New home for Thumper

A TWO-CAR ‘Thumper’ diesel electric multiple unit, which was offered free recently to prospective new owners, has been moved from the East Lancashire Railway. The unit has found a new home in one of the buildings at the former MoD site at Bicester where a transport collection is being assembled with a view to providing a museum.

Comprised of Driving Motor 60130 and Driving Trailer 60904, unit 207202 was built at Eastleigh in 1962 for services on the Oxted line. Withdrawn in 2004, the DEMU was immediately preserved at Bury and in its initial years saw some service use. However, it later became run down and required considerable body repairs to be undertaken, but when these were commenced it was discovered that asbestos was present and that the costs of refurbishment to operational order would therefore be excessive. Following a number of years in store at Bury’s Baron Street it was placed on the market earlier this year. At its new Bicester home it has been provided with covered accommodation, which will mean that it should not suffer further deterioration.