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Vehicle 59481

Class 118

Builder: BRC&W
Layout: High Density
Length: 64ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: None
Lot Number: 30544
Diagram: 601

Allocations

Jul-60	New to	83D (Laira)
circa Jun-61	Transferred to	81D (Reading)
Sep-64	Transferred to	86A (Cardiff Canton)
by mid Oct-65	Transferred to	84A (Laira)
3w/e 03/04/71	Transferred to	82A (Bristol Bath Road)
Jun-71	Transferred to	81D (Reading)
May 1973	Depot code change	RG
28/02/76	Transferred to	LA (Laira)
2w/e 12/12/76	Transferred to	BR (Bristol Bath Road)
16/05/82	Transferred to	LA (Laira)
05/04/86	Transferred to	BR (Bristol Bath Road)
10/11/87	Transferred to	TS (Tyseley)
02/08/93	Transferred to	HQ (Headquarters) RFXX
09/08/93	Withdrawn from	HQ (Headquarters) RFXX

Refurbished

At Swindon Works dated 19/04/1984 released in blue/grey livery

Disposal

Scrapped by MC Metal Processing, Springburn

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	51314	59481	51329		As delivered to Laira - July 1960
	51128	59481	51141		Listed at RDG - circa Jun-61
LA300	51314	59481	51329		Noted circa Mar-68 - in plain blue with full yellow ends
	51314	59481	51329		Noted 27th September 1969
	51314	59481	51329		Noted 29/08/1970 - Worked 15.25 Ilfracombe to Exeter St Davids with 50854-59346-50907¹
	51314	59481	51329		Transfer to 82A - 3w/e 03/04/71
	51314	59481	51329		Transfer to 81D - Jun-71
RDG476	51314	59481	51329		Listed at Reading - circa Sep-71
	51314	59481	51329		Noted 25/10/1971 - at Paddington²
	51314	59481	59528	51329	Noted 28/03/72³
	51314	59481	51329		Noted 22/07/72 - at Royal Oak⁴
L476	51314	59481	51329		Noted 30/04/75 - at Royal Oak⁴
P471	51314	59481	51329		Listed at LA - 01/05/1976
P471	51314	59481	51329		Noted 07/09/76 - on Laira depot⁴
	51314	59481	51329		Transfer to BR - 2w/e 12/12/76
B471	51314	59481	51329		Noted 20/08/77 - on 2C24 1340 Bristol TM-Cardiff
B471	51314	59481	51329		Noted 06/10/1977 - Oxford Reading area⁵
B471	51314	59481	51329		Noted 19/12/1977 - Cardiff Central⁵
B471	51314	59481	51329		Listed at BR - 31st December 1977
B471	51314	59481	51329		Noted 06/01/1978 - Cardiff Central⁵
B471	51314	59481	51329		Noted 15/07/78 - on 2C10 0644 Weston Super Mare-Cardiff
B471	51314	59481	51329		Noted 20/07/1978 - Cardiff Central⁵
B471	51314	59481	51329		Noted 25/01/1980 - At Swindon Station P2Bay 1045⁵
B471	51314	59481	51329		Listed at BR - 03/03/80
B471	51314	59481	51329		Noted 03/05/1980 - Hertfordshire Rail Tours The Valley Basher Railtour B468 + B471
B471	51314	59481	51329		Noted 04/04/1981 - Monmouthshire Railway Society Roath Dock Rumbler Railtour B471+B462
	51314	59481	51329		Noted 02/05/82 - at Bristol³
P471	51314	59481	51329		Listed at LA - 15/12/1982
P471	51314	59481	51329		Listed at LA - 01/01/85
	51314	59481	51329		Noted 14/07/85
P471	51314	59481	51329		Noted circa 11/1985¹
471	51314	59481	51329		Transfer to BR - 05/04/86 - from LA
B471	51314	59481	51329		Noted 10/05/1986¹
B471	51314	59481	51329		Listed at Bristol (Bath Road) - Summer 1986
B471	51314	59481	51329		Noted 04/07/87 - at Norwich strengthening TS616 and 083 on a Birmingham NS – Norwich service⁴
B471	51314	59481	51329		Listed at BR - Aug-87
	51314	59481	51329		Transfer to TS - 10/11/87 - from BR
317	51314	59481	51329		Noted circa 01/1988¹
T317	51314	59481	51329		Listed at Tyseley - 7th April 1988
T317	51314	59481	51329		Noted 06/07/1988 - BLS Calverton Collier Railtour
T317	51314	59481	51329		Listed at TS - 01/09/89
T317	51314	59481	51329		Listed at TS - 01/12/89
T317	51314	59481	51329		Noted circa 05/1990¹
	51314	59481	51329		Noted 06/05/1990 - at Tyseley depot²
T317	51314	59481	51329		Listed at TS - mid May-90
T317	51314	59481	51329		Noted 16/03/1991 - At Crewe, assumed working 16.28 Crewe - Bangor.⁶
T317	51314	59481	51329		Listed at TS - Jul-91
T317	51314	59481	51329		Listed at TS - Aug-91
T317	51314	59481	51329		Listed at TS - Dec-91
	51314	59481	51329		Noted 23/05/92 - on 08:00 Lichfield TV - Longbridge⁷
T317	51314	59481	51329		Listed at TS - 02/07/92
T317	51314	59481	51329		Noted circa 08/1992¹
	51314	59481	51329		Noted 29/08/92 - On 09:49 Scarborough - Skegness with 53863 + 59753 + 51142⁷
	51314	59481	51329		Noted 29/08/92 - on 09:49 Scarborough - Skegness with 51142 + 59753 + 53863⁷
T317	51314	59481	51329		Listed at - 24/09/92
T317	51314	59481	51329		Listed at TS - November 1992
	51314	59481	51329		Noted 10/12/92 - on 15:06 Birmingham New Street - Redditch and 17:58 Longbridge - Birmingham New Street⁷
T317	51314	59481	51329		Listed at TS - 10/12/92
T317	51314	59481	51329		Noted 18th December 1992

Formation Sources
1: Eddie Knorn
2: Jeremy Goodyear
3: Leonard Rogers
4: Gerald Brown
5: Shayne Lewis
6: Dave Warby
7: David Bellamy

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The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: 1st April 1974

Class 121 W55030 approaching Paddington on 1 April 1974. It looks like it is standing in for a suburban set power car, the centre car to the left is 59481 or 59491. Phil Bevan.

Date: December 1975

Set number: L476

Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Co. Class 118 Suburban 3-car dmu No.L476 (W51314 and presumably 59481 + 51329) in BR Rail Blue livery and all yellow front ends approaching Paddington on a service from Reading in December 1975. Hugh Llewelyn.

Date: 1976

Set number: P471

Class 118 set P471 (presumably 51314 + 59481 + 51329) at Penzance in 1976. John Law.

Date: 14th August 1976

Set number: P471

W51329 leads Class 118 set P471 (presumably with 59481 + 51314) Near Eggesford, 14th August 1976. David Mant.

Date: circa 1976

Set number: P471

Class 118 set P471 (51329 and presumably 59481 + 51314) arrives at Falmouth station circa 1976. John Law.

Date: circa 1978

Set number: B471

Class 118 DMU set B471 (presumably 51314 + 59481 + 51329) has just emerged from Dainton tunnel - between Newton Abbot and Totnes - heading in the direction of Totnes, circa 1978. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 3rd May 1980

Set number: B486

The Hertfordshire Railtours "The Valley Basher" at Newport Docks on 3 May 1980. It was formed of two Class 118 sets B468 (51325 + 59471 + 51310) and B471 (51314 + 59481 + 51329). Robert Thomas.

Date: 15th August 1984

Set number: P125

BR Class 121 55025 + Class 118 51329 + 51314 + 59481 head towards St. Ives on 15.8.1984 Don Taggart.

Date: November 1984

Set number: P471

Class 118 dmu P471 (presumably 51314 + 59481 + 51329) makes a smoky exit from Exeter St Davids's in November 1984. Robert28194.

Date: 29th January 1985

Set number: P471

Class 118 DMU set P467 (51314 + 59481 + 51329) on the stabling point at Exeter on 29 January 1985. Keith Miller.

Date: 29th January 1985

Set number: P471

Class 118 DMU set P467 (51314 + 59481 + 51329) stabled alongside 50 046 at Exeter on 29 January 1985. Keith Miller.

Date: 15th June 1985

Set number: P471

Class 118 set P471 (51329 presumably closest with 59481 + 51314) on the 15:55 Newton Abbot - Exeter St Davids departing Dawlish Warren at 16:15 on Saturday 15th June 1985. Colin Brooks.

Date: 30th July 1985

Set number: P471

Class 118 no P471 (presumably 51314 + 59481 + 51329) pauses at Newton Abbot with the 17.35 Paignton - Exeter on 30 July 1985. Robert28194.

Date: 1986

Set number: P471

Class 118 set P471 (with 51329 presumably closest with 59481 + 51314) departs from Topsham in 1986. John Law.

Date: 2nd March 1986

Set number: P471

Class 118 numbers W51329 W59481 W51314 arriving at Torquay with the 1325 Exeter St Davids to Paignton on 2 March 1986. Keith Long.

Date: 26th May 1986

Set number: B471

A three-car BRCW Class 118 DMU formed of cars W51314, W59481 & W51329 was stood at Starcross with an Exmouth to Paignton service on May 26th 1986. Martyn Hilbert.

Date: unknown

Set number: B471

Class 118 set B471 (presumably 51314 + 59481 + 51329) leads a 2-car Class 118 into Chetnole, with Weymouth Town on the blinds. Tom Clift.

Date: 10th April 1987

Set number: B471

Bristol based class 118 DMU set B471 (presumably 51329 + 59481 + 51314) heads a Shrewsbury-Cardiff service through Moreton-on-Lugg on 11th April 1987. Paul James.

Date: 17th April 1987

Set number: B471

Bristol based Class 118 DMU set B471 (presumably 51329 + 59481 + 51314) is captured as it works a Hereford-Cardiff service south through Great Goytre, between Pontrilas and Abergavenny on 17th April 1987. Paul James.

Date: 17th April 1987

Set number: B471

Bristol based Class 118 DMU set B471 (presumably 51314 + 59481 + 51329) heads a Cardiff-Hereford service through Great Goytre, between Abergavenny and Pontrilas on 17th April 1987. Paul James.

Date: 2nd April 1988

Set number: T228

Class 114 54012, set number T228 (with 53021), is seen stabled outside the factory at Tyseley on 02.04.1988. It had been given a spruce up including a red buffer beam. On the right is Class 118 centre car 59481. Andy Cole.

Date: July 1989

Set number: T317

51314 heads Class 118 set T317 at Cheltenham in July 1989, presumably with 59481 + 51329. Mike Cooper.

Date: 1990

Set number: T317

Set T317 (presumably 51314 + 59481 + 51329) arrives at Lichfield City in 1990. John Law.

Date: 21st May 1990

Set number: T317

Tyseley set T317 (presumably 51314-59481-51329) restarts from Betws-y-Coed with a Blaenau Ffestiniog working on 21st May 1990. Steve Carter.

Date: November 1991

Set number: T317

Last days of dmus on the Cross City line. With masts erected, electrification of the Cross City line is imminent. This class 118 dmu (T317, presumably 51329 59481 51314) has arrived from Redditch at Lichfield City as a class 150 waits to leave in the opposite platform. November 1991. Stephen Burdett.

Date: 18th April 1992

Set number: T317

The 13:18 Lichfield TV - Redditch is seen at Barnt Green on 18/4/92 formed of T317 with 51329 closest, presumably with 59481 + 51314. Gazza Prescott.

Date: 2nd June 1992

Set number: T317

Class 118 DMU set T317 (51314 + 59481 + 51329) arriving at Nottingham station on 2 June 1992. In the background can be glimpsed 58021. Keith Miller.

Date: 10th April 1993

Set number: T317

51329 at the front of set T317 (51329/59481/51314) stabled at New St at 14.30 on 10/4/93. This set formation was soon to be broken up but, at this time, the unit was still in its as-delivered formation, after almost 33 years. It was also the only complete class 118 to remain in service. Leonard Rogers.

Date: 7th July 1993

Set number: T317

A six-car rake, with 51329 bringing up the rear, leaves New St at 16.25 on 7/7/93, forming an empty stock working, probably bound for Longbridge. This should have been the 16.15 to Longbridge but the train was cancelled "due to staffing difficulties". The train was formed of sets 117 306 (51369/59521/51411) and T317 (51314/59481/51329) and had been seen earlier in the afternoon in Tyseley carriage sidings. T317 was soon to be disbanded but, at this stage, still retained its as-delivered formation, some 33 years after it was put into service. It was also the only complete class 118 still in service. 117 306 would be officially transferred to Haymarket, for its last six years of life, two days later. These were the last days of DMU's on the Cross-City Line - there would be no more scheduled DMU workings after September, although they continued to appear for several months as substitutes for failed class 323's. Leonard Rogers.

Date: 7th July 1993

Set number: 117306

A view of Tyseley carriage sidings at around 12.30 on 7/7/93. Visible from left to right are : 977752 (ex-51306 - part of former Sandite unit T007), 977842 (ex-55032 - part of the then-current T007), 117 306 (51369/59521/51411) and T317 (51314/59481/51329). T317 was soon to be disbanded but, at this stage, still retained its as-delivered formation, some 33 years after it was put into service. It was also the only complete class 118 still in service. 117 306 would be officially transferred to Haymarket, to see out its last six years of life on the likes of Fife peakhour workings, just two days later. Leonard Rogers.

Date: 9th July 1993

Set number: T317

On the 9th July 1993 51314 is at the front T317 on the 12:50 New St - Longbridge seen at Kings Norton, presumably with 59481 + 51329. Gazza Prescott.

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