56484 Class 108 Driving Trailer Composite Lavatory

Home Railway

Poulton & Wyre Railway

Location History

Peak Rail Apr 93-Jun 08

Current Location

Poulton & Wyre Railway

Midland Railway Butterley Jun 08-Mar 20

Current Status

Under Restoration

Poulton & Wyre Railway Mar 20-Present

Current Livery

BR Blue & Grey

TRA Designation

4

Partner Vehicle(s)

51937

Owner

Poulton & Wyre Railway Society

Website

pwrd.org

Record Last Updated

1 January 2022

Preservation Modifications
None

Preservation Information
Preserved at Peak Rail in the early 1990s with partner 51937 along with three other Class 108 units. It seems that this unit remained in storage there for nearly 15 years, however in June 2008 the two car unit was moved to the Midland Railway to become part of the DMU Group fleet there, with financial contribution from a private individual. Interestingly, when based at Tyseley Depot, shortly before withdrawal, 56484 was formed in set T027 with Class 114 vehicle 53019 which was also based at Butterley in preservation.

However no restoration was undertaken of note apart from the reinstatement of a few missing items and some repairs to interior panelling, as work initially concentrated on 56484's partner 51937. Meanwhile 56484 was stored in the infamous "DMU headshunt" at Butterley. Further subsequent changes in circumstances resulted in the the vehicle being sold in 2015 as the resources to undertake the its restoration would not be available.

The new owner was announced in November 2015 as the Poulton & Wyre Railway Society who had been give a match funded grant of £5,000 from Wyre Borough Council to purchase rolling stock for its new preserved railway between Poulton and Fleetwood in Lancashire.

Some limited "restoraion work" was carried out in the late 2010's but in reality this was limited to stripping out much of the seating, with most resources being directed towards powercar 51937.

March 2020 saw 56484 finally arrive at its new home despite being purchased some five years previously, in a part restored state.

August 2020 saw the restoration work start in earnest, with the rear bufferbeam being stripped and repainted. The same treatment was later given to the solebars, underframe equipment boxes and outside frames of the bogies which greatly improved the vehicle's whole underframe appearence. This particular project was completed by October.

Future Plans
The Poulton & Wyre Railway have plans to complete the restoration to passenger carrying condition after which 56484 should be capable to run the railway's first passenger trains.

56484's restoration is progressing very well at Thornton, 25/9/21. Aaron Browning

The complete project to clean down and repaint the bogies, all underframe equipment an bogie outser side frames has been completed, 26/10/20. Poulton & Wyre Railway

M54484's cab end rubbed down and etch primed, 25/10/20. Poulton & Wyre Railway

Equipment boxes on M54484's underframe stripped and repainted, 28/8/20. Poulton & Wyre Railway

Solebar cleaning and painting has been completed on M54484, 25/8/20. Poulton & Wyre Railway

The first serious restoraion work undertken on M54484 was the cleaning off and repainting of the rear bufferbeam, 2/8/20. Poulton & Wyre Railway

M54484 arriving at its new home, 3/20. Poulton & Wyre Railway

M54484 stored at Swanwick whilst contract work progreses on partner 51937, 17/3/19. Chris Moxon

M54484 stored in the DMU siding at Butterley, 11/9/11. Chris Moxon

M54484 stored at Butterley, 23/5/10. David Beardmore

Stored in the north siding at Butterley awaiting its turn for restoration, 1/09. Eddie Knorn

M54484 at Peak Rail shortly after arriving into preservation, 1/6/93. Chris Lings

The cab area of 54484, before moving to the Poulton & Wyre Railway for further restoration work, 17/3/19. Chris Moxon

The cab area of 54484, before moving to the Poulton & Wyre Railway for further restoration work, 17/3/19. Chris Moxon

The first class saloon of 54484, before moving to the Poulton & Wyre Railway for further restoration work, 17/3/19. Chris Moxon

The middle saloon of 54484, before moving to the Poulton & Wyre Railway for further restoration work, 17/3/19. Chris Moxon

The rear saloon of 54484, before moving to the Poulton & Wyre Railway for further restoration work, 17/3/19. Chris Moxon