59539 Class 101 Trailer Composite Lavatory

Home Railway	North Yorkshire Moors Railway	Location History	Mid Norfolk Railway Sep 04-Mar 06
Current Location	North Yorkshire Moors Railway		North Yorkshire Moors Railway Mar 06-Present
Current Status	Stored
Current Livery	BR Green
TRA Designation	3
Partner Vehicle(s)	50160 & 50164
Owner	North Yorkshire Moors DMU Group
Website	www.nymdmugroup.co.uk
Record Last Updated	16 November 2024
Preservation Modifications None
Preservation Information 59539 was one of two centre cars which were the last to run on the national network during the 1990's (the other being 59303). They were stored in 1997 at Blackpool carriage sidings where they were to lay for seven years, becoming very faded in the sea air in the process! Following lengthy negotiations with owners Angel Trains during the first few years of the 21st Century, both vehicles were saved for preservation. 59539 moved to the Mid Norfolk Railway where it joined 59117 which was the first class 101 centre car preserved. It was intended for 59539 to be used inside the newly preserved former 101695 (51226 & 51499) which would have meant that two out of the three preserved Class 101 3-car sets would have been on the same line! However the plan was never executed and 59539 was sold after just 18 months and it expanded the North Yorkshire Moors' Class 101 power twin set (50204 & 51511) to 3 cars. Sadly not long after arrival 59539 was the subject of a vandal attack and interior damage was sustained. The vehicle was later repaired and in June 2007, 59539 reentered service. The set worked July to October. During 2008, 59539 worked in January, May, June, September & October. In 2009, the vehicle was used as hauled stock in January before running as a DMU again every month except December. During 2010, 59539 worked every month except January, May, June, November & December. In 2011 the vehicle worked every month except January, April & July. During 2012 the vehicle worked every month except November & December. 59539 saw service just into 2013, working on the 1st-3rd January before the whole 3-car set was withdrawn for an overhaul. The bodywork in particular on 59539's partner vehicles was a great cause for concern. Unfortunately in July 2014 59539 was attacked again by vandals who smashed a bodyside window. Thankfully this was quickly repaired. February 2015 saw 59539 re-enter service in a new 3-car formation, in between visiting powercars 50160 & 50164, which had been hired by the North Yorkshire Moors to cover for 50204 & 51511 while they were overhauled. 2015 was to prove a very busy year for 59539, being used for 68 days that year. The "new" powercars soon became residents. During 2016, DMU services on the NYMR continued to be provided with 50160/59539/50164 for a total of 56 days. This included some relatively high profile feeder services when the Flying Scotsman steam locomotive was in service in March. 59539's roof had been looking a little shabby so during the late Summer the vehicle was taken into the Carriage and Wagon workshop to have the roof repainted. The improved paintwork allowed 59539 to again look respectable alongside the steam fleet. 59539 proceeded to run without issue in its 3-car formation from 2017-2019. After a break in 2020 due to Covid-19, services resumed in 2021. In the latter part of 2021, 59539 was withdrawn and entered the Carriage & Wagon works for repairs. The vehicle received attention to body corrosion with many patch repairs and work to the six doors. The interior also had a deep clean and the ceilings were repainted. The work was completed with a full repaint in the paint shop, with the vehicle being released in the December. From 2022 59539 has benefitted from storage in the railway's new undercover "carriage stable", a rare case of a DMU regularly under cover. In 2023 it was reported that 59539 had fallen out of service and that there were no plans by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for it to return. Further details are awaited on the exact situation.
Future Plans Unknown.

	59539 now stored in the siding at Levisham, 1/10/24. Nigel Benning

	59539 now stored in the siding at Levisham, 1/10/24. Nigel Benning

	A view of the vandal damage sustained to the window, 7/7/14. Kev Yeoman

	59539 without its powercars, 7/7/08. David Beardmore

	59539 fresh from the paint shop on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Jan 07. Kev Yeoman

	59539 just after arriving at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, 3/06. Alistair Dalgleish

Interior

The corner of 59539's rear saloon, seen just after arriving at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, 3/06. Alistair Dalgleish