Fifth suburban Mk.1 and vandal-hit DMU returned to traffic at Llangollen
CARRIAGE restorers have completed a £5000 project to return 1955-built Brake Second suburban compartment coach No. E43359 to working condition at the Llangollen Railway.
The York-built coach, which seats 72 persons in six separate compartments, has taken three years of volunteer effort to restore it at Pentrefelin Carriage & Wagon Works.
On September 10, No. E43359 was taken for a trial run attached to the rake of four suburbans forming the 11am departure from Llangollen behind Class 26 D5310. It recreated a scene from the late 1950s when such trains ran on the Eastern Region lines into King's Cross, and the assembled five suburbans offered a unique train operating formation on the heritage line.
As reported last issue, the opportunity was taken during the restoration to provide additional capacity for less able passengers. The luggage space within the guard's compartment was partitioned off and fitted with seats and space to accommodate wheelchair users and their carers.
Llangollen Railway Trust deputy chairman Phil Coles said: “The suburban coaches will provide the regular set for weekend trains during the autumn period running through to Halloween. Either a steam or diesel locomotive will haul the train and offer an example of what it was like to travel into the City of London in pre-electrification days.”
The five-coach formation is BS No. E43182, Second Lavatory Open No. E48004, Second No. E46130,
Composite Lavatory No. E43012 and BS No. E43359.
Meanwhile, the trust had George Fletcher's Class 108 two-car DMU restored to its 1960s BR livery in time for the August bank holiday weekend services after two sets were spraypainted by vandals four days before.
A railway statement said: “It is evident the incident was not a spontaneous action by an individual, but rather a well-co-ordinated attack by a group which had specifically identified a target for their handiwork and came to the railway well prepared for their night-time activity.
“The police are reviewing CCTV footage and gathering forensic evidence to identify the perpetrators of this damage.”
➜ Autumn running on the reopened Llangollen Railway is confined to Wednesdays to Sundays, with DMU trips on weekdays and locomotivehauled services at weekends. The resumption of coach party bookings is helping the passenger loadings.