Derby Lightweight Driving Trailer Composite Lavatory diesel multiple unit 79612 stands in the yard at Wirksworth on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, 21st September 2024. Restoration has moved on since I last photographed this vehicle 10 years ago when it was based at the Midland Railway Centre.
Unit History
The Derby Lightweight diesel multiple units, were the first production series units to be built for British Railways. The units were built at Derby Works from 1954 to 1956 and twelve power-twin two-car units, eighty four power-trailer two-car units, and four, four-car units were built. 79612 was built in 1956 and was partnered by Driving Motor Brake Second 79018. These units had either Red Triangle or Yellow Diamond coupling codes however the following diesel multiple unit builds were generally Blue Square so these units became non standard and were withdrawn at the end of the 1960’s. Following withdrawal 79018 and 79612 were taken into Departmental stock and converted into an ultrasonic test train being renumbered DB975007 and DB975008 respectively. This ensured their survival for an extra 20 odd years into the 1990’s, long enough for their historical importance to be recognised.
As the only surviving Derby Lightweight two car set, they were purchased by the Derby Lightweight Preservation Group, asbestos stripped at Doncaster Works and moved to the Midland Railway Butterley in 1997 for restoration. 79018 was selected to be restored first, consequently 79612 was put into storage. 79018 was completed in 2004 and in 2008 the restoration of 79612 started after eleven years in storage. The vehicle was stripped down and primed, the external departmental modifications such as relocated doors/windows were returned to original configuration and the vehicle received a protective coat of paint. Since then progress has been very slow with long periods of .what appeared to be inactivity
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