel Gould |
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Corridor view of W51360 seen stabled outside the shed at Wirksworth, 16/5/12. Nigel Gould |
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51360 leads a Santa Special at Wirksworth. The vehicle, paired with 50599 is particularly suited to these duties due to the large brake vans used for the presents/refreshments etc, 9/12/11.Leigh Gration |
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W51360 at Wirksworth having been revarnished, 12/7/11. Leigh Gration |
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Stabled at Wirksworth during the 2009 Railcar Convention, 3/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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Closed, for the time being: a view of the remaining section of the EVR branch south of Idridgehay, which was as far as 51360 was running during the 2009 Railcar Convention, 3/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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Departing Idridgehay during the 2009 Railcar Convention, 3/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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Arriving into Idridgehay during the 2009 Railcar Convention, 3/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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Working with Class 122 55006, 30/11/08. Leigh Graton |
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51360 stabled at Wirksworth, 23/1/05. Leigh Gration |
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51360 undergoing restoration work at Dereham, 23/3/03. David Beardmore |
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51360 under restoration at Dereham. Martin Reeve |
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At the Mid Norfolk Railway, 16/9/01. Paul Moxon |
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51360, 51402 & 59490 stored at Crewe Brook Sidings, 31/5/99. Will Byrne |
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At the June 1994 East Lancs Railway Diesel Event, 51360 leads 59490, 51402 and 977842 (55032). Bill Read |
Interior
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Brake van view of W51360, 10/3/18. Dave Henwood |
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Cleaned up Formica at the rear of the vehicle, 19/12/15. GWSR Carriage & Wagon |
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Painting the new guards van ceilings, 1/12/15. GWSR Carriage & Wagon |
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Door interiors being repainted, 29/11/15. GWSR Carriage & Wagon |
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Repainted seat frames, 1/9/15. GWSR Carriage & Wagon |
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Removing old glue to reveal original Formica below, 25/8/15. GWSR Carriage & Wagon |
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A view of the new floor covering, 22/8/15. GWSR Carriage & Wagon |
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W51360's cab, drivers side, 1/4/13. Chris Moxon |
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W51360's cab, secondmans side, 1/4/13. Chris Moxon |
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W51360's guards van, 1/4/13. Chris Moxon |
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A new piece has been put into 51360's cab desk following repairs to the handbrake mechanism, 23/2/12. Leigh Gration |
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The view from the front salon of 51360, 3/7/11. Tony Hosking |
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View of the front saloon during the 2009 Railcar Convention, 3/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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View of the middle saloon during the 2009 Railcar Convention, 3/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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View of the guards van area during the 2009 Railcar Convention, 3/10/09. Chris Moxon |