51909 Class 108 Driving Motor Brake Second

Home Railway

East Somerset Railway

Location History

Private Site: MOD Long Marston Mar 94-Nov 11

Current Location

East Somerset Railway

Midsomer Norton Nov 11-Oct 13

Current Status

Operational

East Somerset Railway Oct 13-Present

Current Livery

BR Blue (Half Yellow Panel)

TRA Designation

4

Partner Vehicle(s)

56271

Owner

Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

Website

facebook.com/TheMendipTractionandRollingStockGroup

Record Last Updated

9 July 2024

Preservation Modifications
The middle saloon has had seating alterations and tables fitted, which reduced the seating capacity by 5. Various mechanical/operational improvements have been made to the original design, particularly in the crew areas. These modifications have included more modern electrical windscreen wiper motors, LED cluster style marker head/tail lights with a high intensity option for running in the dark and more modern control buttons etc on the drivers desk.

Preservation Information
51909 & 56271 were withdrawn in July 1993 and bought the following year as a set by the Bitton Diesel Group for a proposed off-peak service on the Avon Valley Railway, expected to start in 1996 when the extension to the River Avon was to open.

This service did not immediately materialise, in the mean time 51909 was stored with much of the railway’s other reserved stock at the Ministry of Defence’s Long Marston site.

When a DMU service was finally introduced in 2008, 51909 & 56271 were found to be in poor condition, so a Class 107 set was hired to fulfil the role instead, 51909 therefore continued to be stored at Long Marston with an uncertain future.

However 2011 saw a surprise revival for the vehicle, in the form of a long term loan agreement with the growing Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust, who were seeking a DMU to provide passenger trains at their expanding railway at Midsomer Norton.

51909 saw rapid restoration progress both before and after the move in November 2011, with the tired graffiti stricken livery replaced by green primer along with repairs to the cab. By December the vehicle was moving under its own power and was in use for driver training and Santa Specials.

In 2012 & 2013, 51909 & 56271 were operating the passenger services at Midsomer Norton.

In May 2013, 51909's primer was finally coated with BR green gloss complimented by a (non authentic) white bodyside stripe. The chassis was also repainted black and the bufferbeams red.

September 2013 saw the vehicle sold and moved to the East Somserset Railway, where overhaul work was quickly started. 51909's middle saloon seats were reconfigured to include facing seating "bays". Tables were also fitted.

In 2014, 51909 received a full mechanical exam and undertook its first test runs on the ESR in January, with interior work including the repainting of the seat frames. In April, the vehicle operated its first passenger services on the line, and continued to operate on several weekends. However in September restoration work restarted with the two passenger saloons being stripped out before the heater ducting was restored, bulkheads repainted, new lino fitted and perhaps most significantly, the corridor end was fully rebuilt with new metal replacing severe corrosion and a new refurbished gangway fitted.

At the end of the 2019 running season 51909 was withdrawn for the long awaited contract bodywork and repainting. The group spent the winter dismantling the cab fittings and doing as much preparation work as possible on the vehicle, after which in March 2020 it was moved undercover for rapid metal replacement. This was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, which put the schedule out to later in the year, nevertheless the work was completed by the August when the vehicle was outshopped in BR early blue with half yellow panel to match partner 56271 (which had already been treated 12 months earlier). The remainder of the year was spent "replumbing" all the cab electrics and fittings which had to be disturbed during the work - this was not at the expense of any running days as the railway was shut that year in any case.

In November 2023, 51909 was taken back into the shed to repaint the end and one side following a failure of the original paint. This was done rapidly and the vehicle returned one month later.

51909 & 56271 continue to regularly operate services at the East Somerset Railway and the group are always active introducing new improvements to the vehicle.

Future Plans
To maintain in service.

M51909/M56271 just outside Cranmore working driver experiences, 29/6/24. Chris Moxon

M51909 at Cranmore during a Burger & Beer evening. It was also carrying the Railcar 70 anniversary headboard, 29/6/24. Chris Moxon

M51909/M56271 at Mendip Vale during a Burger & Beer evening. It was also carrying the Railcar 70 anniversary headboard, 29/6/24. Chris Moxon

51909/56271 at Cranmore working a Branch Line Society charter around as much unusual track on the site as possible, 22/3/24. Jason Smith

51909 inside the shed having failed paintwork on one side and one end rectified, 15/11/23. The Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

51909/56271 stabled at Cranmore, 15/8/21. Keith Vincer

Newly painted 51909 (right) coupled cab-to-cab with partner 56271 for a change, during works to "replumb" the control gear back into 51909, 13/8/20.The Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

A corridor end view of the completed 51909, 4/8/20.The Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

With the Covid-19 lockdown relaxed for workers, contract restoration on 51909 has continued, the vehicle now up to undercoat, 3/7/20. The Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

In just a few weeks, 51909's newcab front was essentially fitted, 20/3/20. The Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

51909 stipped of components and ready to head undercover for contract bodywork and repainting, 2/3/20. The Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

A particularly fine view of 51909 in service with a recently repainted 56271. 51909 is due for the same treatment in 2020. Paul Weston

51909/56271 at journey's end, 17/10/18. Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

51909/56271 in service on the East Somerset Railway, 18/6/17. Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

51909, separated from its partner between running days, at Cranmore, 4/9/16. Chris Moxon

51909/56271 stabled at Cranmore, 14/3/15. Ian Stoate

51909 with its corridor connection removed to allow steelwork repairs to be made, 3/10/14. Tom Bailey

51909/56271, undergoing final test runs on the East Somserset Railway, 16/4/14. Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

51909, on an inspection pit for the first time in many years, being examined for a return to service on the East Somserset Railway, 14/1/14. Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group

51909, now at the East Somerset Railway, 22/12/13. Nigel Gould

51909 & 56271 stabled at Midsomer Norton, 29/9/12. Daniel Deacon

51909 having received some green primer and restoration work, 4/9/11. Tony Tranter

51909 in storage at Long Marston, 7/6/08.  Chris Moxon

51909 in storage at Long Marston, 9/6/07. Simon Edwards

51909 in storage at Long Marston, 3/9/06. Simon Edwards

M51909's cab, drivers side, 29/6/24. Chris Moxon

M51909's cab, secondmans side, 29/6/24. Chris Moxon

M51909's front saloon, 29/6/24. Chris Moxon

M51909's mid saloon, 29/6/24. Chris Moxon

The wheelchair accessible converted section inside M51909, formerly part of the guards van, 29/6/24. Chris Moxon

The wheelchair accessible converted section inside M51909, formerly part of the guards van, 29/6/24. Chris Moxon

M51909's guards van, 29/6/24. Chris Moxon

M51909's guards van, 29/6/24. Chris Moxon

Rearranged seating and new tables fitted to the middle saloon, 17/11/13.Mendip Traction & Rolling Stock Group