51941 Class 108 Driving Motor Brake Second

Home Railway

Severn Valley Railway

Location History

Severn Valley Railway Mar 91-Present

Current Location

Severn Valley Railway

 

 

Current Status

Operational

Visited Railways

Worcester (open day) May 93

Current Livery

BR Green (Speed Whiskers)

 

 

TRA Designation

4

   

Partner Vehicle(s)

52064 & 59250

 

 

Owner

DMU Group West Midlands

 

 

Website

www.svr-dmu.org.uk

   

Record Last Updated

10 March 2024

   

Preservation Modifications
None, however a generator was fitted in the guard's van during the vehicle's early years in preservation. The area was re-converted back into a guard's van in 2011.

Preservation Information
51941 was withdrawn from BR service in November 1990 and was saved by the embryonic DMU Group West Midlands, the vehicle moving to their base at the Severn Valley Railway the following year with partner 52064. The two car set was moved from Doncaster to Kidderminster (SVR) by rail via Tyseley. 51941 & 52064 were almost immediately fit for traffic and entered service in October 1991 having been re-liveried into original Green livery.

In 1992 the set was increased to 3 cars with the entry to traffic of 59250.

In 2004, 51941 participated in the very successful Railcar50 event, operating as a 5-car Class 108 which included all of the SVR 108 vehicles. The highlight was a 12 car special which was the longest DMU formation ever to operate in preservation.

In 2006, 51941 went into Kidderminster carriage works for lifting to enable replacement of a vacuum brake cylinder.

In May 2011, 51941 was withdrawn from traffic for a contracted overhaul. The work was awarded to Bewdley Carriage & Wagon, who had previously outshopped DMBS 50933 to a high standard. Mechanical work included major maintenance to engines, brakes and associated systems. Internally, the rear of the vehicle was re-converted back into a guard’s area. Externally the vehicle received bodywork repairs to the cab end, corridor end and guards doors. This work included a full repaint into green. The roof was also reriveted and repainted, and the corridr connection rebuilt. The vehicle was outshopped in mid October and soon returned to service.

Prior to the start of the 2019 running season, an engineering inspection of the Class 108 vehicles based on the SVR led to the whole fleet being withdrawn from service until mechanical repairs had been undertaken, specifically to the bogies and running gear. With resources only available to repair one vehicle at a time, 51941 was stored out of use until it could be dealt with.

In November 2022, 51941 reached the top of the queue of vehicles to be rectified, and was lifted off its bogies at Kidderminster and temporarily placed on some spare accomodation bogies, the originals then being sent away to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for a contract mechanical overhaul.

Exactly a year later the bogies were returned and refitted to 51941 which was able to be reassembled and the vehicle tested.

After five years out of traffic, 51941 made a much welcomed return to service in December 2023 paired in a 2-car set with 52064. This was the key which unlocked a return to service of a complete set on the Severn Valley and heralded the first major milestone in the recovery scheme following the 2019 mass withdrawal.

After only two months, centre car 59250 rejoined the set returning it to three cars once again.

51941 continues to operate services on the SVR as a 3-car set.

Future Plans
The general recovery of the whole SVR fleet following the mass withdrawal in 2019 is a long road, and it is hoped that 51941 will in time receive a repaint to reverse the cosmetically negative effects of its five year period in store.

 

M51941/E59250/E52064 exits the viaduct at Bewdley and rolls into the station, 6/24. Kenny Felstead

   

M51941 awaits departure from Bridgnorth on the 10:30 to Kidderminster. For this day the vehicle carried a "Railcar 70" headboard marking 70 years since the first Derby Lightweights entered service on BR and 20 years since the famous "Railcar50" super-gala was held at the Severn Valley, 2/3/24. Chris Moxon

   

M51941/E52064 back in passenger service fopr the first time in several years, 29/12/23. Darren JB

   

M51941 being lifted off its bogies inside the diesel shed at Kidderminster, 5/11/22. Mark Miller

   

M51941 at the head of a mis-matched formation inside the carriage shed at Kidderminster. M51941 (along with the other three vehicles behind it) had sadly spent the whole of the 2019 season out of service awaiting repairs, 5/10/19. Mark Miller

   

M51941 in its usual haunt the Bewdley Rock Siding, 26/6/18. Mark Miller

   

M51941 leads a 3-car set at Bridgnorth, 27/2/16. Robin Harrison

   

M51941 in an unusual corner at Bridgnorth, 1/11/15. Richard Hargreaves

   

A rare image of M51941 separated from other vehicles at Bewdley, 2/4/15. Kevin Gale

   

M51941/NE59250/M52064 near Bewdley, 10/3/14. DMU Group (West Midlands)

   

51941 leads a full 5 car set between Bewdley & Kidderminster, 3/4/13. Ben Darby

   

M51941/NE59250/M52064 stand at Kidderminster with the 11:44 Kidderminster-Bewdley during the diesel gala, 6/10/12. Chris Moxon

   

M51941 split from the set at Bewdley, 17/4/11. Stuart Axe

   

51941 at Bridgnorth during the 2010 Railcar Convention Fish & Chip special, 9/10/10. Chris Moxon

   

51941 passing 55020 at Bewdley during the 2010 Railcar Convention, 8/10/10. Chris Moxon

   

51941 in multiple with 55006 at Kidderminster during the 2010 Railcar Convention, 8/10/10. Chris Moxon

   

51941 passing 55006 at Highley during the 2010 Railcar Convention, 7/10/10. Chris Moxon

   

51941 at Highley during the 2010 Railcar Convention, 7/10/10. Chris Moxon

   

51941 at Highley during the 2010 Railcar Convention, 7/10/10. Chris Moxon

   

51941 leads a 4-car formation at Bewdley, 13/2/10. Rob Phillips

   

51941 arriving into Arley, 13/2/10. Rob Phillips

   

51941 stabled at Bewdley, 10/10/09. David Beardmore

   

51941 stabled in the rock siding at Bewdley, 26/4/08. Brian Battersby

   

Seen at Arley, 16/10/04. Gazza Prescott

   

51941, 59250 & 52064 at Bewdley, 2/10/04. Simon Edwards

   

In the Rock Sidings at Bewdley, 14/4/01. Stuart Mackay

   

51941, 59250 & 52064 at Bewdley, 18/6/94. David McGuire

   

51941 on display at the Worcester open day event, 2/5/93. Nick Blyth

   

51941 & 52064 seen very soon after entering traffic, 19/10/91. Tony Willmore

   

51941 & 52064 soon after arrival into preservation, 14/7/91. Tony Willmore

 

Interior

 

The cab (drivers side) inside M51941, 2/3/24. Chris Moxon

   

The cab (secondmans side) inside M51941, 2/3/24. Chris Moxon

   

The front saloon inside M51941, 2/3/24. Chris Moxon

   

The middle saloon inside M51941, 2/3/24. Chris Moxon

   

The guards van inside M51941, 2/3/24. Chris Moxon

   

View of the front saloon, taken during the Railcar50 event, October 04. Mathew Hawley

   

View of the middle saloon, taken during the Railcar50 event, October 04. Mathew Hawley