79900 Derby Lightweight Driving Motor Brake Second
Home Railway |
Location History |
Midland Railway Butterley Jun 00-Aug 07 |
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Current Location |
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Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Feb 08-Present |
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Current Status |
Operational |
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Current Livery |
BR Green (Speed Whiskers) |
Visited Railways |
Churnet Valley Railway Aug 07-Feb 08 |
TRA Designation |
Llangollen Railway May 08 |
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Owner |
Nelson Keene |
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Severn Valley Railway Oct 10 |
Website |
Derby Etches Park (Open Day) Sep 14 |
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Dean Forest Railway 2016 |
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Llangollen Railway Jun 17 |
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Dean Forest Railway Jan 22-Aug 22 |
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Record Last Updated |
18 August 2024 |
Great Central Railway Aug 22-Present |
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Preservation Modifications The original Derby Lightweight controllers were missing so the desk has been modifid to take standard DMU controllers. The original "Yellow Diamond" multiple working, unique to early DMU's such as Derby Lightweights, has been replaced with the more standard "Blue Square" system, which allows 79900 to run in multiple with most other DMU types, something not possible in British Railways days. However these changes are purely electrical, with the visual sockets of the Yellow Diamond jumper cables returned to the cab ends (as dummy units) to maintain an original appearance to the eye, after the original multiple working had been removed completely in departmental service. |
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Preservation Information Internally 79900 was rapidly and comprehensively rebuilt between 2000 and 2004 (at the Midland Railway Butterley), including the reconstruction of bulkheads, new Formica panelling and new seats salvaged from a class 101. It also received a complete mechanical overhaul including removal from bogies etc. The vehicle was launched in late 2004 and became one of the finest first generation DMUs preserved. A change in the owner's circumstances meant the vehicle was transferred from the Midland Railway Butterley to the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, via an extended gala stay at the Churnet Valley Railway, where it proved very popular. The vehicle also visited theLlangollen Railway in 2008 for their annual gala and the Severn Valley Railway for their Railcar Reunion event in October 2010. In between visits to other lines, 79900 proved a regular perormer at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway. In February 2011, the Class 101 seating was replaced with "proper" Derby Lightweight high backed seats, complete with original chrome handrails and early BR green shell pattern material. March 2014 saw 79900 pulled by a team from Network Rail in Derby in aid of charity. By May 2014, the paintwork was ten years old and so it was decided to withdraw 79900 for a repaint. This was completed quickly and was contracted out, the vehicle returning to traffic two months later. Shortly afterwards the vehice starred at Derby Etches Park depot for their charity open day event. In October a blown cylinder head gasket required the heads of the No2 engine to be removed and repairs completed. The popularity of 79900 was clear after it was hired by the Dean Forest Railway in 2016 followed by the Llangollen Railway for a second time in 2017 for their gala events, the vehicle returning home shortly after each visit. Covid-19 prevented any further visits for a few years, however 79990 was on its travels again in 2022 when the Dean Forest Railway hired the vehicle for a second time to celebrate 30 years of DMU's on the railway. Whilst there it clocked up 450 miles running in the forest. The tour continued with the popular vehicle moving onto the Great Central Railway to star at that year's Railcar Association convention weekend. The Great Central visit became an extended one with 79900 spending more time there than any of its previous visits. 79900 continues to run on loan to the Great Central Railway. |
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Future Plans |
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M79900 stands at Mountsorrel carrying the "Railcar 70" anniversary headboard, most fittingly as it was the Derby Lightweight design that debuted in 1954 seven decades earlier. "Iris" was working the 15:30 Quorn & Woodhouse-Loughborough Central (via Mountsorrel) service during the Bus Rally and Railcar Weekend, 19/5/24. Chris Moxon |
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M79900 alongside fellow single car Class 55009 at Loughborough. Iris was merely stabled whilst 55009 undergoes a major restoration, 30/3/24. Bruce Pollard |
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M79900 passing the iconic Great Central Kinchley Lane photographic spot, 27/1/24. Darren JB |
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M79900 at Leicester North hauling tail load traffic, 10/9/22. Chris Moxon |
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M79900 at Loughborough Central during evening runs to support the Beer Festival, 9/9/22. Michael Hughes |
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M79900 returns to a double track railway for the first time since its BR research days, 3/9/22. Phil Clarke |
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M79900 arrives at the Great Central Railway (from the Dean Forest) on the second stop of its tour, 26/8/22. Bruce Pollard |
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M79900 winding its way through the forest during Iris' visit to the Dean Forest Railway, 4/8/22. Chris Walker |
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M79900 leading Class 108 vehicles at Parkend during Iris' visit to the Dean Forest Railway, 24/4/22. Alan Pace |
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M79900 leading Class 108 vehicles at Lydney Junction during Iris' visit to the Dean Forest Railway, 23/4/22. Chris Moxon |
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M79900 participating in a photo charter at Wirksworth, 20/11/21. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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M79900 leads a 7 coach test rtun for the operational DMU sets based on the Ecclesbourne Valley, to check they were all still OK after the period of inactivity, 11/10/20. Oliver Hodgkinson |
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M79900 with a van in tow having arrived at Duffield with the 12:08 Wirksworth-Duffield, 16/3/19. Chris Moxon |
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M79900 stands at Wirksworth in multiple with a Class 101 set on Santa Specials, 8/12/18. Stuart Graves |
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M79900, working with the Wickham Class 109 whilst visiting the Llangollen Railway, passes Hendom with the 10:16 Carrog-Llangollen, 3/6/17. Chris Moxon |
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M79900, west of Carrog during a photo charter at the Llangollen Railway, 2/6/17. Chris Moxon |
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M79900, posing at Garthydwr during a photo charter at the Llangollen Railway, 2/6/17. Chris Moxon |
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M79900, posing on the Dee Bridge during a photo charter at the Llangollen Railway, 2/6/17. Chris Moxon |
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M79900 crosses E50253 at Shottle on a driver experience run during the Railcar Association convention weekend, 25/9/15. Barry Knapper |
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M79900 on the Ravenstor shuttle, 6/6/15. Chris Moxon |
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M79900 alongside fellow Lightweight 79612 at Wirksworth, 12/14. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway DMU Group |
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M79900 on display whilst visiting Derby Etches Park deport for the East Midlands Trans open day, 13/9/14. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway DMU Group |
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M79900 inside the shed at Wirksworth, its repaint nearly completed, 1/6/14. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway DMU Group |
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M79900 being pulled by a Network Rail (Derby) team in aid of charity, 19/3/14. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway DMU Group |
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M79900, its paintwork starting to look tired, stabled at Wirksworth, 9/2/14. Chris Walker |
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M79900 stabled at Wirksworth having a well earned rest from Ravenstor shuttle duties after W55006 had been re-launched into traffic, 1/4/13. Chris Moxon |
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M79900 stands at Wirksworth. The vehicle had worked harder than usual during the 2012 season as bubble car M55006 had been out of service undergoing bodywork repairs, 2/12/12. John Stokes |
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79900 stabled alongside Class 101 50170 at Wirksworth, 21/3/12. Leigh Gration |
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79900 arriving into Wirksworth, 3/7/11. Tony Hosking |
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M79900 stands at Duffield during driver training, 10/6/11. Leigh Gration |
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79900 at Wirksworth, 12/2/11. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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79900 braves the snow back at Wirksworth, 27/11/10. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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79900 at Bewdley during the Railcar Reunion event at the Severn Valley Railway, 8/10/10. Chris Moxon |
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79900 passing 55020 at Arley during the Railcar Reunion event at the Severn Valley Railway, 8/10/10. Chris Moxon |
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79900 operating Wirksworth-Ravenstor shuttles, 3/10/09. Chris Moxon |
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M79900 when it made a test run to Idridgehay, 23/2/08. Richard Buckby |
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M79900 when it made a test run to Idridgehay. The platform at this station is too low for present regulations, when operations start stewards on-board will stop passengers alighting until the formation pulls forward to the 'high level' platform, 23/2/08. Richard Buckby |
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79900 at Cheddleton in the snow, 3/2/08. Chris Moxon |
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79900 at Consall, 3/2/08. David Gibson |
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79900 at Consall, 3/2/08. Chris Moxon |
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79900 at Consall, 3/2/08. Chris Moxon |
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79900 & Class 47 D1842 during an EMRPS photo shoot at Cheddleton, 3/2/08. Chris Moxon |
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79900 & Class 104 50455 during an EMRPS photo shoot at Cheddleton, 3/2/08. Chris Moxon |
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79900 & Standard 4MT 80098 during an EMRPS photo shoot at Cheddleton, 3/2/08. Chris Moxon |
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79900 during an EMRPS photo shoot at Cheddleton, 3/2/08. Chris Moxon |
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Arriving into Cheddleton in multiple with the 104 during the convention, 29/9/07. Chris Moxon |
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Departing Cheddleton in multiple with the 104 during the convention, 29/9/07. Chris Moxon |
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79900 awaits the arrival of 50455/50517 at Consall, 29/9/07. Chris Moxon |
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A historic moment: 79900 and 50455/50517 become the first DMUs to cross on the Churnet Valley Railway in preservation days, 29/9/07. Chris Moxon |
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Approaching Consall during the convention, 29/9/07. Chris Moxon |
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Arriving into Consall hauling a box van during the convention, 29/9/07. Chris Moxon |
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Running round its tail load at Kingsley & Froghall during the convention, 29/9/07. Chris Moxon |
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An informal "mini night shoot" was held at Kingsley & Froghall during the convention, 29/9/07. Chris Moxon |
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Exiting the yard at Cheddleton for TRA convention "Driver Experiences", 28/9/07. Chris Moxon |
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Stabled in the yard at Cheddleton, 9/9/07. Chris Moxon |
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View of the lion-on-wheel crest (rare for preserved DMUs)and AEC engine at Cheddleton, 9/9/07. Chris Moxon |
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M79900 visited the Churnet valley Line for their 2007 DMU Gala. It's seen here soon after arrival when it went for a test run, 25/8/07. David Gibson |
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M79900 visited the Churnet valley Line for their 2007 DMU Gala. It's seen here soon after arrival when it went for a test run, 25/8/07. David Gibson |
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M79900 visited the Churnet valley Line for their 2007 DMU Gala. It's seen here soon after arrival when it went for a test run, 25/8/07. David Gibson |
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M79900 visited the Churnet valley Line for their 2007 DMU Gala. It's seen here soon after arrival when it went for a test run, 25/8/07. David Gibson |
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Awaiting passengers at Butterley during the 2007 DMU gala, 1/4/07. Chris Moxon |
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Crossing the photogenic Butterley Resevoir during the 2007 DMU gala, 1/4/07. Chris Moxon |
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Passing a stored 117 at Swanwick Junction during the 2007 DMU gala, 1/4/07. Chris Moxon |
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Running through Swanwick Junction during the 2007 DMU gala, 1/4/07. Chris Moxon |
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In the dock in Butterley Yard, 8/7/06. Robert Chilton |
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Looking splendid in the sun during the 2006 MRB DMU gala, 15/6/06. Chris Moxon |
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79900 passing Butterley signalbox, with 51073 in the background, 9/10/05. John Horne |
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79900 leaving Butterley station, with 51073 on the left, 8/10/05. John Miller |
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A visitor from the Dean Forest Railway on the cab of 79900, 8/10/05. John Miller |
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79900 with the 127 behind, and the 100 set on the right at Swanwick, 8/10/05. John Horne |
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Two Derby cab variants, as 79900 faces 51625 at Swawnick, 8/10/05. John Horne |
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79900 in platform 2 at Swanwick, 8/10/05. John Horne |
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79900 under restoration at Butterley, 2002. David Beardmore |
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In the company of 977860 in Butterley Yard, 16/9/01. Steve Hodgson |
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79900 at the Midland Railway Centre soon after arrival, 2000. |
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The AEC engines it is fitted with were taken from the Derby Lightweight twin, also at the MRC, just before it was bought. They have different mountings from the AECs that the 50000 series cars were fitted with, 2000. |
Interior
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M79900's very smart interior middle saloon, 5/8/12. John Carter |
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By February 2011 79900 had received its new seats, 6/2/11. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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79900 in the process of receiving reupholstered seating - this was the first new seat to be installed, 30/1/11. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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79900 in the process of receiving reupholstered seating, 30/1/11. Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
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The drivers controls showing the extent of theinterior restoration, 9/9/07. Chris Moxon |
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The drivers cab (drivers side), 9/9/07. Chris Moxon |
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The drivers cab (secondmans side), 9/9/07. Chris Moxon |
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The front saloon, 9/9/07. Chris Moxon |
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The middle saloon, 9/9/07. Chris Moxon |
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A small seating bay in the "rear saloon", 9/9/07. Chris Moxon |