Vehicle 51332
Class 117
Builder: Pressed Steel
Layout: High Density
Length: 64ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: None
Engines: Leyland 150hp
Transmission: Mechanical
Lot Number: 30546
Diagram: 534
Allocations
| Nov-59 | New to | 81D (Reading) | |
| Apr-66 | Transferred to | 81C (Southall) | |
| Apr-68 | Transferred to | 81D (Reading) | |
| May 1973 | Depot code change | RG | |
| 14/12/92 | Sector Change to | RG (Reading) NWXX | |
| 03/12/93 | Transferred to | BY (Bletchley) NNDX | |
| Apr-99 | Withdrawn from | BY (Bletchley) |
Notes
17/11/96 - 51332 was named 'Marston Vale' by the Marchioness of Tavistock in Bedford Midland station to mark the 150th anniversary of the route.
Modifications
p/e 12/08/72 - Dual AWS fitted
p/e 09/08/75 - WR AWS removed
Refurbished
At Swindon Works dated 30/04/1979 released in white/blue stripe liveryDisposal
Scrapped by MC Metal Processing, Springburn
Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:
| 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | As delivered to - November 1959 | ||||||
| RDG300 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Listed at 81D - Aug-60 | |||||
| 450 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Listed at Southall - Apr-68 - was S319, non-gangwayed set | |||||
| 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted 11/07/69 - at Royal Oak1 | ||||||
| 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted 07/03/70 - at Royal Oak1 | ||||||
| 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted 14/02/72 - at Royal Oak1 | ||||||
| 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted 22/07/72 - at Royal Oak1 | ||||||
| 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted 28/08/73 - in Paddington2 | ||||||
| 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted 29/10/1973 - at Reading3 | ||||||
| L450 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted 30/04/75 - at Royal Oak1 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Listed at RG - 01/05/1976 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted 05/1977 - Oxford Didcot Reading area4 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Listed at RG - 31st December 1977 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted 28/01/1978 - Reading Station4 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted 16/07/1978 - Reading Station4 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Listed at RG - 03/03/80 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted circa 04/19825 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Listed at RG - 15/12/1982 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted 23/10/1983 - Branch Line Society Double Dragon Railtour | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted 31/03/1984 - Monmouthshire Railway Society Coed Ely Coupling Railtour L400+L415+55021 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Listed at RG - 01/01/85 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Listed at Reading - Summer 1986 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted 21/06/19865 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted 26/08/19865 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted 13/09/1986 - at Old Oak Common6 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51319 | Noted 21/04/87 - at Royal Oak1 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Listed at RG - Aug-87 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted 12/09/19875 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted circa 04/19885 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted circa 04/19895 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Listed at - 15/05/89 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Listed at RG - 21/01/91 | |||||
| 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted 14/04/92 - on 07:55 Paddington - Reading7 | ||||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Listed at - 24/02/92 - NSE NWRX pool | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Listed at - 12/08/92 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Listed at RG - November 1992 - Sector NWRX | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Noted 27th August 1993 | |||||
| L400 | 51332 | 59484 | 51374 | Listed at RG - November 1993 - Sector NWXX | |||||
| L700 | 51332 | 51374 | Formed at BY 03/12/93 | ||||||
| L700 | 51332 | 51374 | Listed at BY - Jul-94 | ||||||
| 51332 | 51374 | Noted 10/08/96 - on 2Y31 14:10 Willesden Junction High Level - Clapham Junction7 | |||||||
| 117700 | 51332 | 51374 | Listed at BY - 02/12/96 | ||||||
| 117700 | 51332 | 51374 | Listed at BY - 01/01/98 |
Formation Sources
1: Gerald Brown
2: Leonard Rogers
3: Jeremy Goodyear
4: Shayne Lewis
5: Eddie Knorn
6: Robert Chilton
7: David Bellamy
Images:
circa November 1959
A brand new Pressed Steel triple suburban set. Closest is DMBS W51332, the other two are presumably W59484 and W51374, they were delivered to Reading in November 1959. Pressed Steel.
10th December 1959
An official image (Swindon Works negative 5CR/151 showing Pressed Steel suburban DMBS 51332, presumably at Swindon Works, on 10/12/59. British Railways.
10th December 1959
An official image (Swindon Works negative 5CR/152 showing Pressed Steel suburban DMBS 51332, presumably at Swindon Works, on 10/12/59. British Railways.
10th December 1959
An official image (Swindon Works negative 5CR/155 showing the guards van of Pressed Steel suburban DMBS 51332 on 10/12/59. British Railways.
10th December 1959
An official image (Swindon Works negative 5CR/155A showing the driving compartment of Pressed Steel suburban DMBS 51332 on 10/12/59. British Railways.
1st August 1981
Set number: L400
Pressed Steel Class 117 set L400 (presumably 51332 + 59484 + 51374) at Langley on August 1, 1981. Steve Davies Collection.
5th September 1981
Set number: L400
On a hot and hazy late Summer afternoon, a three-car Pressed Steel Class 117 Suburban DMU, with Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) W51332 leading, was toiling up the 1 in 37 gradient of the Lickey Incline at Vigo, with a Birmingham bound service on September 5th 1981. The set was finished in the 'refurbished' white with blue stripe livery, and the other two vehicles are presumably 59484 + 51374. Martyn Hilbert.
Unknown date
Set number: L400
Class 117 DMU set L400 (51332 and presumably 59484 + 51374) leaving Hereford station, date unknown. Paul Redmond.
29th January 1984
Set number: L400
L400 (51332 / 59484 / 51374) seen at Southall on the 29th January 1984, working the 09:42 Reading - Paddington. Hamish Stevenson.
31st March 1984
W51332 at Nantymoel with the Coed Ely Coupling railtour on 31 March 1984. David Mant.
31st March 1984
W51332 on the end of the Monmouthshire Railway Society "Coed Ely Coupling" railtour at Swansea Docks on 31 March 1984. Robert Thomas.
31st March 1984
51332 on the end of the Monmouthshire Railway Society "Coed Ely Coupling" railtour seen at Neath Riverside on 31 March 1984. Robert Thomas.
31st March 1984
Class 117 DMBS 51332 on the end of the Monmouthshire Railway Society "Coed Ely Coupling" railtour at Coed Ely on 31 March 1984. Robert Thomas.
31st March 1984
Set number: L400
W51332 at Nantymoel with the Monmouthshire Railway Society 'Coed Ely Coupling' railtour on 31 March 1984. David Mant.
1st September 1989
Set number: L400
With 51332 & 51374 at either end (and presumably 59484 in the middle) L400 is at Oxford awaiting departure with the 15:26 to Paddington on the 1st September 1989. Hamish Stevenson.
20th December 1989
Class 117 DMBS 51332 with Thames branding at Oxford on 20 December 1989. Nicholas T Smith.
20th December 1989
A Class 117 DMU (51332 at the front) departs from Oxford on 20 December 1989. Nicholas T Smith.
Unknown date
Set number: L400
Class 117 DMU L400 standing at Oxford with 51332 at the front (and presumably 59484 + 51374). Date unknown. Stuart Pearce.
8th February 1991
Set number: L400
A six-car DMU formation departs from Maidenhead on 8 February 1991 formed of Class 117 set L400 (presumably 51332 + 59484 + 51374), a two-car Class 101, and Class 121 55025. Andrew Malloy.
8th July 1994
Set number: L700
A 2-car Class 117 set L700 (cars 51332 + 51374) at Kensington Olympia on a Willesden Junction-Clapham Junction service on 8 July 1994. This service was re-introduced that year after a gap of 54 years. Lewis Bevan.
8th July 1984
Set number: L700
A 2-car Class 117 set L700 (cars 51374/51332) at Kensington Olympia on a Willesden Junction-Clapham Junction service on 8 July 1994. Lewis Bevan.
20th November 1994
Set number: L700
Class 117 set L700 (51332 + 51374) arriving at Kensington Olympia on 20th November 1994 on a train to Clapham Junction. The West London line had only just been re-opened and the half hourly service was worked by two class 117 diagrams. Ian Buck.
1995
Set number: L700
Two-car Class 117 DMU L700 (presumably 51332 + 51374) at Kensington Olympia in 1995. John Law.
15th April 1995
Set number: L700
Set L700 consisting of the first built class 117 DMBS 51332 and the first built class 117 DMS 51374, still together as they would have been in 1959, pauses at Wanstead Park on it's way to Barking from Gospel Oak, 15/Apr/1995. Resignalling is underway on this line and the old searchlight signal at the end of the platform is still hanging on, but it's replacement is already standing, as yet out of use, in front of it. Robert Chilton.
31st August 1996
Set number: L700
Owing to electrification works the line between Willesden Junction and Richmond was worked on 31st August 1996 by class 117. Here 51332 of set L700 (and presumably 51374) enters Acton Central. Ian Buck.
The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:
Date: 3rd December 1959
An official image (Swindon Works negative 5T/42 showing a Pressed Steel suburban triple set formed 51374 + 59484 + 51332, presumably at Swindon Works, on 3/12/59. British Railways.
Date: 12th November 1977
Set number: L400
Class 117 set L400 (presumably 51374 + 59484 + 51332) speeds by at Migham on 12 November 1977. Banbury (General) is showing on the destination blind. Steve Davies Collection.
Date: 14th May 1979
Set number: L400
When the 3R Tadpole DEMUs were withdrawn, the intended substitutes were Class 101 Metro-Cammell dmmus. In the event, only a couple of these put in an appearance and the Class 119 Gloucester Cross-country sets took over. However, in the first few weeks after the supposed changeover, a mixture of WR and Southern units appeared. Here, L400 (presumably 51374 + 59484 + 51332) in white livery arrives at Edenbridge on 14 May 1979 with up train. Tony Watson.
Date: 11th December 1979
Set number: L400
Class 117 set L400 with 51374 leading (and presumably with 59484 and 51332) is stabled at Maidenhead on 11th December 1979. Ian Buck.
Date: unknown
Set number: L400
Class 117 DMU set L400 (51374 and presumably 59484 + 51332) at Hereford (Barrs Court), date unknown. Paul Redmond.
Date: 22nd October 1983
Set number: L400
Set L400 (51374, 59484 and 51332) on the BLS Double Dragon railtour arriving at Maerdy, 22/10/83. PJ Evans.
Date: unknown
Set number: L400
Class 117 DMU set L400 (presumably 51374 + 59484 + 51332) heads away from West Drayton on 25 March 1989. Image taken by John Vaughan. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Date: circa 1987
Set number: L400
Class 117 set L400 in London Paddington station with a Reading service circa 1987. DMS 51374 is closest, presumably with 59484 + 51332. Ian Docwra.
Date: 11th February 1987
Set number: L400
Class 117 set L400 (presumably 51374 + 59484 + 51332) at Paddington on 11th February 1987. Ian Buck.
Date: 30th April 1988
Set number: L400
Class 117 set L400 (presumably 51374 + 59484 + 51332) at Maidenhead on 30 April 1988. Andrew Malloy.
Date: 5th November 1988
Set number: L400
Class 117 L400 (presumably 51374 + 59484 + 51332) at Oxford on 5th November 1988. Ian Buck.
Date: 18th May 1989
Set number: L400
Class 117 set L400 (51374 and presumably 59484 + 51332) at Didcot on May 18, 1989. Michael Mensing.
Date: 1990
Set number: L400
Pressed Steel class 117 unit L400 (presumably 51374 + 59484 + 51332) seen leaving Slough on a summer's evening in 1990. Bob Belcher.
Date: 8th February 1991
Set number: L125
A six-car DMU formation departs from Maidenhead on 8 February 1991 formed of (furthest to closest) Class 117 set L400 (presumably 51332 + 59484 + 51374), a two-car Class 101, and Class 121 55025. Andrew Malloy.
Date: 27th March 1991
Set number: L400
Class 117 L400 car 51374 displays it’s 118 type domed roof indicator box. Reading, 27/3/91, presumably with 59484 + 51332. Mac Winfield.
Date: 17th October 1993
Set number: L400
Class 117 DMU set L400, presumed 51374 + 59484 + 51332, at Betchworth with the 09.20 Reading to Gatwick on 17 October 1993. Rob Paterson.
Date: 15th July 1994
150794 A mixed formation of 51375+51073+51332 call at Blake Street with the 1839 Longbridge to Lichfield Jason Hall.
Date: 15th April 1995
Set number: L700
Set L700 consisting of the first built class 117 DMS 51374 and the first built class 117 DMBS 51332, still together as they would have been in 1959, pauses at Wanstead Park returning from Barking and heading for Gospel Oak, 15/Apr/1995. Robert Chilton.
Date: October 1995
Set number: L700
Set L700 (51374 + 51332) at Crouch Hill in October 1995. Ian Buck.
Date: October 1995
Set number: L700
51374 of set L700 (presumably with 51332) leads into Leytonstone High Road in October 1995 on a Gospel Oak to Barking train. The service required three class 117 diagrams to operate half hourly. Ian Buck.
Date: 23rd April 1996
Set number: L700
Woburn Sands station on 23 April 1996. A 2-car Class 117 unit, L700 with coaches 51374/51332, calls with a Bedford-Bletchley service (recorded by me as "14.11 to Bletchley)". Lewis Bevan.
Date: 31st August 1996
Set number: L700
Crossing the Grand Junction Canal near Old Oak Common depot set L700 (presumably 51374 + 51332) heading for Richmond on the 31st August 1996. Ian Buck.
Date: 4th June 1997
Set number: L700
Class 117 set L700 (presumably 51374 + 51332) at Bedford on Bedford - Bletchley duties, June 4, 1997. David Page.