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<- 59490 | 59491 | 59492 ->

Vehicle 59491


Class 117

Builder: Pressed Steel
Layout: High Density
Length: 64ft
Coupling Code: Blue Square
Coupling Type: Screw
Gangway Type: None
Lot Number: 30547
Diagram: 601

Allocations

Mar-60 New to 81C (Southall)
by Jan-66 Transferred to 81D (Reading)
May 1973Depot code changeRG
w/e 11/01/75 Transferred to BR (Bristol Bath Road)
w/e 06/03/76 Transferred to RG (Reading)
14/12/92 Sector Change to RG (Reading) NWXX
07/12/93 Sector Change to RG (Reading) NWRX
26/05/94 Transferred to TS (Tyseley) RDTH
01/06/94 Transferred to RG (Reading) NWRX
Apr-95 Withdrawn

Modifications

circa Jun-65 - Gangway(s) fitted

Refurbished

At Swindon Works dated 25/09/1979 released in blue/grey livery

Disposal

Scrapped by Gwent Demolition, Margam

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:


SHL301 51340 59491 51381 Listed at Southall - circa Sep-60
SHL301 51340 59491 51381 Noted Jun-65
RDG333 51340 59491 7813 51381 Listed at Reading - circa Jan-66 - Now corridor fitted
404 51340 59491 51381 Listed at Reading - Apr-68 - was R333, gangwayed set
51340 59491 51381 Noted 25/08/69 - at Paddington1
L404 51340 59491 59538 51381 Noted 14/07/1973 - at Birmingham New Street2
51340 59491 51381 Noted 29/10/1973 - at Reading2
51340 59491 51381 Transfer to BR - w/e 11/01/75
L404 51340 59491 51381 Noted 26/08/75 - at Swindon3
L405 51340 59491 51381 Listed at RG - 01/05/1976
L417 51354 59491 51381 Noted 07/10/1977 - Oxford to Didcot area4
L405 51340 59491 51381 Noted 12/11/1977 - Oxford Station4
L405 51340 59491 51381 Listed at RG - 31st December 1977
L405 51340 59491 51381 Noted 01/03/78 - on 2A21 0618 Slough-Paddington
L405 51340 59491 51381 Noted 16/07/1978 - Reading Station4
L405 51340 59491 51381 Noted 12/01/1980 - Hertfordshire RailTours The Oxfordshire Trundler L405+L431
L405 51340 59491 51381 Listed at RG - 03/03/80
L405 51340 59491 51381 Noted circa 04/19825
L405 51340 59491 51381 Noted 19/06/1982 - Hertfordshire Railtours Witchfinder General L423+L410+L405
L405 51340 59491 51381 Listed at RG - 15/12/1982
L405 51340 59491 51381 Noted 23/07/83 - at Southall3
L405 51340 59491 51381 Listed at RG - 01/01/85
L405 51340 59491 51381 Noted circa 12/19855
L405 51340 59491 51381 Noted 03/04/19865
L405 51340 59491 51381 Listed at Reading - Summer 1986
R405 51340 59491 51381 Noted 21/04/87 - at Royal Oak, 51381 carried set number L4053
L405 51340 59491 51381 Listed at RG - Aug-87
L405 51340 59491 51381 Listed at RG - 15/05/89
L405 51340 59491 55023 Noted 20/07/1990 - working from Oxford to Bicester. 55023 replacing defective 51381
L405 51340 59491 51381 Listed at RG - 21/01/91
L405 51340 59491 51381 Listed at - 24/02/92 - NSE NWRX pool
L405 51340 59491 51381 Noted circa 08/19925
L405 51340 59491 51381 Listed at - 12/08/92
L405 51340 59491 51381 Listed at RG - November 1992 - Sector NWRX
L405 51340 59491 51381 Listed at RG - November 1993 - Sector NWXX

Formation Sources
1: Leonard Rogers
2: Jeremy Goodyear
3: Gerald Brown
4: Shayne Lewis
5: Eddie Knorn

Images:

Class 117 DMU at Oxford

1981

Set number: L405

Class 117 Pressed Steel TCL W59491, part of set L405, seen at Oxford in 1981. Kevin Farrow.


The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

DMU

Date: 1971

Set number: L404

In 1971 Pressed Steel triple set L404 lead a GRC&W Cross-country set into Fareham. The front set is presumed to be 51381 + 59491 + 51340. The image was from the Steve Davies Collection. Stuart Mackay Collection.

DMU

Date: circa 1972

Set number: L404

L404 (presumably 51381 + 59491 + 51340) is at the front of a six-car set arriving in Southampton station circa 1972. The rear unit is not a high-density set, possibly a Class 119. Image taken by John Vaughan. Stuart Mackay Collection.

DMU

Date: May 1973

Set number: L404

Pressed Steel set L404 (W51340 closest, presumably with 59491 + 51381) at Reading working with a Swindon Inter-City set in September 1973. Mel Smith.

DMU

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.

DMU

Date: April 1979

Set number: L405

Passing through Reading in April 1979 is class 117 set L405, 51340 presumably with 59491 + 51381. Ian Buck.

DMU

Date: 3rd December 1979

Set number: L405

Class 117 DMU set L405 (presumably 51340 + 59491 + 51381) in Didcot station on 3 December 1979. Brian Daniels.

DMU

Date: 2nd January 1980

Set number: L405

Pressed Steel Class 117 suburban set L405 (presumably 51381 + 59491 + 51340) is seen at West Drayton on January 2, 1980. Steve Davies Collection.

DMU

Date: 9th January 1980

Set number: L405

Class 117 DMU set L405 (presumably 51340 + 59491 + 51381) arriving into Didcot station on 9 January 1980. Brian Daniels.

DMU

Date: unknown

Set number: L405

Class 117 DMU set L405 (W51381 and presumably 59491 + 51340) in Reading station, date unknown. Paul Redmond.

DMU

Date: unknown

Set number: L405

Class 117 DMU set L405 (W51340 and presumably 59491 + 51381) at Reading (General), date unknown. Paul Redmond.

DMU

Date: 17th February 1982

Set number: L405

Class 117 DMU set L405 (51340 + 59491 + 51381) passes at Langley with the 11:22 Reading - Paddington service on 17 February 1982. Stuart Mackay Collection.

DMU

Date: 19th June 1982

Set number: L405

The Hertfordshire Railtours 'Witchfinder General' at Sizewell sidings on June 19th 1982. It was formed of Class 117 sets L405 + L410 (with a Met-Camm centre car) + L423 (51340 + 59491 + 51381 / 51387 + 59549 + 51345 / 51399 + 59513 + 51361). Image by Richard Huggins. John Law Collection.

DMU

Date: 19th June 1982

Set number: L405

The Hertfordshire Railtours 'Witchfinder General' at Sizewell sidings on June 19th 1982. It was formed of Class 117 sets L405 + L410 (with a Met-Camm centre car) + L423 (51340 + 59491 + 51381 / 51387 + 59549 + 51345 / 51399 + 59513 + 51361). Image by Richard Huggins. John Law Collection.

DMU

Date: 19th June 1982

Set number: L405

The Hertfordshire Railtours 'Witchfinder General' at Sizewell sidings on June 19th 1982. It was formed of Class 117 sets L405 + L410 (with a Met-Camm centre car) + L423 (51340 + 59491 + 51381 / 51387 + 59549 + 51345 / 51399 + 59513 + 51361). Image by Richard Huggins. John Law Collection.

DMU

Date: 19th June 1982

Set number: L405

The Hertfordshire Railtours 'Witchfinder General' at Ipswich Lower Yard on June 19th 1982. It was formed of Class 117 sets L405 + L410 (with a Met-Camm centre car) + L423 (51340 + 59491 + 51381 / 51387 + 59549 + 51345 / 51399 + 59513 + 51361). Image by Richard Huggins. John Law Collection.

DMU

Date: 19th June 1982

Set number: L423

The Hertfordshire Railtours 'Witchfinder General' at Ipswich Lower Yard on June 19th 1982. It was formed of Class 117 sets L423 + L410 (with a Met-Camm centre car) + L405 (51361 + 59513 + 51399 / 51345 + 59549 + 51387 / 51381 + 59491 + 51340). Image by Richard Huggins. John Law Collection.

DMU

Date: 19th June 1982

Set number: L423

The Hertfordshire Railtours 'Witchfinder General' at Ipswich Lower Yard on June 19th 1982. It was formed of Class 117 sets L423 + L410 (with a Met-Camm centre car) + L405 (51361 + 59513 + 51399 / 51345 + 59549 + 51387 / 51381 + 59491 + 51340). Image by Richard Huggins. John Law Collection.

DMU

Date: 19th June 1982

Set number: L405

The Hertfordshire Railtours 'Witchfinder General' at Thames Haven Yard on June 19th 1982. It was formed of Class 117 sets L405 + L410 (with a Met-Camm centre car) + L423 (51340 + 59491 + 51381 / 51387 + 59549 + 51345 / 51399 + 59513 + 51361). John Law.

DMU

Date: 19th June 1982

Set number: L405

The Hertfordshire Railtours 'Witchfinder General' on the Felixstowe Docks branch on June 19th 1982. 51340 is noted as leading, the other vehicles visible should be 59491 + 51381 / 51387 + 59549 + 51345. Image by Richard Huggins. John Law Collection.

DMU

Date: 29th October 1983

Set number: L405

Pressed Steel Class 117 DMU L405 (51381 and presumably 59491 + 51340) departs from Newbury with the 15:15 Bedwyn - Reading service on 29 October 1983. Michael Mensing.

DMU

Date: 29th October 1983

Set number: L405

Pressed Steel Class 117 DMU L405 (presumably 51340 + 59491 + 51381) arrives at Hungerford with the 14:15 Reading - Bedwyn service on 29 October 1983. Michael Mensing.

DMU

Date: June 1984

Set number: L405

Pressed Steel Class 117 3-car Suburban dmu No.L405 - presumably 51340 + 59491 + 51381 - coupled to Class 121 & 149 railcars - in Rail Blue & Grey with all-yellow front ends arriving at Paddington on a service from Henley on Thames, 06/84. Hugh Llewelyn.

DMU

Date: 30th June 1984

Set number: L405

DMU L405 (presumably 51340 + 59491 + 51381) at Edenbridge with the 17.16 Reading-Tonbridge on 30 June 1984. Tom Burnham.

DMU

Date: April 1987

Set number: L405

Class 117 set L405 (presumably 51381 + 59491 + 51340) at Southall in April 1987. Stuart Mackay Collection.

DMU

Date: 21st August 1987

Set number: R405

Passing the scrap business that was using the remains of the South Yard at that time, is Reading allocated 3 Car Class 117 DMU set L405, formed of W51340+W59491+W51381 seen departing from Oxford whilst forming the 1339 local service for Reading ...... Notice that the leading car W51340 is carrying set No R405, instead of L405 ....... 21st August 1987. Nigel Mack.

DMU

Date: 31st August 1987

Set number: L405

L405 (presumably 51381 + 59491 + 51340) is seen at Appleford on an Oxford - Reading service, 31st August 1987. Hamish Stevenson.

DMU

Date: circa 1988

Set number: L405

L405 (presumably 51381 + 59491 + 51340) is seen in Gospel Oak station. Date unknown, the NSE flash and blue/grey livery dates it to circa 1988. Paul Redmond.

DMU

Date: April 1989

Set number: L405

At Class 117 at Goring & Streatley in April 1989. Unit L405 (presumably 51340 + 59491 + 51381) on its way to Reading. Alistair Ness.

DMU

Date: April 1989

Set number: L405

A Class 117 DMU at Goring & Streatley in April 1989. Unit L405 (presumably 51381 + 59491 + 51340) departs for Reading. Alistair Ness.

DMU

Date: April 1989

Set number: L405

Go(r)ing to Reading. Class 117 DMU L405 (51340+59491+51381) arrives at Goring & Streatley one early evening in April 1989 with a stopping service for Reading, wearing a new coat of NSE paintwork. Murray Liston.

DMU

Date: 4th July 1989

Set number: L405

Class 117 set L405 (51381 + 59491 + 51340) leaving Radley on 4 July 1989 while working a Didcot to Oxford local train. The two cyclists would struggle to find a space for their machines in 2024 as modern commuter units don't allow for such things quite as well as did their 1st generation counterparts. Peter Tandy.

DMU

Date: August 1989

Set number: L405

Pressed Steel set L405 (W51340 + W59491 + W51381) head east with a Reading to Gatwick Airport working, seen near Betchworth in August 1989. This set had always been a London based WR DMU based either at Southall or Reading. Murray Liston.

DMU

Date: August 1989

Set number: L405

Pressed Steel Class 117 set L405 (W51381 + W59491 + W51340) head east with a Reading to Gatwick Airport working, seen near Betchworth in August 1989. In the distance Metro Cammell set L835 can be glimpsed with a Reading bound service. Murray Liston.

DMU

Date: January 1990

Set number: L405

Unit L405 (presumably 51340 + 59491 + 51381) sits in one of the bay platforms at the west end of Reading station in January 1990. John McIntyre.

DMU

Date: 15th February 1991

Set number: L405

Running passed the panel box and towards the station stop at Slough is Reading allocated 3 Car Class 117 DMU set L405, 51381+59491+51340, in the final version of NSE livery, forming the 1040 Reading - Paddington service .... 15th February 1991. Nigel Mack.

DMU

Date: 28th August 1991

Set number: L405

Class 117 set L405 (51340 + 59491 + 51381) is seen at Redhill on August 28th, 1991. Rex Holt.

DMU

Date: 28th September 1992

Set number: L405

Plenty of water at Kings Sutton on 28 September 1992 as class 117 L405 (51381+ 59491 + 51340) working an Oxford to Banbury local service met 60079 on its way to Didcot Power Station. The River Cherwell flows through a floodplain around here and this scene is repeated most years. The floodplain is wide and as the railway line is on an embankmemt it is rarely closed due to high water levels. Peter Tandy.