51568 Class 108 Driving Motor Composite Lavatory

Home Railway	Keith & Dufftown Railway	Location History	East Anglian Railway Museum Apr 95-Aug 01
Current Location	Keith & Dufftown Railway		Keith & Dufftown Railway Aug 01-Present
Current Status	Operational
Current Livery	BR Green (Speed Whsikers)	Visited Railways	Private Site: Horsham (Storage) Mar 94-Apr 95
TRA Designation	4
Partner Vehicle(s)	56491
Owner	Keith & Dufftown Railway
Website	www.keith-dufftown-railway.co.uk
Record Last Updated	7 March 2026
Preservation Modifications Named "Lubailidh Airgid" which it carries on the cab front. It has also received several electrical modifications to make maintenance easier, including a GPS speedometer and modern replacement cab switches, control switches, diagnostic panels and EP valves. Heavy interior modifications following the vehicle's conversion to a bar car in 2025. Little remains of the original interior with most lighting, fittings, paneling, seating and flooring having been either removed or replaced. The front saloon has original seating rotated sideways, whilst the middle saloon have loose armchairs and tables fitted. The rear saloon is an open dancefloor with a storage cupboard housing a sound system in the former toilet. The vehicle now seats 26.
Preservation Information 51568 was latterly stored at Blackpool after withdrawal in February 1993. Preserved the following year by Diesel Unit Preservation Associates Limited (DUPA), the vehicle was moved to the East Anglian Railway Museumwhere it joined a growing fleet of Class 108 vehicles. An engine replacement saw the unit operational very quickly. It was also repainted into BR Green livery and partnered with 52053 by Easter 1996. However the size of the fleet combined with the EARM's small running line resulted in 51568 not seeing much use. The vehicle, still paired with 52053 , was put on loan to the then embryonic Keith & Dufftown Railwayin 2001, where it was named "Spirit of Banffshire". When DUPA decided to downsize their Class 108 fleet to one 2-car set, they disposed of 51568 and the vehicle was sold to long term custodians the KDR. Since 2010, the arrival of new vehicles and maintenance requirements meant that 51568 operated for some years with several different partners, drawn from 52053, 56224 & 56491 A repaint followed with the vehicle having a slight change when speed whiskers were applied to the front end. During 2025 the vehicle was heavily modified into a bar car, losing most of its original interior fittings. Lighting was replaced, luggage racks removed and side panels replaced. Curtains were added throughout. Original second class seating was turned 90 degrees and refitted into the former first class saloon, whilst the other two saloons lost all the original seating in favour of loose tables and armchairs. Tartan pattern carpets were fitted throughout the vehicle, and an open dancefloor created in the rear saloon. 51568 now runs regularly during the season as the "Dram Tram" paired with DTCL 56491.
Future Plans To maintain in service.

	51568/56491/53628/52053 in a 4-car formation at Keith Town awaiting the return of the second train of the day back to Dufftown. The front 2-cars are the "Dram Tram" with a normal set on the rear, 1/8/25. Chris Moxon

	51568/52053 stabled in the sidings at Dufftown, 14/8/22. Darren JB

	51568/52053 at Keith Town, whilst running service trains, 3/9/21. Andrew Lambert

	51568/52053 standing at Keith Town, waiting to work a passenger service back to Dufftown, 2019. Martyn Hearson

	51568, separated out of a set and stabled at Dufftown, 8/10/18. Deborah Stokes

	51568 stabled at Dufftown, 19/8/11. Ian McLoughlin

	51568 proudly bears its name, 19/8/09. Brian Battersby

	51568 & 52053 stabled at Dufftown, 17/5/08. David Beardmore

	51568 just after repainting at the East Anglian Railway Museum in preparation for going on hire to the Keith & Dufftown Railway, July 2001. Lawrence Beeching

	During a Thomas weekend, 51568/52053 is stabled (right) whilst DTCL 56491 passes alongside in use as hauled stock and acting as "Daisy", 15/4/98. Peter E Thompson

	51568 in its early years of preservation at Chappel, 1997. John Sullivan

Interior

	51568's cab (driver's side), 1/8/25. Chris Moxon

	51568's cab (secondman's side), 1/8/25. Chris Moxon

	51568's driving controls, 1/8/25. Chris Moxon

	51568's former first class saloon just after conversion to the "Dram Tram". There are now ten second class seats arranged longitudinally with loose tables, 1/8/25. Chris Moxon

	51568's middle saloon just after conversion to the "Dram Tram". There are now 12 loose chairs with tables, 1/8/25. Chris Moxon

	51568's rear saloon just after conversion to the "Dram Tram" and converted to a dancefloor, 1/8/25. Chris Moxon