Class 117 Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) 51353 basks in the winter sunshine at Swanwick, Midland Railway Centre, 22nd February 2009.

Vehicle History
On the 16th October 1958 the British Transport Commission placed an order with The Pressed Steel Co., Linwood (Paisley) to build one hundred and twenty three vehicles of the standard Derby high-intensity design for Western Region London area suburban duties, these became class 117. Delivery commenced in November 1959, with the final 117 set delivered a year later in November 1960. Interestingly although nominally a three car set only thirty nine trailer vehicles were built for forty two pairs of power cars. Although ungangwayed when built, these were added later and by 1965 at least four sets had had them added to allow them to be formed into three or four car sets with the addition of a number of converted locomotive hauled stock. From about 1968 the rest had the corridor connections added. With the introduction of the Networker Turbo DMU’s (class 165/1) in 1992 the class 117 units were displaced from there London suburban duties and 51353 would be transferred to Haymarket for peak Fife suburban duties. Withdrawn in the autumn of 1999, displaced by class 170 Turbostars it was sent to store at Perth and moved south in March 2000 for another period in store at Shroeburyness before purchased for preservation in 2004. 51353 was purchased by Dorset County Council who wished to obtain three 3-car sets for a proposed community rail link between Swanage and Wareham and was moved to a private site in Dorset where all nine of vehicles were being stored. However in 2007 the site had to be cleared six of vehicles including 51353 moved to the Midland Railway, Butterley for storage. By 2011 it was understood that Dorset County Council would no longer be proceeding with the plan to operate the vehicles, and 51353 was sold and found a new home on the Wensleydale Railway in 2012. By 2014 the group had decided not to restore the vehicle and placed it up for sale and in 2015 it was bought by a local community group who have converted it to a static “community hub”.

Tags:   22nd February 51353 Midland Railway Centre New Photo Distillery

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Class 117 Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) 51353 basks in the sunshine at Leeming Bar, Wensleydale Railway, 28th June 2021.

Vehicle History
On the 16th October 1958 the British Transport Commission placed an order with The Pressed Steel Co., Linwood (Paisley) to build one hundred and twenty three vehicles of the standard Derby high-intensity design for Western Region London area suburban duties, these became class 117. Delivery commenced in November 1959, with the final 117 set delivered a year later in November 1960. Interestingly although nominally a three car set only thirty nine trailer vehicles were built for forty two pairs of power cars. Although ungangwayed when built, these were added later and by 1965 at least four sets had had them added to allow them to be formed into three or four car sets with the addition of a number of converted locomotive hauled stock. From about 1968 the rest had the corridor connections added. With the introduction of the Networker Turbo DMU’s (class 165/1) in 1992 the class 117 units were displaced from their London suburban duties and 51353 would be transferred to Haymarket for peak Fife suburban duties. Withdrawn in the autumn of 1999, displaced by class 170 Turbostars it was sent to store at Perth and moved south in March 2000 for another period in store at Shroeburyness before purchased for preservation in 2004. 51353 was purchased by Dorset County Council who wished to obtain three 3-car sets for a proposed community rail link between Swanage and Wareham and was moved to a private site in Dorset where all nine of vehicles were being stored. However in 2007 the site had to be cleared six of vehicles including 51353 moved to the Midland Railway, Butterley for storage. By 2011 it was understood that Dorset County Council would no longer be proceeding with the plan to operate the vehicles, and 51353 was sold and found a new home on the Wensleydale Railway in 2012. By 2014 the group had decided not to restore the vehicle and placed it up for sale and in 2015 it was bought by a local community group who have converted it to a static “community hub”.

Tags:   28th June 51353 New Photo Distillery Wensleydale Railway

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Western Region London suburban set L430 (W51368/59520/51410) departs Acton with a local service for Paddington, 8th April 1977.

Unit History
L430 is a class 117 three car high density Derby designed diesel multiple unit built by Pressed Steel in 1959/60. One hundred and twenty three vehicles were built and although sufficient driving motor vehicles were built to form forty two, three car sets only thirty nine trailer vehicles were built. This meant in practice three sets initially operated with a converted Great Western coach and latter with class 118 trailers, remarkedly set L430 is in its original formation as delivered in September 1960. Although non-gangwayed when built, these were added later and most were fitted by 1968. The class will always be associated with Western Region London suburban duties although at the very end of there career the survivors could be found at Bletchley and Haymarket. The class was one of the last of the first generation DMU types to stay in service, and consequently many are preserved (with quite a few trailers used as hauled stock), however W51368 was withdrawn and broken up in April 1999 and W51410 was withdrawn and broken up in September 1996. W59520 was withdrawn inDecember 1995 but was not broken up and can be currently (November 2013) found at the Dartmoor Railway were it is used as hauled stock

Tags:   8th April 51368 Praktica LTL High Speed Ektachrome

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Bristol area DMU set B434 (W51372/59490/51414) passes through Bromsgrove and is about to attack the 1 in 37 Lickey incline with a service to Birmingham, 31st August 1983.

Unit History
B434 is a Class 117 three car high density Derby designed diesel multiple unit built by Pressed Steel in 1959/60. One hundred and twenty three vehicles were built and although sufficient driving motor vehicles were built to form forty two, three car sets only thirty nine trailer vehicles were built. This meant in practice three sets initially operated with a converted Great Western coach and later with Class 118 trailers. 51372/51414 were one of the sets originally paired with Great Western coach and then with Class 118 trailer 59479 until around 1981 when they at last gained a Class 117 trailer 59490. Although non-gangwayed when built, these were added later and most were fitted by 1968. The class will always be associated with Western Region London suburban duties although at the very end of their career the survivors could be found at Tysley, Bletchley and Haymarket. The class was one of the last of the first generation DMU types to stay in service, and consequently many are preserved (with quite a few trailers used as hauled stock), however W51372 was withdrawn January 1994 and can currently be found at the Gloucester and Warwickshire Railway where it is stored as a spare’s donor. W51414 was and 59490 were also withdrawn in January 1994 and broken up in January 1996 and April 2009 respectively.

Canon AT1, Kodachrome 64

Tags:   31st August 51372 Canon AT1 Kodachrome 64 Epson V600 New Photo Distillery

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Patiently awaiting its turn for restoration is a rather forlorn class 117 Driving Motor Second (DMS) 51395 stands in the yard at Swanwick, Midland Railway Centre, 17th March 2012.

Unit History
On the 16th Oct. 1958 the British Transport Commission placed an order with The Pressed Steel Co., Linwood (Paisley) to build one hundred and twenty three vehicles of the standard Derby high-intensity design for Western Region London area suburban duties, these became class 117. Delivery commenced in November 1959, with the final 117 set delivered a year later in November 1960. Interestingly although nominally a three car set only thirty nine trailer vehicles were built for forty two pairs of power cars. Although ungangwayed when built, these were added later and by 1965 at least four sets had had them added to allow them to be formed into three or four car sets with the addition of a number of converted locomotive hauled stock. From about 1968 the rest had the corridor connections added. With the introduction of the Networker Turbo DMU’s (class 165/1) in 1992 the class 117 units were displaced from there London suburban duties and 51353 would be transferred to Haymarket for peak Fife suburban duties. Withdrawn in the autumn of 1999, displaced by class 170 Turbostars it was sent to store at Perth and moved south in March 2000 for another period in store at Shroeburyness before purchased for preservation in 2004.

Tags:   17th March

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