52029 Class 107 Driving Motor Composite Lavatory

Home Railway	Fife Heritage Railway	Location History	Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway May 93-Sep 02
Current Location	Fife Heritage Railway		Private Site: MOD Llangennech (Storage) Sep 02-Oct 02
Current Status	Stored		Cardiff Cathays Depot (Storage) Oct 02-Dec 05
Current Livery	Strathclyde		Private Site: MOD Llangennech (Storage) Dec 05-Nov 07
TRA Designation	5		Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway Nov 07-Sep 15
Partner Vehicle(s)	None		Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Sep 15-Jun 22
Owner	Fife Heritage Railway		Fife Heritage Railway Jun 22-Present
Website	fifeheritagerailway.co.uk
Record Last Updated	16 November 2024
Preservation Modifications None
Preservation Information 52029 was withdrawn in October 1992 and was preserved th following year by the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway, where it was intended to convert the vehicle into an observation saloon. The vehicle was put into store in awaiting the resources for the conversion. The conversion work was never undertaken and 52029's condition worsened. In 2002, the railway declared the vehicle surplus to requirements and it was sold to the Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway. The new owners initially stored 52029 at Cardiff Cathays depot before relocating to a private site at Llangennech, the vehicle finally moving to their main site at Cynheidre in 2007. By 2007, 52029 had relocated to its main home the Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway at Cynheidre. After arriving at the LMMR 52029 received some limited restoration work and spent much of its time stored undercover in the shed at Cynheidre to prevent its condition worsening. However fellow residents 51354 & 51396 were in better condition so resources focused on these other vehicles over 52029. However in March 2015 the vehicle was offered for sale as it was felt its restoration was unable to be taken on by the railway who had transferred restoration efforts onto Class 122 55019. Some enquiries were received but the railway took the vehicle off the market after only a month and returned it to storage. In a further U turn, the vehicle was indeed sold later that year, and moved to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway for restoration. Initial assessments were encouraging with the vehicle proving watertight as winter weather set in. Mechanical restoration work was started immediately and in September 2015 an engine was started for the first time in many years. Due to heavy involvement with other vehicles, restoration on 52029 was slow but steady for a while, before the group's commitments overtook and the restoration of 52029 was halted in order to focus on the restoratuion of Class 122 55003. 52029 was then stored for a further five years before its owners decided it was surplus to requirements following a review of their fleet. It was put up for sale ane eventually bought by the Fife Heritage Railway. The Fife Heritage Railway returned 52029 to Scotland in June 2022 when they moved their new purchase to their base. Restoration work started immediately with cleaning of the interior, mechanical assessment and exterior painting. The remainder of the year was spent cleaning down much of the exterior and applying grey primer. Internally, some early works commenced including removal of some rotten flooring for replacement. During 2023 the restoration unfortunately stalled whilst resources were directed to other projects, including an innovative restoration shed for 52029 (and other vehicles) constructed using shipping containers covered by a large canopy. Limited assessment work on the vehicle's engines progressed during 2024 but the vehicle itself remained stored.
Future Plans 52029 is to be restored to passenger carrying use to allow it to be used as a loco hauled push/pull trailer with the railway's vacuum braked industrial steam and diesel locos.

	SC52029 awaiting restoration to restart, 17/8/24. Ken Jones

	SC52029 sits in a new undercover space under construction, intended to allow its restoration to restart, 2024. Fife Heritage Railway

	Many areas having been cleaned and primed during the summer months, 26/9/22. Adam Clark

	SC52029 shortly after arriving into the compound at Kirkland yard, 6/6/22. Adam Clark

	SC52029 on the final approach to new home the Fife Heritage Railway, 6/6/22. Adam Clark

	SC52029 attracted much interest whilst being transported from Toddington to Kirkland, 6/6/22. Steven Carty

	A corridor end view of stored SC52029 at Toddington, 24/4/22. Chris Moxon

	SC52029 stored at Toddington, available for sale, 25/9/21. Darren JB

	SC52029 leads a long row of vehicles trapped at Toddington during the Covid 19 "lockdown" measures, 1/6/20. GWSR DMU Group

	SC52029 at Toddington, 24/3/18. Chris Walker

	SC52029, stored at Toddington with 51372 behind, 28/7/17. Mark Miller

	A corridor end view of SC52029, 18/10/15. Chris Walker

	SC52029 undergoing mechanical restoration, 9/9/15. GWSR Carriage & Wagon Blog

	SC52029 arriving at it new home at Toddington, 17/8/15. Ian Butler

	SC52029 stored at Cynheidre awaiting restoraion, 5/7/11. Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway

	SC52029 stored inside the shed at Cynheidre with the line's Class 117 on the left, 6/2/11. Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway

	SC52029 in store at Llangennech, 3/5/07. Royston Morris

	SC52029 in store at Haverthwaite, where it was kept for 10 years awaiting conversion into an observation saloon, 24/6/00. Stuart Mackay