MULTIPLE UNIT NOTES

Former Northern Class 144 144004 arrived at the Aln Valley Railway on December 14, 2020. 144006 followed over the next few days. Two Class 143s are to find a home on the Vale of Berkeley Railway in Gloucestershire. The railway has been offered GWR’s 143603/612, which it says will be used as initial traction in its attempt to reintroduce services to the Sharpness branch line. These are likely to be housed at the railway’s current site in Sharpness docks, known as the Engine Shed, where they will be restored.

Restoration of the soleremaining Derby Lightweight twocar unit is making considerable progress at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway. Recently the seat frames have been reinstated in Driving Trailer 79612 after being powder coated, while the First Class saloon is now complete with carpets and cushions manufactured to the original design. Fitting out of the coach continues. Meanwhile, power car 79018 now has reconditioned gearboxes, bringing the prospect of a working set much closer for the first time in 23 years.

An appeal by the West Somerset

Railway to raise £5,000 towards the restoration of its Class 115 DMU unit has so far reached £4,000. The Railway has the only serviceable Class 115 left in preservation, and it has been at the line since 1995.

Volunteers at the Strathspey Railway have been fitting interior wall panelling to Class 117 centre trailer 59511, which means the end of the mammoth restoration project that has lasted 13 years is now in sight. This coach was originally preserved in 1994 and had spells at the Lavender Line and the MidHants before moving to Aviemore in 2007. Once completed the coach will work with the line’s existing Class 117 two-car set, producing an authentic rake once again.

Considerable progress has recently been made with Gloucester Class 100 Driving Trailer 56097, which is under restoration at the Midland Railway – Butterley. Two thirds of the coach has now received new waterproof insulation, new seat mounting brackets have been welded in and new wiring is being run from the new rear jumper sockets to a resited electrical junction box. This is now in the rear saloon instead of below the toilet compartment.

Also at the Midland Railway, final touches are being made to the bodywork of Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway’s EMU centre trailer 117, which has been under restoration for the last eight years. With the coach now glazed, the body is being painted and fittings such as door handles are being reinstated. Built in 1931 as part of a three-car unit, this coach lasted in service until British Railways days, by which time it was numbered M29670M. It was withdrawn in May 1971 and has not been used in passenger service since.

For the first time in more than a year, a DMU has been used at the Severn Valley Railway. In late November Class 108 Driving Motor Brake 50933 was paired up with Driving Motor Composite 52064 to enable a DMU set to be provided for staff working during the Christmas season. The enforced absence follows an engineering inspection of the DMU fleet in early 2019, which showed that some bogie work was required before their use could continue.

While volunteers have been unable to attend the Great Central Railway – Nottingham, the owners of the line’s Class 108 DMU have been working on homework projects, including the overhaul of one of the engines. Driving Motor Brake 50926 and Driving Motor Composite 50645 have been at Ruddington since 1997 and have yet to see public service.

The Weardale Railway’s Class 108 Driving Motor Brake 50980 has received its refurbished gearbox, which is currently being fitted. Work is ongoing at Wolsingham Depot to take the roof back to bare metal so that it can be repainted.

With the November coronavirus lockdown over, volunteers returned to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway’s DMU department and continued with the restoration work on Class 122 ‘Bubble Car’55003. The new wooden door frames are being painted while the new door headers have also been delivered and are ready for fitting. This vehicle has been in preservation since 1996 and this is the second time it has been restored.

At the North Norfolk Railway, unique Class 104 Driving Trailer 56182 was placed on jacks so that access could be gained to the underside. Once the bogies had been removed the entire underbody was needle-gunned and repainted. The lifting also enabled a complete rewire of the underframe to be carried out, which involved installing over a mile of new cable at a cost of more than £1,300.

The Appleby Frodingham Railway Society has become the first heritage line to offer driver experiences using a preserved Pacer. Class 144 144017 has been at the line for the past three months and so far has performed only driver experience duties.