56223 Class 108 Driving Trailer Composite Lavatory
Home Railway |
Location History |
Southall Railway Centre Jan 94-Apr 98 |
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Current Location |
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East Anglian Railway Museum Apr 98-Feb 10 |
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Current Status |
Operational |
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Current Livery |
BR Multiple Unit Green (Speed Whiskers) |
Visited Railways |
Keith & Dufftown Railway Mar 00-06 |
TRA Designation |
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Llangollen Railway Feb 10-Present |
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Partner Vehicle(s) |
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Owner |
Diesel Unit Preservation Associates Limited |
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Website |
None |
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Record Last Updated |
8 July 2023 |
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Preservation Modifications |
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Preservation Information By 1995 the set was giving passenger rides. However in 1997 the set was sold to Diesel Unit Preservation Associates Limited (DUPA) following the forced public closure of the Southall site. 56223 was moved the following year to the East Anglian Railway Museum where it joined a growing fleet of Class 108 vehicles. However the size of the fleet combined with the EARM's small running line resulted in 50628 not seeing much use. The vehicle, still paired with 50628, was put on loan to the then embryonic Keith & Dufftown Railwayin 2000, where it ran the opening train. As part of the celebrations, the vehicle was named "Spirit of Speyside". When DUPA decided to downsize their Class 108 fleet to one 2-car set they wished to retain two matching early build vehicles at the EARM. To facilitate this, 56223 was recalled from its loan to the Keith & Dufftown Railway and returned to the EARM to join 50599 in 2006, being one of the two vehicles selected to be retained. 56223 lost its "Spirit of Speyside" name. Further restoration work was undertaken on the vehicle at the EARM including a repaint into original Multiple Unit Green livery. The vehicle was partnered with 50599 and returned to traffic, but due to mechanical issues with the latter was also to be seen in traffic with Class 101 51213. In 2010, 56223 was separated from 50599 and put on loan to the Llangollen Railway where it replaced Class 105 DTCL 56456 to allow the latter to be withdrawn for a rebuild. 56223 was launched into Llangollen Railway traffic in June 2010 with new partner Class 127 DMBS 51618. 2011 saw the second class seats reupholstered and a public address system fitted. This was followed in 2012 by reupholstery of the first class seating. For the summer of 2018, 56223 was reformed on a temporary basis to run with Class 104 50454. This was allow repairs to be undertaken on both vehicles' partners: 51618 and 50528 respectively, also showing the flexibility that common multiple working systems can give. The repairs to 51618 were to take a lot longer than 50528's, so whilst the sets were returned to normal a few months afterwards, 56223 then went into a period of lesser use whilst 51618 remained in the depot, although the set was put out for some key events. This pattern of occasional use would continue for several more years whilst repairs to 51618 continued. Sadly 56223 was the victim of a graffiti attack in August 2021 and had to receive some attention to reverse the damage. The withdrawal of Class 104 50528 for bodywork repairs and the failure of Class 109 50416 in 2021 led to 56223 seeing much more regular use formed in a hybrid set with Class 104 50454. During this period the usual fleet of four sets was down to two. 2022 was a particularly busy year with 56223 doing its share of over 9,000 miles of running at the railway, which post-Covid had been using DMU's more than ever before. October 2022 saw Class 104 50454 reunited with its regular partner rendering 56223 as spare once again. |
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Future Plans |
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M56223 calling at Berwyn, 7/7/23, Joel Whitaker |
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M56223's bodyside following a graffiti attack at Pentrefelin, 28/8/21. Llangollen Railcars |
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M56223/M51618 running specially for the railcar gala, ready to work the 10:50 Llangollen-Carrog. The heavy bodywork repairs being undertaken on M51618 meant that this was one of a only a few days that year that the two were running together, 14/9/19. Chris Moxon |
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M56223 departs Llangollen bound for Pentrefelin depot, during its brief period running in a hybrid set with Class 104 DMBS M50454, 3/6/18. Chris Moxon |
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M56223/M51618 just outside of Carrog working the 10:42 Carrog-Corwen shuttle service, 4/6/17. Chris Moxon |
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M56223 brings up the rear of a 4-car formation during shunting at Pentrefelin, 18/10/15. Peter Dickinson |
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M56223 during a driver experience run at Llangollen, 2/10/14. Chris Moxon |
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M56223/M51618 in service at Glyndyfrdwy, 6/7/14. Neil Jones |
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M56223 & E56171 share Petrefelin depot, 23/3/14. Peter Dickinson |
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M56223/M51618 stabled at Pentrefelin, 30/12/13. Llangollen Railcar Group |
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56223 at Llangollen on Thomas duty, 6/8/12.Llangollen Railcar Group |
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56223 approaches Glyndyfrdwy, 23/7/12.Llangollen Railcar Group |
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56223 at Glyndyfrdwy during the Railcar Gala, 24/6/12. Chris Moxon |
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56223 at Carrog during the Railcar Gala, 24/6/12. Chris Moxon |
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At Llangollen the season has got off to a flying start with the "Thomas" event, which requires three units to be out in traffic on each of the seven days that the event takes place. At the weekends 56223/51618 set works on its own as "Daisy", seen here at Berwyn while working one of the eight shuttle services which it undertook during the weekend, 12/2/12. Llangollen Railcar Group |
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David Kynaston, local artist, is seen fixing the new "Daisy" face to 56223. It has been painted to match the character from the book by Mr Kynaston, 31/7/11. Llangollen Railcar Group |
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56223 at Carrog forming a comparison with later build Class 108 56490. Llangollen Railcar Group |
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Seen here at Carrog Station on its first day of service at the Llangollen Railway. M56223 is coupled to class 127 M51618 which has been repainted to match it, 26/6/10. Llangollen Railcar Group |
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On each day 56223 headed a six-car set on a Carrog to Llangollen run, 26/6/10. Llangollen Railcar Group |
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56223 stands at Llangollen on its first day in traffic on the line, during the 2010 Railcar Gala, 26/6/10. Chris Moxon |
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56223, paired with Class 101 DMBS 51213, in operation on the demonstration line at the East Anglian Railway Museum during Railcar Convention weekend, 26/10/08. Chris Moxon |
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56223, paired with Class 101 DMBS 51213, in operation on the demonstration line at the East Anglian Railway Museum during Railcar Convention weekend, 26/10/08. Chris Moxon |
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56223, paired with Class 101 DMBS 51213, in operation on the demonstration line at the East Anglian Railway Museum during Railcar Convention weekend, 26/10/08. Chris Moxon |
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View of 56223's underframe at the East Anglian Railway Museum during Railcar Convention weekend, 26/10/08. Chris Moxon |
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56223 at the East Anglian Railway Museum, 23/8/07. Andy Neil |
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56223 & 51213 on Thomas duty at Chappel, 30/8/06. Andy Cole |
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56223 in service at Keith Town, 26/6/01.John Carter |
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56223 during the opening ceremony of the Keith & Dufftown Railway, 8/7/00. Stuart Mackay |
Interior
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The retrimmed first class seating has been fitted in 56223. The fabric chosen is a semi-contemporary design which gives the saloon an upmarket appearance. This is the fifth first class saloon which has been refurbished on the Llangollen Railway, the upgrades for which were paid for by charging a £1 supplement for travel, 6/2/12. Llangollen Railcar Group |
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A Public Address system has been fitted to 56223. This involved dropping all the light covers down and working in the trunking which had been installed within them. This installation has required the manufacture of some glass fibre speaker housings which fit neatly between the flourescent lights, 9/10/11. Llangollen Railcar Group |
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A further delivery of seats from the upholsterer have been immediately fitted to 56223, which completes the second class section of the vehicle, 22/8/11. Llangollen Railcar Group |
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Llangollen Railcars decided to recover the seating in 56223 during 2011. This view shows the first of the completed seats, fitted out in the rear saloon. This image can be compared directly with one further down the page showing the same saloon during 2008, 20/6/11. Llangollen Railcar Group |
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View of the cab, drivers side, 26/10/08. Chris Moxon |
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View of the cab, secondmans side, 26/10/08. Chris Moxon |
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View of the first class saloon, 26/10/08. Chris Moxon |
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View of the middle saloon, 26/10/08. Chris Moxon |
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View of the rear saloon, 26/10/08. Chris Moxon |