51655 Class 115 Driving Motor Brake Second
Home Railway |
Location History |
Lavender Line May 93-May 98 |
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Current Location |
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Epping & Ongar Railway May 98-Jun 03 |
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Current Status |
Stored |
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Barry Island RailwayJun 03-11 |
Current Livery |
BR Green (Half Yellow Panel) |
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Private Site: Kingsbury (Storage) 11-Aug 12 |
TRA Designation |
Private Site: Perth Aug 12-14 |
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Partner Vehicle(s) |
None |
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Private Site: Rosyth Dock 14-Present |
Owner |
Thomas Muir Ltd |
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Website |
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Record Last Updated |
1 October 2022 |
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Preservation Modifications |
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Preservation Information Little is known about the vehicle whilst at the Lavender Line however the set was reportedly available for driver experience course in 1996, so the set was known to be operational at that point. Around May 1998 the set was sold and relocated to the Epping & Ongar Railway. Again reports on 51655 whilst there are vague. There was a plan in 2000 for the vehicle to be moved to the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre with partner 51677, and a single unit created out of the two vehicles, by cutting the cab from one and attaching it to the brake end of the other. The remains of the cabless vehicle were to provide spares. The plan was not however persued. In 2003 the vehicle changed hands again, purchased by Carl Hookings who wished to restore and operate the unit at the Barry Island Railway. Much restoration work was completed and the vehicle was repainted into BR Green. In May 2004 the vehicle made its passenger debut at Barry, as a 3-car set with (newly acquired for the purpose) TCL 59664 and DMBS 51677. 2004-2008 saw the set operating services on the Barry Island Railway. In 2008, the lease on the Barry Island Railway was terminated, and the DMU fleet of three sets was disbanded. The whole 3-car set was put up for sale, but although TCL 59664 found a new home, there were sadly no takers for 51655. By February 2011, with no forthcoming sale, 51655 was sold to scrap merchants EMR and moved to their Kingsbury site. However, the company decided not to immediately cut up the vehicle as it was in far from scrap condition. A buyer was eventually found in August 2012. Squirrel Self Store, a self storage firm based in Perth, purchased the vehicle for additional office space at their Arran Road base, and 51655 was split from its partner 51677 and moved to its new home where it was displayed undercover. The move was to prove disasterous however with the new owners going to administration in 2014. 51655 was moved to the docks at Rosyth on the Firth of Forth and was soon sighted in a compound believed to be associated with scrap metal merchants. Although considered to be at risk, more information later emerged suggesting the vehicle had been retained by the recycling firm Thomas Muir Ltd, who following contact in 2021 confirmed that 51655 was still in the same condition as arrived in 2014. 51655 is currently sitting on an isolated section of track, presumably in storage but in reasonable condition. Remember that 51655 is in a restricted area not accessible to enthusiasts. |
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Future Plans |
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51655 stored at Thomas Muir's, 21/7/22. Lewis Parry |
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51655 stored on the docks at Rosyth, 8/17. |
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51655 newly arrived undercover at its new home in Perth where it will be an office, 8/12. Squirrel Self Store |
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51655 newly arrived undercover at its new home in Perth where it will be an office, 8/12. Squirrel Self Store |
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51655 & 51677 in store at Barry Island whilst for sale, 17/3/11. Alfred Roberts |
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51655, in store at Barry and for sale, 6/6/10. David Beardmore |
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51655, 59664 & 51677 pass the Class 117 set, 22/9/07. Amy Adams |
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51655, 59664 & 51677 stabled at Barry. Unfortunately it failed just before it was used at a Transport Festival that weekend, 10/6/06. Martin Sprigg |
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51655, 59664 & 51677 stabled at Barry, 11/6/05. Simon Edwards |
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51655, 59664 & 51677 stabled at Barry, 12/6/04. Simon Edwards |
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51655, part way through a repaint at Barry shed, 23/11/03. Stuart Mackay |