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
Apr-60 | New to | 81D (Reading) | |
May 1973 | Depot code change | RG | |
03/12/93 | Transferred to | HQ (Headquarters) NWRX | |
07/12/93 | Withdrawn from | HQ (Headquarters) NWRX |
6w/e 10/07/71 - Dual AWS fitted
p/e 06/09/75 - WR AWS removed
Scrapped by Gwent Demolition, Margam
51343 | 59495 | 51385 | As delivered to Reading - April 1960 | ||||||
RDG306 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Listed at Reading - Aug-60 | |||||
406 | 51343 | 59528 | 51385 | Noted circa Dec-67 - in plain blue with full yellow ends. Formerly RDG306, vestibule set | |||||
406 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Listed at Reading - Apr-68 - was R306, gangwayed set | |||||
51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted 25/08/69 - at Paddington1 | ||||||
51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted 02/10/1971 - at Birmingham New Street2 | ||||||
51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted 25/10/1971 - at Paddington2 | ||||||
51343 | 59538 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted 28/08/73 - in Paddington1 | |||||
51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted 29/10/1973 - at Reading2 | ||||||
L406 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted 04/05/1974 - BR Western Region Outer Circle Railtour (L471+L403+L406) | |||||
51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted 14/02/76 - on 13:15 Hereford - Oxford3 | ||||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Listed at RG - 01/05/1976 | |||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted 05/1977 - Oxford Didcot Reading area4 | |||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted 26/05/1977 - Oxford Station4 | |||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted 07/10/1977 - Oxford to Didcot area4 | |||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Listed at RG - 31st December 1977 | |||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted 17/02/1980 - At Didcot Station P5 09424 | |||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Listed at RG - 03/03/80 | |||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted circa 04/19825 | |||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Listed at RG - 15/12/1982 | |||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Listed at RG - 01/01/85 | |||||
51343 | 51385 | 54280 | Noted circa 07/19855 | ||||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Listed at Reading - Summer 1986 | |||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted 21/06/1986 - at West Drayton6 | |||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted 21/06/1986 - at Slough6 | |||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted 21/06/19865 | |||||
51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted 04/06/87 - on 14:34 Paddington - Reading7 | ||||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Listed at RG - Aug-87 | |||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted circa 10/19875 | |||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted 16/04/19885 | |||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Listed at - 15/05/89 | |||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted circa 10/19905 | |||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Listed at RG - 21/01/91 | |||||
L408 | 51343 | 59495 | 51385 | Noted 16/02/1991 - At London Paddington. 8 | |||||
51343 | 51571 | 53455 | Listed at RG - 24/02/92 - NSE NWRX pool | ||||||
L213 | 51343 | 54223 | Noted 6th June 1992 | ||||||
L213 | 51343 | 54223 | Listed at RG - 12/08/92 | ||||||
L213 | 51343 | 54223 | Listed at RG - November 1992 - Sector NWRX | ||||||
Spare | 51343 | Listed at RG - November 1993 - Sector NWRX |
Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Jeremy Goodyear
3: Phil Shatford
4: Shayne Lewis
5: Eddie Knorn
6: Robert Chilton
7: Martin Baumann
8: Dave Warby
W51343 was six months old when seen in Reading depot, 24th October 1960. Adrian Vaughan.
A Refurbished Pressed Steel built Class 117 set at Southall, date unknown. The DMBS is W51343, which spent its whole career allocated to Reading depot. Behind is presumably 59495. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Class 117 DMU set L408 (presumably 51343 + 59495 + 51385) at Slough on 12 July 1980. Brian Daniels.
Class 117 DMU L408 (presumably 51343 59495 51385) approaches Maidenhead station, 4th August 1981. Paul James.
Class 117 set L408 (W51343 closest) working as a two-car set in Bourne End station, date unknown. Glyn Weigh.
W51343 in Colchester station on Sunday 18/1/87. It had been sent from Reading to work the Sudbury branch, to where it had returned by the Tuesday when the usual Norwich was back on the branch. AndrewHA.
Class 117 unit L408 at, I think, Reading, in April 1988. Curly42.
Class 117 DMU set L408 (51343 and presumably 59495 + 51385) approaches Southall circa January 1990. Stuart Mackay Collection.
With 51343 closest Class 117 DMU set L408 departs from Reading with the 11:00 local to Didcot on 12 August 1991. Stuart Mackay Collection.
As L408 (presumably 51385 59495 51343) departs Maidenhead an unidentified HST approaches heading for London Paddington. 4th August 1981. Paul James.
Class 117 DMU set L408 (presumably 51385 + 59495 + 51343) at Didcot North Junction on 23 February 1983. Brian Daniels.
Class 117 DMU L408 (presumably 51385 + 59495 + 51343) is seen from a Cross Country train in Reading station as its Class 47 locomotive (seen in the distance) runs round. The date is 28th April 1984. Bob Belcher.
Class 117 DMU set L408 (W51385 and presumably W59495 + W51343) looking very clean when seen with an Oxford - Reading local at Lower Basildon, Thames Valley, in July 1985. Roger Geach.
L408 (presumably 51385 + 59495 + 51343) with a second Class 117 DMU arrives at Taplow on 5 May 1990. Taken by John Vaughan. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Over the weekend of 15th-18th January 1987 a large amount of snow fell in the Eastern Counties. So much so that for one reason or another Norwich Crown Point Depot could not supply a Unit to NSE to work on the Sudbury Branch from Colchester as from Monday 19th. January. The previous weeks had gone back for maintenance on the Saturday night. Network South East's DMU depot at Reading were asked to help out with a 2 car set and early on the Sunday afternoon Class 117 set L408 W51385 + W51343 turned up. It is seen in platform 6 of Colchester North Station on a bitterly cold Sunday 18th January. AndrewHA.
Class 117 DMU set L408 - presumably 51385 + 59495 + 51343 - in Iver station with the 13.15 Paddington - Reading service on 17 December 1990. Dave Warby.