56289 Class 121 Driving Trailer Second
Home Railway |
Location History |
Battlefield Line Aug 93-Jul 05 |
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Current Location |
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Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Jul 05-May 09 |
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Current Status |
Under Overhaul |
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East Lancashire Railway May 09-Present |
Current Livery |
BR Blue (Full Yellow End) |
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TRA Designation |
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Partner Vehicle(s) |
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Owner |
Private |
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Website |
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Record Last Updated |
1 June 2026 |
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Preservation Modifications |
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Preservation Information Thought to have been placed into service relatively quickly, the vehicle ran as a “suburban power trailer” set with Class 116 DMBS 51131, being repainted into BR Blue & Grey in 1996 to match its partner. Almost ten years later, the decision to rationalise the extensive Battlefield fleet resulted in 56289 being sold on, and was moved to the embryonic Ecclesbourne Valley Railway in 2005. Whilst there little work was required to the vehicle, but it operated as both a DMU (Sometimes paired with Class 117 DMBS 51360) and as a push-pull trailer car for their 1-in-27 short Ravenstor branch which was operated by diesel locomotives. The line also had a Class 122 single unit, 55006, similar to the Class 121 single units 56289 was built to operate with. 56289 was repainted Green to match 55006 and this more historically accurate role. However a decision by the line’s DMU group to move away from power-trailer configurations resulted in 56289 being put up for sale in 2009, being relocated to the East Lancashire Railway who had just finished the restoration of Class 122 55001. 56289 arrived at the ELR in May 2009 and following a quick fault rectification session was in service in the line by July. It was not not to run for long still carrying green livery however. In November 2009, the vehicle was fully repainted into BR Blue, to match its new partner, 55001. 56289 had now therefore carried all four of its BR liveries in preservation. Five years of successful service followed, with 56289's large capacity proving useful for special events when 55001 would have struggled on its own. During 2016, 56289 was withdrawn from service to have some minor interior repairs and restoration, as it had become somewhat tatty. Unfortunately, asbestos was discovered and the entire floor had to be removed and replaced, which as well as becoming a much more involved task than originally envisaged, also had the effect of the vehicle's interior being stripped out. By 2017, it was required to halt the repairs to 56289 as the railway were planning to host a large DMU gala during November 2017, and it was felt the volunteer time would be better spent ensuring that the 20 year restoration of the flagship Class 105 set would be completed in time. The repairs to 56289 were therefore temporarily suspended and the vehicle stored. January 2018, as intended, saw the repairs restart on 56289. The cab front was dismantled internally and several sections of steel removed from the bodysides to instigate repairwork. The progress was to sadly prove short-lived, as a major reorganisation of the spare parts on site had to take priority over 56289. The subsequent Covid-19 pandemic further delayed the restoration. As the Covid-19 lockdown measures began to ease in the summer of 2020, once again a further attack on 56289 was able to be made. The bogies and underframe were needle gunned and painted, multiple working repairs made to the front end jumper cable sockets and the removed cab roof dome repaired. In the second part of the year, a batch of metalwork was completed on the front end with new framework and repalcement skin, this work extending round to the first passenger bay and doorway. In 2021, the bodyside and cab windows removed for metalwork reapirs were refitted back into place. The corridor connection was also removed from the rear end of the vehicle after floor repairs revealed how badly BR had fitted the connection in the first place. Whilst the plan initially was to strengthen the rear end and refit the gangway properly, it was subsequently decided to return the vehicle to its pre-1988 condition without the corridor connection at all, with the apature being plated over. Other, smaller, bodyside welding repairs were also undertaken and failed gutters resealed over the tops of the doorways. Interior work included laying a new floor in the cab. In 2022, the interior progressed markedly with the old ceilings and refurbished strip lighting removed and new ceiling panels fitted to original tungsten light configuration. The side walls were also fully panelled out with replacement Formica effect paneling which was researched to be as close a fit to the original pattern as possible. The majority of work to 56289 was paused during 2023 & 2024 whilst various refresh and repaint projects on 50455, 51485, 55001 and 56121 were all completed. In 2025, the cab roof dome was finally refitted making the vehicle externally watertyight/complete for the first time in almost a decade. Internally, repalcement door jambs were refitted where required and the cab-to-saloon internal bulkhead replaced by a salvaged example generated from the scrapping of Class 117 51400. Later in the year, the cab interior advanced with the inner roof dome (ceiling) back in place, allowing window surrounds, wall panels and some cab instrumentation to be fitted. This was done in conjunction with a cab rewire project that had been ongoing for some time. The saloon interior also continued steadily with much door furniture and side panel trim being fitted. |
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Future Plans 56289 will then return to traffic paired once again with its partner, 55001. |
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W56289 (left) under restoration at Buckley Wells during the "Open House" weekend. Partner W55001 (right) enters the shed bringing passengers in for a tour of the premesis, 26/1/26. Bury Unit Team |
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W56289 showing the plated over corridor connection at the rear of the vehicle, 17/7/25. Bury Unit Team |
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W56289 under restoration at Bury. Note the refitted 4-character route indicator mechanism, 29/1/25.Bury Unit Team |
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W56289's cab dome being test fitted in place after repairs, 10/5/21. Bury Unit Team |
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W56289 showing off some new cab metalwork, 3/8/20. Bury Unit Team |
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W56289 showing off some new cab metalwork, 3/8/20. Bury Unit Team |
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Volunteer Steve Wright cleaning sealant off the cab roof. This is fibreglass and will be sanded back to the original gel coat, repaired as required and primed with an epoxy fibreglass primer before eventual fitting, 4/2/20. Bury Unit Team |
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Cab and bodyside repairs in evidence inside Buckley Wells shed, 20/2/18. Kevin Dowd |
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W56289 waiting patiently for its interior repairs to re-start outside Buckley Wells shed, 8/7/17. Richard Moxon |
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W56289 & W55001 at Bury with the 14:25 Rawtenstall-Heywood during the DMU Day, 16/3/12. Chris Moxon |
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Corridor end view of W56289 at Bury with the 14:25 Rawtenstall-Heywood during the DMU Day, 16/3/12. Chris Moxon |
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W56289/W55001 wait to depart Bury Bolton Street (Platform 3) with the 10:10 Bury-Heywood service during the annual DMU Day, 17/3/12. Chris Moxon |
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W56289/W55001 wait to depart Heywood with the 10:40 Heywood-Rawtenstall service during the annual DMU Day, 17/3/12. Chris Moxon |
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W56289/W55001arrive into Ramsbottom with the 11:55 Rawtenstall-Heywood crossing M51922 on the 11:30 Heywood-Rawtenstall service during the annual DMU Day, 17/3/12. Chris Moxon |
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W56289/W55001 stand at Ramsbottom with the 11:55 Rawtenstall-Heywood during the annual DMU Day, 17/3/12. Chris Moxon |
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W56289 & W55001 arrive slowly into Bury on the tight curve from Heywood during the DMU Day, 19/3/11. Chris Moxon |
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W56289 & W55001 wait for thge NRM's Class 101 unit to pass at Bury with a Rawtenstall-Heywood service during the DMU Day, 19/3/11. Chris Moxon |
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W56289 & W55001 near Heap Bridge Quarry having just crossed the M66 motorway with a Rawtenstall-Heywood service during the DMU Day, 19/3/11. Chris Moxon |
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W56289 & W55001 wait time at Rawtenstall with a Heywood service during the DMU Day, 19/3/11. Chris Moxon |
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W56289 & W55001 wait time at Rawtenstall with a Heywood service during the DMU Day, 19/3/11. Chris Moxon |
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W56289 shortly after arrival at the East Lancashire Railway in Baron St sidings, 8/09. Chris Adams |
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54289 in service as a loco-hauled push pull trailer, 14/1/06. |
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54289 soon after arriving on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, it sits on the line's fierce 1 in 27 gradient paired with Class 117 DMBS 51360. Neil Ferguson-Lee |
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M54289 on the Battlefield Railway, 2/2/99. Stuart Mackay |
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54289 after arriving at the Battlefield Railway. Ian Francis |
Interior
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With the interior restoration coming together, this is the partly assembled cab inside W56289, 10/1/26. Bury Unit Team |
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With the interior restoration coming together, this is the almost assembled front passenger saloon inside W56289, 10/1/26. Bury Unit Team |
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With the interior restoration coming together, this is the almost assembled middle passenger saloon inside W56289, 10/1/26. Bury Unit Team |
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With the interior restoration coming together, this is the almost assembled rear passenger saloon inside W56289, 10/1/26. Bury Unit Team |
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The rear end of the vehicle, with new wall panels and refitted luggage racks. Note the plain wall at the rear, now back in original format, along with tungsten lighting configuration, 17/7/25. Bury Unit Team |
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Ceiling fitting in progress inside W56289, 30/5/22. Bury Unit Team |
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New framework and skin fitted to the area that was cut out in 1988 for a coirridor to be fitted. It has now been returned to original configuration, 8/7/21. Bury Unit Team |
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The (extremely) stripped out cab to allow full bodywork repairs to be carried out, 3/8/20. Bury Unit Team |
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W56289's stripped out interior part way through floor replacement, 21/2/16. Kevin Dowd |
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W56289's stripped out interior part way through floor replacement, 21/2/16. Kevin Dowd |
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W56289's cab, driver's side, 17/3/12. Chris Moxon |
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W56289's cab, secondman's side, 17/3/12. Chris Moxon |
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W56289's front saloon, 17/3/12. Chris Moxon |
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W56289's middle saloon, 17/3/12. Chris Moxon |
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W56289's rear saloon, 17/3/12. Chris Moxon |