Derby Lightweight (5 vehicles - 3 conventional)
The Derby Lightweight class are the pioneers of the conventional 1950’s DMU designs. Built from 1954, these Derby built units were a test bed for the new standardised layout, and whilst successful, during the 10 years of DMU building they became non standard as slightly better construction methods and electrical designs were employed on the later classes.
For that reason few have survived into preservation, as all the passenger carrying vehicles were withdrawn long before DMU preservation was established. Luckily single examples of a 2-car set, a single unit and experimental battery powered set were all converted into departmental units, giving them a second life allowing them to survive a further 30 years, long enough to be preserved. The class is very popular due to their different front ends and their pioneering links rooting them more firmly in the steam age than some other (later) designs.
Due to the heavy conversion work, restoration of any of the vehicles has not been simple. However the similarities between them and their updated sisters the Class 108, has meant that 108 spares salvaged from several scrapped examples have been available to rebuild all the Derby Lightweight interiors to their original spec. As time has moved on, the restortions have become steadily more ambitious and accurate.
The first to be restored was the 2-car battery unit during the 1990's at the East Lancashire Railway. Sadly however, this unit has never been able to reach its full potential owing to the prohibitively high cost of battery replacement. For this reason, it onl;y operated on a handful of occasions at the East Lancashire Railway before moving to the Royal Deeside Railway where the unit has only ever operated as loco hauled coaching stock.
The second restoration, undertaken during the early 2000's, returned the single unit known as "Iris" to operation. Following some later improvements to seating, the vehicle quickly became a firm favourite on the scene and flew the flag for the class for many years.
The third and final restoration of the 2-car diesel set has been the most ambitious and longest running of them all. From 1997 to 2004, the power car was restored to a static condition. After a four year period fundraising, 2008-2022 was spent restoring the trailer car, this time all the way to full operational condition. 2022-present has seen the power car the focus of attention again, to mechanically and electrically finish the original restoration and sadly also re-restore the upper half which had deteriorated badly during the 2010's whilst the vehicle had been in storage.
The future seems bright for the vehicles, with the prospect of all three diesel powered vehicles restored and running in excellent condition likely soon. With renewable technology having advanced, the longer term future may even see a return of the battery unit back into full service.
| Number | Type | Location |
| 79018 | DMBS | Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
| 79900 | DMBS | Great Central Railway |
| 79612 | DTCL | Ecclesbourne Valley Railway |
| 79998 | BEMU | Royal Deeside Railway |
| 79999 | BEMU | Royal Deeside Railway |