55031 Class 121 Driving Motor Brake Second

Home Railway	Ecclesbourne Valley Railway	Location History	Barry Island Railway Feb 14-Sep 14
Current Location	Ecclesbourne Valley Railway		Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Sep 14-Present
Current Status	Stored
Current Livery	Network Rail Yellow
TRA Designation	5
Owner	Chris Lings
Website	evrdmugroup.wix.com
Record Last Updated	12 November 2024
Preservation Modifications None although the vehicle was heavily modified in departmental service.
Preservation Information 55031 operated in mainline passenger services into the early 2000's with Silverlink on the Bedford-Bletchley line. In common with many of the single units, 55031 was latterly converted to a departmental vehicle numbered 977976 around 2003. Used by Network Rail as an emergency train for the Severn Tunnel, its bodywork was heavily altered for this purpose. After being deemed surplus to requirements, 55031 was purchased as a spare parts donor by Arriva trains and was heavily stripped before passing into preservation at the Barry Island Railway in 2014. In April 2014 the vehicle, which had been inspected by the new owners, was put up for sale after realisation that restoration was financially not viable for them. In September of that year a sale had been agreed and 55031 moved to the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway where it became a stores coach. A decline in the overall fleet at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway weakened 55031's position there, and many parts were removed to help other DMU restorations around the UK.
Future Plans It is expected 55031 will be disposed of once its use as a stores vehicle and parts donor has been fulfilled.

	55031 in the yard at Wirksworth, having surrendered further spare parts to other projects, 25/7/24. Kevin Dowd

	55031, partially sheltered by the overbridge, stored next to the sheds at Wirksworth, 4/7/21. Ken Jones

	55031 gets ever mossier stored at Wirksworth, 15/8/20. Dave Bickley

	977976 stored at Wirksworth, 26/4/19. Darren JB

	977976 stored at Wirksworth, 28/9/15. Chris Moxon

	977976 stored at Wirksworth, 6/6/15. Chris Moxon

	977976 shortly after arrival at Wirksworth, 9/14. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway DMU Group

	977976, just after arrival at Barry Island from Cardiff Canton, is shunted into the shed, 7/2/14. Nick Wilcock

Interior

The vastly modified interior, 9/14. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway DMU Group