51562 Class 108 Driving Motor Composite Lavatory
Home Railway |
Location History |
National Railway Museum (York) Jul 92-Present |
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Current Location |
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Current Status |
Static Display |
Visited Railways |
East Lancashire Railway Jan 11-Jul 14 |
Current Livery |
BR Blue (Full Yellow End) |
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East Kent Railway Jul 14-May 17 |
TRA Designation |
Allelys Heavy Haulage (storage) May 17-Aug 17 |
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Partner Vehicle(s) |
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Owner |
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Website |
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Record Last Updated |
1 September 2020 |
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Preservation Modifications |
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Preservation Information Preserved with partner 51922, the set arrived at the NRM under its own power, and was painted into green/blue (51562 being blue) to represent the livery variation that DMUs spend much of their working lives in. 51562 made its passenger debut in 1999 at a Thomas event. However, the NRM is primarily a museum, with only a very short demonstration line at its base in York. 51562 was therefore for many years operational but rarely run, settling into long periods of static display. After a period of 10 years (2001-2011) without any use, 51562 & 51922 were loaned to the East Lancs Railway, where it was recognised that the vehicle could play more useful role. A rapid mechanical restoration followed and the set operated for the first time in many years at their 2011 DMU Day in March. Immediately after the event, 51562 was withdrawn for further mechanical work, however the vehicle was back in traffic for the Thomas event in August. Between August 2011 and July 2014, 51562 operated infrequently with 51922, most commonly being seen in use during special events. Minor restoration work and maintenance was undertaken on a rolling basis ensuring the vehicle remained in traffic. The resident DMU group decided that they were unable to maintain 51562 long term so it was offered to other railways seeking to expand their fleets. The East Kent Railway wanted a second set to supplement their Class 101, and 51562 was moved in July 2014. 51562 & 51922entered service immediately and operated most of the passenger services on the line for almost three years. During 2017 the railway took a new direction away from First Generation DMU's and disbanded its fleet. 51562 was therefore promptly returned to its owners at the National Railway Museum. The vehicle spent a period in storage at a haulage yard before arriving at York during the summer. 51562 was stored for a time outside the museum buildings, but was later moved undercover inside the diesel tent for a period on static display. In August 2020 51562/51922 were moved by rail (a rare occurrence for a first generation DMU) via Holgate sidings at York from the museum's south yard round to the "Great Hall" side of the complex. NRM officials suggested that the move was to better place the vehicles for restoration work to be undertaken. |
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Future Plans |
Interior