Vehicle 59497
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
| Apr-60 | New to | 81D (Reading) | |
| Jan-68 | Transferred to | 84A (Laira) | |
| 3w/e 03/04/71 | Transferred to | 82A (Bristol Bath Road) | |
| 06/05/73 | Depot code change | BR | |
| 28/02/76 | Transferred to | RG (Reading) | |
| 14/12/92 | Sector Change to | RG (Reading) NWXX | |
| 07/12/93 | Sector Change to | RG (Reading) NWRX | |
| Apr-95 | Withdrawn from | RG (Reading) |
Refurbished
At Swindon Works dated 11/06/1977 released in white/blue stripe liveryDisposal
Scrapped by Gwent Demolition, Margam
Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:
| 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | As delivered to Reading - April 1960 | ||||||
| RDG308 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Listed at Reading - Aug-60 | |||||
| LA312 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted circa Mar-68 - in plain blue with small yellow panel, formerly RDG308 | |||||
| 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 22nd December 1968 | ||||||
| 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 10th February 1969 | ||||||
| 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 10th October 1969 | ||||||
| 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Transfer to 82A - 3w/e 03/04/71 | ||||||
| 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 25/08/1971 - at Cardiff1 | ||||||
| B407 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 06/09/73 - in Cardiff Central2 | |||||
| B407 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 03/05/1975 - Seen on branch line to Bridport3 | |||||
| B407 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 08/1975 - at Birmingham New Street on either 16th or 23rd August 19754 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Listed at RG - 01/05/1976 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 27/10/1977 - Oxford Station5 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Listed at RG - 31st December 1977 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 07/02/1980 - At Oxford5 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Listed at RG - 03/03/80 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted circa 04/19823 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Listed at RG - 15/12/1982 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 23/07/83 - at Newbury Racecourse2 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted circa 11/19843 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Listed at RG - 01/01/85 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 19/10/19853 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 05/04/19863 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Listed at Reading - Summer 1986 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted circa 06/19863 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 21/06/1986 - at Paddington6 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 21/06/1986 - at West Drayton6 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 21/06/1986 - at Old Oak Common6 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted circa 08/19863 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 13/09/1986 - at Reading6 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 18/10/1986 - at Paddington6 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 21/04/87 - at Royal Oak2 | |||||
| 53540 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted circa 07/19873 | ||||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Listed at RG - Aug-87 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Listed at RG - 15/05/89 | |||||
| L410 | 51387 | 59497 | 55029 | Noted 28/09/1990 - Reported in RCTS Railway Observer 5 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Listed at RG - 21/01/91 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 16/02/1991 - At London Paddington.7 | |||||
| 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 17/02/91 - on London Paddington - Reading service | ||||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted circa 02/19923 | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Listed at RG - 24/02/92 - NSE NWRX pool | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Listed at RG - 12/08/92 | |||||
| 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Noted 25/09/92 - on 22:47 Paddington - Reading8 | ||||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Listed at RG - November 1992 - Sector NWRX | |||||
| L410 | 51345 | 59497 | 51387 | Listed at RG - November 1993 - Sector NWXX |
Formation Sources
1: Jeremy Goodyear
2: Gerald Brown
3: Eddie Knorn
4: Peter Wallwork
5: Shayne Lewis
6: Robert Chilton
7: Dave Warby
8: David Bellamy
Images:
3rd May 1975
Class 117 DMU set B407 (51345 + 59497 + 51387) departs from Bridport station on 3 May 1975 carrying participants of the Southern Electric Group 'Dorset Dawdler' railtour during an almost three hour tour layover at Maiden Newton. Stuart Mackay Collection.
circa mid-June 1977
Set number: L410
An official image (16 of 18, negative W6691/18) from a internal BR photo album titled 'Refurbished Class 117/118 DMU Production'. It shows the interior of a centre car - the door leads to the toilets, presumably W59497 from set L410 circa mid-June 1977. British Rail.
circa mid-June 1977
Set number: L410
An official image (17 of 18, negative W6691/11) from a internal BR photo album titled 'Refurbished Class 117/118 DMU Production'. It shows the first class compartment of a centre car, presumably W59497 from set L410 circa mid-June 1977. British Rail.
circa mid-June 1977
Set number: L410
An official image (18 of 18, negative W6691/15) from a internal BR photo album titled 'Refurbished Class 117/118 DMU Production'. It shows the first class compartment of a centre car, presumably W59497 from set L410 circa mid-June 1977. British Rail.
The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:
Date: 3rd May 1975
A busy scene at Maiden Newton on 3 May 1975. A Class 120 and 119 (B572) are in the closest platform while many participants of the Southern Electric Group 'Dorset Dawdler' tour wait to board W55033 and Class 117 set B407 (51387 + 59497 + 51345) for a trip on the Bridport branch. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Date: 3rd May 1975
Set number: B407
Last day on the Bridport Branch, 3rd May 1975. W51345 leads set B407 (with 59497 + 51387), with branch regular W55033 on the rear, into Toller station with a Maiden Newton-Bridport service. Nicholas T Smith.
Date: 3rd May 1975
Set number: B407
W51345 trails on Class 117 DMU set B407 (with 59497 + 51387), W55033 leads at the far end, departing Powerstock station with a Bridport-Maiden Newton service. The service was normally operated by a single car but strengthened as this was the last day of passenger trains on the Bridport Branch - 3rd May 1975. Nicholas T Smith.
Date: 3rd May 1975
Set number: B407
The Southern Electric Group 'Dorset Dawdler' railtour included an almost three hour break at Maiden Newton which allowed participants the opportunity to travel on the Bridport branch on the last day of operation - 3rd May 1975. The railtour headboard was carried on the branch service train, formed of B407 (51345 + 59497 + 51387) and B133 (55033), seen arriving into Powerstock station. Nicholas T Smith.
Date: 3rd May 1975
Set number: B407
Last day on the Bridport Branch, 3rd May 1975. B407 (W51345 + W59497 + W51387) with B133 (W55033) attract lots of attention at Bridport before departing for Maiden Newton. Nicholas T Smith.
Date: 3rd May 1975
Set number: B407
The Dorset Dawdler railtour at Bridport on 3rd May 1975, formed of Class 117 DMU set B407 (presumably W51345 + W59497 + W51387) with B133 (W55033). Stuart Mackay Collection.
Date: unknown
Set number: L410
Class 117 DMBS W51345 leads set L410 (presumably with 59497 + 51387), thought to be taken between Twyord and Reading. Date unknown, probably between February 1976 when it was transferred to Reading and May 1977 when it was refurbished. Glyn Weigh.
Date: circa mid-June 1977
Set number: L410
An official image (13 of 18, negative W6691/12) from a internal BR photo album titled 'Refurbished Class 117/118 DMU Production'. This shows the gangway between two vehicles, presumably inside DMS W51387 looking into TCL W59497 circa mid-June 1977. British Rail.
Date: circa mid-June 1977
Set number: L410
An official image (6 of 18, negative W6691/17) from a internal BR photo album titled 'Refurbished Class 117/118 DMU Production'. It shows the gangway between 51345 + 59497 and the new exhaust arrangement circa mid-June 1977. British Rail.
Date: circa mid-June 1977
Set number: L410
An official image (1 of 18, negative W6691/24) from a internal BR photo album titled 'Refurbished Class 117/118 DMU Production'. It shows set L410 which was W51387 + W59497 + W51345 circa mid-June 1977. British Rail.
Date: 15th November 1979
Set number: L410
Class 117 DMU set L410 (presumably 51387 + 59497 + 51345) at Oxford with a service for Paddington on 15 November 1979. Brian Daniels.
Date: unknown
Set number: L410
Class 117 set L410 (presumably 51387 + 59497 + 51345) at Pangbourne. Undated. Adrian Vaughan.
Date: 1981
Set number: L410
Seen at Reading in the first half of 1981 is Class 117 DMU set L410 (51387 + 59497) with a bubble car standing in for the DMBS. Rob Paterson.
Date: 16th May 1981
Set number: L410
Class 117 set L410 (presumably 51345 + 59497 + 51387) is seen at Ranelagh Bridge on May 16, 1981. Steve Davies Collection.
Date: September 1981
Set number: L410
A visit to Kennington, south of Oxford on a late afternoon in September 1981 found the sun on the wrong side for any decent photos. This is class 117 DMU L410 (W51387 + W59497 + W51345) on a Padding to Oxford stopping service passing a former rail served factory which has long since been demolished and the inevitable forest of trees now encroach on the line from both sides. Murray Liston.
Date: unknown
Set number: L410
A class 117 DMU is a very unusual visitor to Gillingham (Kent). Set L410 (presumably 51387 + 59497 + 51345) ran there in connection with an Oxford v Gillingham football match. Circa 1982/3. Stuart Pearce.
Date: 1983
Set number: L410
Class 117 set L410 arrives into London Paddington in 1983, with 51387 leading, presumably with 59497 + 51345. John Law.
Date: 23rd February 1983
Set number: L410
Set L410 at Wargrave on 23/02/1983, with DMBS W51345 leading (presumably with 59497 + 51387) on a service heading for Twyford. Graeme Phillips Collection.
Date: circa 1987
Blue-grey Class 104 DMBS 53540 is part of a suburban set when seen in Reading station. The other two vehicles are likely to be 59497 and 51387 which it ran with in mid-1987. Mike Bunker.
Date: 8th July 1987
A hybrid DMU in Oxford station on 9 July 1987, with Class 104 DMBS 53540 standing in for Class 117 DMBS. The other two vehicles are likely to be 59497 and 51387 (L410). The KDH Archive.
Date: 28th April 1988
Set number: B480
Class 118 DMU set B480 (51327 + 59497 + 51312) and 33009 at Westbury on 28 April 1988. Keith Miller.
Date: 5th May 1990
Set number: L410
Two Class 117 DMUs are seen at Burnham on 5 May 1990. Closest is set L410, presumably 51345 + 59497 + 51387. Image taken by John Vaughan. Stuart Mackay Collection.
Date: 13th April 1991
Set number: L410
Class 117 DMU set L410 (51387 and presumably 59497 + 51345) departs from Paddington with a Reading service on 13 April 1991. Dave Warby.
Date: 23rd October 1993
Set number: L410
Class 117 DMU set L410, presumed 51387/59497/51345, at Rectory Lane Crossing with the 12.33 Reading to Gatwick service on 23 October 1993. Rob Paterson.