52053 Class 108 Driving Motor Composite Lavatory

Home Railway	Keith & Dufftown Railway	Location History	East Anglian Railway Museum Nov 94-Aug 01
Current Location	Keith & Dufftown Railway		Keith & Dufftown Railway Aug 01-Present
Current Status	Operational
Current Livery	BR Green (Speed Whiskers)
TRA Designation	4
Partner Vehicle(s)	50628
Owner	Keith & Dufftown Railway
Website	www.keith-dufftown-railway.co.uk
Record Last Updated	7 March 2026
Preservation Modifications Named "Spirit of Banffshire" 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.
Preservation Information 52053 was latterly used as Sandite vehicle 977807 at Longsight (Manchester) after withdrawal in September 1992. It is thought to have seen little use however, and was purchased for preservation in 1994 by Diesel Unit Preservation Associates Limited (DUPA). The vehicle was moved to the East Anglian Railway Museum where it joined a growing fleet of Class 108 vehicles. Considerable work was required to make 52053 serviceable as some parts were removed and it had suffered from vandalism prior to preservation. By Easter 1996 the mechanical overhaul of the vehicle had been completed and the vehicle seen in use partnered with 51568. However the size of the fleet combined with the EARM's small running line resulted in 52053 not seeing much use. The vehicle, still paired with 51568, was put on loan to the then embryonic Keith & Dufftown Railwayin 2001, where it was named "Spirit of Banffshire". Shortly before going out on loan, the vehicle was repainted into BR Green. When DUPA decided to downsize their Class 108 fleet to one 2-car set, they disposed of 52053 and the vehicle was sold to long term custodians the KDR. Since 2010, the arrival of new vehicles and maintenance requirements meant that 52053 started operating with several different partners. During 2014, 52053 was repainted and also received rather garish yellow speed whiskers, "Spirit of Baffshire" name on the cab front and a permenant "Keith" destination in the former 4-character route indicator box. In 2025, the expansion of the Dram Tram operation led to 52053 being paired with DMBS 50628. 52053 remains in traffic.
Future Plans To maintain in service, although the vehicle is now fairly worn inside and is due an interior overhaul.

	52053/53628 call at Drummuir with a Dufftown-Keith service, 1/8/25. Chris Moxon

	52053 in service at Dufftown, 16/8/24. Ken Jones

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

	52053/51568 at Dufftown, working the day's services, 3/9/21. Andrew Lambert

	52053 working services at Dufftown, 24/6/17. Michael Hughes

	M52053 at Keith Town during a Santa Special. During the year, the vehicle had been repainted and also received rather garish yellow speed whiskers, "Spirit of Baffshire" name and permenant "Keith" destination in the former 4-character route indicator box, 12/12/14. Ben Angus

	M52053 in service on the KDR, 19/8/11. Ian McLoughlin

	M52053 stabled at Dufftown, 19/8/09. Brian Battersby

	M52053/M51568 stabled at Dufftown, 17/5/08. David Beardmore

	M52053 after repainting at the East Anglian Railway Museum in preparation for going on hire to the Keith & Dufftown Railway, July 2001. Lawrence Beeching

	52053 inside the restoration shed at Chappel being repainted into green livery, 9/6/01. Peter Thompson

	52053/51568 seen stabled in the platform at Chappel whilst BR staff attend to a fault on a Network SouthEast Class 121 on the mainline platform, 19/3/98. Rob Boyce

	52053 in its early years of preservation at Chappel, 1997. John Sullivan

Interior

	52053's cab (driver's side), 1/8/25. Chris Moxon

	52053's cab (secondman's side), 1/8/25. Chris Moxon

	52053's driving controls, 1/8/25. Chris Moxon

	52053's first class saloon, 1/8/25. Chris Moxon

	52053's middle saloon, 1/8/25. Chris Moxon

	52053's rear saloon, 1/8/25. Chris Moxon

	52053's middle saloon, note the unusual purple coloured panels and bulkheads! 19/8/11. Ian McLoughlin

	52053's rear saloon, 19/8/11. Ian McLoughlin