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Vehicle 59521

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

Sep-60	New to	81D (Reading)
May 1973	Depot code change	RG
16/05/82	Transferred to	BR (Bristol Bath Road)
18/10/87	Transferred to	TS (Tyseley)
09/07/93	Transferred to	HA (Haymarket) RAHA
Sep-99	Transferred to	HQ (Headquarters)
Sep-99	Withdrawn from	HQ (Headquarters)

Refurbished

At Swindon Works dated 23/06/1978 released in white/blue stripe livery

Disposal

Preserved - more details.

Some sample formations the vehicle has been noted in:

	51369	59521	51411	As delivered to Reading - September 1960
RDG319	51369	59521	51411	Listed at Reading - circa Dec-60
421	51369	59521	51411	Listed at Reading - Apr-68 - was R319, gangwayed set
	51369	59521	51411	Noted 02/09/69 - at Paddington¹
	51369	59521	51411	Noted 19/11/70 - at Paddington¹
	51369	59521	51411	Noted 29/10/1973 - at Reading²
L421	51369	59521	51411	Noted 13/12/73 - at Royal Oak³
	51369	59521	51411	Noted 08/04/1974 - at Reading²
L421	51369	59521	51411	Noted 30/04/75 - at Royal Oak³
L421	51369	59521	51411	Noted 31/01/76 - on 2A26 1322 Paddington-Slough
L431	51369	59521	51411	Listed at RG - 01/05/1976
L431	51369	59521	51411	Noted 15/10/1977 - At Oxford Station⁴
L431	51369	59521	51411	Noted 11/11/1977 - Oxford Station⁴
L431	51369	59521	51411	Listed at RG - 31st December 1977
L431	51369	59521	51411	Noted 28/08/1979 - At Maidenhead 1719⁴
L431	51369	59521	51411	Noted 12/01/1980 - Hertfordshire RailTours The Oxfordshire Trundler L405+L431
L431	51369	59521	51411	Listed at RG - 03/03/80
	51369	59521	51411	Noted 27/06/81 - at Newbury Racecourse³
L431	51369	59521	51411	Noted circa 04/1982⁵
B431	51369	59521	51411	Noted 20/06/82 - at Weymouth³
B431	51369	59521	51411	Listed at BR - 15/12/1982
B431	51369	59521	51411	Noted circa 10/1983⁵
B431	51369	59521	51411	Listed at BR - 01/01/85
B431	51369	59521	51411	Noted 20/11/1985⁵
B431	51369	59521	51411	Listed at Bristol (Bath Road) - Summer 1986
B431	51369	59521	51411	Noted 05/03/1987⁵
B431	51369	59521	51411	Listed at BR - Aug-87
	51369	59521	51411	Transfer to TS - 18/10/87 - from BR
T306	51369	59521	51411	Formation change - TS - 2w/e 13/03/88 - 51411 replaced 53873 (to spare)
T306	51369	59521	51411	Noted 26/03/1988 - BLS Usk and Severn Rambler Railtour
T306	51369	59521	51411	Listed at Tyseley - 7th April 1988
T306	51369	59521	51411	Noted 27/08/88 - at Norwich³
T306	51369	59521	51411	Noted circa 12/1988⁵
T306	51369	59521	51411	Noted 27th March 1989
T306	51369	59521	51411	Listed at TS - 01/09/89
T306	51369	59521	51411	Listed at TS - 01/12/89
T306	51369	59521	51411	Listed at TS - mid May-90
T306	51369	59521	51411	Noted circa 12/1990⁵
117306	51369	59521	51411	Listed at TS - Jul-91
117306	51369	59521	51411	Listed at TS - Aug-91
117306	51369	59521	51411	Listed at TS - Dec-91
	51369	59521	51411	Noted 24/06/92 - on 2K21 17:12 Coventry - Stoke⁶
117306	51369	59521	51411	Listed at TS - 02/07/92
	51369	59521	51411	Noted 01/09/92 - on 20:02 Nottingham - Birmingham New Street⁶
117306	51369	59521	51411	Noted circa 09/1992⁵
117306	51369	59521	51411	Listed at TS - 24/09/92
	51369	59521	51411	Noted 30/10/92 - on 19:15 Litchfield - Redditch⁶
117306	51369	59521	51411	Listed at TS - November 1992
117306	51369	59521	51411	Listed at TS - 10/12/92
	51369	59521	51411	Noted 10/12/92 - on 16:50 Longbridge - Birmingham New Street⁶
117306	51369	59521	51411	Listed at HA - November 1993
117306	51369	59521	51411	Listed at HA - 02/12/96
117306	51369	59521	51411	Listed at HA - 01/01/98
117306	51369	59521	51411	Listed at HA - 23/11/98

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

No images of the vehicle available.

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The vehicle is mentioned in the following images:

Date: 1st September 1968

Set number: 421

Set 421 (presumably 51369 + 59521 + 51411) has a Met-Camm centre car in it as it passes through Worthing (Central) station on Sunday September 1st, 1968. This was a ten-car formation working a circular mystery tour from Paddington on the bank holiday weekend. Steve Davies Collection.

Date: 12th April 1971

Set number: 421

Class 117 set 421 (presumably 51369 + 59521 + 51411) in pre-marker light days as a 4-car set including Class 101 trailer W59528. At Wylye, 12th April 1971. David Mant.

Date: unknown

Set number: L431

Oops! Class 117 set L431 (presumably 51369 + 59521 + 51411) off the rails at Southall depot. Undated. Richard Himson.

Date: unknown

Set number: L431

A refurbished 117 (L431 presumably 51369 + 59521 + 51411) sets off from Ealing Broadway. Undated. Adrian Vaughan.

Date: 2nd January 1979

Set number: L431

Class 117 DMU set L431 (presumably 51369 + 59521 + 51411) arrives at Paddington on 2 January 1979. Brian Daniels.

Date: 8th January 1979

Set number: L431

Class 117 DMU set L431 (W51411 and presumably 59521 + 51369) at West Ealing on 8 January 1979. Brian Daniels.

Date: 4th August 1981

Set number: L431

A six car DMU made up of Cl117 vehicles in sets L431 (presumably 51369 59521 51411) and L401 (presumably 51333 59485 51375) run into Maidenhead with a Reading bound service, 4th August 1981. Paul James.

Date: 5th September 1981

Set number: L431

Class 117 Set L431 (51411 + 59521 + 51369) arrives into Ledbury station on Saturday 05 September 1981. Ian 10B.

Date: unknown

Set number: L431

Class 117 DMU set L431 (51411 and presumably 59521 + 51369) at Gloucester, date unknown. Paul Redmond.

Date: unknown

Set number: L431

Class 117 DMU set L431 (51369 and presumably 59521 + 51411) at Reading, date unknown. Paul Redmond.

Date: unknown

Set number: L431

Class 117 DMU set L431 (51369 and presumably 59521 + 51411) at Reading, date unknown. Paul Redmond.

Date: 17th February 1983

Set number: B431

Class 117 DMU set B431 (presumably 51411 + 59521 + 51369) in Bristol Temple Meads station on 17 February 1983. Chris Thorp.

Date: unknown

Set number: B431

Class 117 DMU set B431 (presumably 51411 + 59521 + 51369) seen at Cardiff, east of Central station near Long Dyke Junction, looking east. Date unknown, it was a Bristol set 1982 to 1987. Paul Redmond.

Date: 29th April 1985

Set number: B431

Class 117 Set B431 (presumably 51411 + 59521 + 51369) on a 12:xx Birmingham - Hereford service approaches Great Malvern on Monday 29th April 1985. Colin Brooks.

Date: 19th July 1985

Set number: B431

I arrived at Stratford-upon-Avon on Saturday 19 July 1985 to catch the 08.12 train to Leamington Spa to find an unusual replacement for the usual single unit or pair of single units in the form of class 117 set B431 comprising 51411, 59521 and 51369. I assumed that this had been pinched by Tyseley to cover a shortage of their own sets after it had arrived at Birmingham New Street during the previous day. I sat in the first class compartment to take full advantage of the thicker padding and better backrests of the seats... Peter Tandy.

Date: 19th July 1985

Set number: B431

Class 117 set B431 (51369 + 59521 + 51411) worked trains between Leamington Spa at Stratford-upon-Avon on 19 July 1985. The procedure at the time was for trains arriving into platform 3 at Stratford-upon-Avon from the north to leave the station on the up line and then use the crossover just around the corner to reverse and come back either into platform 2 for Birmingham services or to run through the station before reversing again to gain bay platform 1 for Stratford. This picture shows B431 having completed the first reversal as it ran past the flower beds on platform 2. Peter Tandy.

Date: 9th November 1985

Set number: B431

51369-59521-51411 B431 Bristol Temple Meads 09.11.1985 Martin Baumann.

Date: 16th July 1986

Set number: B431

Class 117 DMU Set B431 (51411 + 59521 + 51369) passing Hollicombe Park between Torquay and Paignton probably on an Exeter to Paignton service, 16 July 1986. Neil Smith.

Date: 26th March 1988

Set number: T306

The BLS Usk & Severn Rambler railtour on the Uskmouth Branch, 26/3/88, formed of set T306 (51369 + 59521 + 51411). Chris Lings.

Date: 26th March 1988

Set number: T306

Set T306 (51369 + 59521 + 51411) with the 'Usk and Severn Rambler' railtour at Sudbrook on the 26th March 1988. Chris Lings.

Date: 26th March 1988

Set number: T306

T306 (51411 + 59521 + 51369) with the 'Usk and Severn Rambler' railtour at Westerleigh, 26/3/88. Chris Lings.

Date: 26th March 1988

Set number: T306

T306 (51411 + 59521 + 51369) seen on the Avonmouth branch while working the BLS 'Usk and Severn Rambler' railtour, 26/3/88. Chris Lings.

Date: 18th June 1988

Set number: T306

51411, 59521, 51369, (T306) and 51410, 59520 and 51368 (T305) with the 10.20 SO Yarmouth to Birmingham near Ely West Junction on June 18, 1988. Nicholas Youngman.

Date: 1989

Set number: T306

Tyseley allocated class 117 set T306 comprising vehicles 51369, 59521 and 51411 seen arriving at Droitwich in 1989 with a service from Birmingham to Hereford. Bob Belcher.

Date: 15th April 1989

Set number: T306

A pair of Tyseley allocated Class 117 Suburban three-car DMU's, with Driving Motor Second (DMS) M51411 leading (presumably with 59521 + 51369), were passing signal PN491 as they were approaching Bamber Bridge with the Sunday only Blackpool North to Carlisle 'Dalesrail' service on April 15th 1989. Martyn Hilbert.

Date: September 1991

Set number: 117306

Freshly repainted Pressed Steel DMU set 117 306 (presumably 51411 + 59521 + 51369) arriving into Sheffield station in September 1991. George Woods.

Date: September 1991

Set number: 117306

Freshly repainted Pressed Steel DMU set 117 306 (presumably 51369 + 59521 + 51411) arriving into Sheffield station in September 1991. George Woods.

Date: 9th October 1991

Set number: 117306

51411 at Birmingham New Street on 9/10/91, presumably 59521 behind. Sparegang.

Date: 10th April 1992

Set number: 117306

I don't have many pictures of Regional Railway liveried first generation DMUs and this Class 117 (it appears to be 117306 51369 + 59521 + 51411) is one of the few. The location is the roadbridge a short way to west of Cosford station on 10 April 1992 almost alongside the RAF Museum. This type of units was a bit thin on the ground around here by this time with class 150 Sprinters forming most of the West Midlands fleet. Peter Tandy.

Date: 6th February 1993

Set number: 117306

At Hereford 117306 (51369 + 59521 + 51411) "runs around" (changes platform?) after working 14:03 service from Birmingham on 6 February 1993. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 3rd June 1993

Set number: 117306

The Regional Railways colour scheme didn't look quite so good in bad weather conditions as in sunshine but any 1st generation unit was a rarity on the Derby To Birmingham line in 1993 so this shot of 117306 formed of 51369 + 59521 + 51411 at Lea Marston on 3 June 1993 was well worth a frame. This was an empty stock working which I assume was on its way from Derby to Tyseley. Peter Tandy.

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: circa 1994

Set number: 117306

Haymarket depot DMU sidings circa 1994 contains 117306 (presumably 51411 + 59521 + 51369) and 117314 (presumably 51352 + 59489 + 51394), amongst others. S Saunders.

Date: 5th August 1995

Set number: 117306

Pressed Steel DMU set 117306 (51369 + 59521 + 51411) stabled in Haymarket depot on August 5th, 1995. Hamish Stevenson.

Date: 14 May 1996

Set number: 117306

117306 (51369 + 59521 + 51411) arrives into Dalmeny station on 14 May 1996 presumably with a Fife Circle service from Edinburgh Waverley. Stuart Mackay Collection.

Date: 17th July 1996

Set number: 117306

Set 117306 (51411 + 59521 + 51369) at Edinburgh Waverley for the evening rush hour on 17th July 1996. Ian Buck.

Date: 10th February 1999

Set number: 117306

117306 (51369 + 59521 + 51411) waits in Haymarket depot before heading into Edinburgh Waverley to form an evening rush-hour Fife Circle service. Taken from the driving cab of DMS 51382 in 117313 as it emerges from the carriage-washing plant and proceeds towards the signal on the outgoing road, prior to also working an Fife Circle service on 10th February, 1999. Michael Laing.

Date: 10th February 1999

Set number: 117313

Class 117 3-car suburban DMUs Nos. 117313 (51382) and 117306 (51411 + 59521 + 51369) stand outside the shunters' bothy at Haymarket Depot, Edinburgh, prior to working evening rush-hour Fife Circle services on 10th February, 1999. Michael Laing.

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