Class 109 Wickham 2-car DMUs
Non-passenger Use
As far back as August 1965 converting one of the three remaining passenger sets to an inspection saloon had been mentioned[1].
50416/56171 were extensively overhauled in 1967 at Doncaster, revamping the interiors and adding kitchen facilities to 50416. After repainting, the set was used as the ER General Managers special train, now numbered 975005 / 975006.
The first image shows the converted set seen at Doncaster soon after conversion. This early style of livery was short lived and it would be repainted into the standard blue with full yellow ends, although the cast alloy BR logo would remain. David Faircloth
The centre saloon of power car 975005 contained a large table for meetings / eating.
The image shows 975006 / 975005 at Norwich on 30/7/73. David Mant.
Its travels took it around the region, and occasionaly onto the London Midland Region as it was noted at Aintree on Grand National Day.
It is noted as working a railtour over the East Suffolk line on Saturday 20 July 1974.[2]
By the end of the 1970s it seems to have been based at York.
Alteration
After the conversion the full size window between the rear vestibule and the van was retained on both sides. A half height window was added between this and the van door on the number two (non-drivers side). By 1975 the original window on this side was switched to a matching half height window.
Decline
The set fell out of use during 1980 and stood at Stourton, Leeds for some time. During that period the set suffered slight damage and was offered for tender in the summer of 1981.
Bought by the Chasewater Light Railway, the vehicles left Stourton in August for repairs at Lincoln, then passed through Tinsley on its way to Wolverhampton steel terminal in September, and on 7/10/81 the vehicles left BR metals and went by road to Chasewater.