59117 Class 101 Trailer Composite Lavatory

Home Railway	Mid Norfolk Railway	Location History	Swindon & Cricklade Railway May 02-Jun 02
Current Location	Mid Norfolk Railway		Mid Norfolk Railway Jun 02-Present
Current Status	Stored
Current Livery	BR Blue & Grey
TRA Designation	3
Partner Vehicle(s)	51434 & 51503
Owner	Matthew Smith Class 101 Fund
Website	www.facebook.com/EastAnglianRailcarGroup
Record Last Updated	13 Janaury 2024
Preservation Modifications Internally the two second class saloons have been reconfigured considerably in preservation. All the original triple seats have been replaced with double seats and several have been rearranged to create more family friendly bays facing each other. This has reduced 59117's seating capacity to 12 First and 38 Second. The toilet is also no longer used.
Preservation Information 59117 was latterly part of set L840, which was operating at Reading, but the centre car was made surplus to requirments following the introduction of the new "Turbo" units in the area, and was withdrawn in December 1993. The vehicle was purchased for preservation after being "found" at Derby and joined 51434 & 51503at theSwindon & Cricklade Railway, now under the ownership of Matthew Smith, a keen preservationist interested in saving the vehicles as DMUs in their own right. The set became the first Class 101 3-car set in preservation. The trailer cars remained rare and even with over 40 Class 101 vehicles now in preservation, there are only three 3-car sets. In 2002 the vehicle was repainted into Blue & Grey livery. Tragically in 2002, Matthew Smith lost his battle with cancer and 59117 was transferred to the “Matthew Smith Class 101 Fund”. The set was moved to the Mid Norfolk Railway in 2002 where it saw an extraordinary amount of use for the rest of the decade, at times working 90% of the railways services. After the introduction into traffic of the MNR's own Class 101 set in 2008/2009, the workload was reduced on 59117 and the vehicle was withdrawn for some much needed maintenance. The vehicle was kept operational during the repairs until mid 2011 when the requirement to undertake heavier work resulted in a withdrawal from service. Although some work was completed on reasealing windows, the vehicle was stored pending the completion of repairs to51503. In October 2012, restoration work on other vehicles became advanced enough for 59117 to re-enter occational service as a 3-car set again, but it later fell back out of use and entered a much longer storage period. Demands on resources for the powercars along with a general decline in the overall first generation fleet at the railway meant 59117 has remained in store with little immediate prospect of fortunes improving.
Future Plans The owning group hope to return the vehicle to traffic in the future.

	A somewhat forlorn looking 59117 stored in the sidings at Dereham, 2/12/23. Chris Moxon

	59117 stored at Dereham, 6/4/19. Chris Moxon

	59117 stored at Dereham, 28/8/17. Chris Moxon

	59117 stabled at Dereham, 10/8/14. Richard Moxon

	59117 stored at Dereham, 17/6/12. Chris Moxon

	59117 stored at Dereham, 5/7/11. Chris Moxon

	59117 out of service at Dereham, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon

	59117 out of service at Dereham, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon

	59117's underframe at Dereham, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon

	59117 stabled at Dereham, 12/3/03. David Beardmore

	59117 on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway, 1/12/01. Stuart Mackay

Interior

	View of the front vestibule, located in the area that would be the cab if the vehicle was not a centre car, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon

	The front (first class) saloon, looking towards the "front" of the vehicle, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon

	The front (first class) saloon, looking towards the "rear" of the vehicle, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon

	The middle saloon, note the 2+2 seating in what would have been a 2+3 saloon, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon

	In the middle saloon a luggage rack still survives from the vehicle's time in the Reading area, where these extra racks were fitted for the increased luggage demands expected on services to Gatwick Airport, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon

	The rear saloon, note the 2+2 seating in what would have been a 2+3 saloon, 2/7/08. Chris Moxon