DMU Update, Jun '20

At the start of June, we were able to reopen our various sites and allow our member volunteers to restart our normal activities including restoration work on the diesel multiple unit.

The Society's Executive Committee has put in place strict working practice controls to comply with the Government's social distancing guidelines.

Restoration work is now underway!

We can now share some photographs showing the restoration work underway.

Preparing to paint the roofs

Work has taken place to remove bitumen and paint from the roof of the trailer carriage M56484. The roof is being cleared back to the bare metal to enable the repainting of the roof, hopefully in the next few weeks.

Fortunately, the roof of the power car M51937 had already been cleared of bitumen by the previous owners.

Preparing to lay a new floor

All the seating had been removed from M56484 a couple of years ago during one of our trips to Butterley. This has allowed us to quickly move on to removing the old linoleum floor covering, remove and clean the aluminium heater covers from each side.

At the same time, we are cleaning the window frames, the inside walls and carriage ceilings and refurbishing the wooden window surrounds.

We plan to lay a new floor in this carriage this summer.

Internal maintenance

Some of the internal wall panels need some attention.

Underframe maintenance

The underframes on M56484 have had loose material removed and been painted with underseal. All the step brackets have been removed, rubbed down and will be refitted shortly.

Our volunteers have been working on several other areas:

• A temporary cover has been attached to the corridor connection of M56484 to improve security, plus this allows us to remove the internal corridor door which needs some repairs.
• The brakes on the power car M51937 have been given some attention and now work properly. These unfortunately jammed-on during the unloading from the low loaders on delivery in March. We are now looking at the brakes on M56484.
• Contact has been made with other restoration groups and some of the missing door handles acquired. Other contacts are being followed up for one or two items we still need to replace.
• The driver's throttle / deadman controller has been removed from M56484 and stripped down as it was jammed solid.
• We are currently looking to source the timber required to replace all the footboards.
• Investigation work has started on the internal lighting system and how much of it is fit for purpose.

Additional funds are required

Now that restoration is underway, we do need to raise additional funds to restore our Class 108 DMU. If you can help, please donate to our Rolling Stock Fund, no matter how small the amount.

Every pound helps us achieve our aim to restore our 60-year-old train to working order.

Take a look at the foot of this page for the various ways in which you can donate.

Nigel Kirkpatrick