56490 Class 108 Driving Trailer Composite Lavatory
Home Railway |
Location History |
Llangollen RailwaySep 93-Nov 17 |
|
Current Location |
|
Midland Railway Butterley Nov 17-Present |
|
Current Status |
Operational |
|
|
Current Livery |
BR Blue & Grey |
|
|
TRA Designation |
|||
Partner Vehicle(s) |
|
|
|
Owner |
Evan Green-Hughes |
|
|
Website |
|||
Record Last Updated |
19 November 2022 |
||
Preservation Modifications |
|||
Preservation Information In 1999 the vehicle received a full body overhaul & repaint. In 2009, the vehicle was partially repainted and revarnished on one side. More recently a refurbished first class interior has been fitted. Late 2017 saw 56490/51907 sent on hire to the Midland Railway Butterley where it was to replace their Class 127 set which required repairs. As has often been the case in the past, the hire went so well that the set later relocated (on paper) permenently to Butterley. After arrival some deferred maintenence work was undertaken to keep 56490 in good condition. This included the complete wetblasting of the roof down to bare metal, replacing several hundred rivets, and then repainting. The cab dome was also painted with gell paint as it had become porous. The vehicle had a partial repaint on the bodysides, mainly on the grey areas. Internally, all of the metal seat frames were repainted, and the upholstery replaced in the two second class saloons. It also had repairs to the floor outside the toilet area which had been affected by a leak. These works would set 56490 up for its next period of use. An interesting feature of the vehicle is that it is preserved in its final condition, with later Blue & Grey colour scheme, and the refurbished orange Formica interior & strip lighting. As and increasing number of railways "backdate" their DMU vehicles back into original condition (the interiors losing the orange and the exteriors going green), vehicles such as 56490 which truly represent the 1970's/80's/90's are becoming increasingly rare. Interestingly, 56490 & 51907 have never seen separated. They have run their entire BR lives as an original pairing and continue to do so in preservation. |
|||
Future Plans |
Interior