British Rail Class 117

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British Rail Class 117
BR class 117 L421.jpg
A Class 117 at Didcot Parkway, 1989
DMU carriage interior on the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway.jpg
Interior of a Class 117.
In service1959–2000; one unit used in departmental use until 2015
Manufacturer Pressed Steel Company
Family name First generation
ReplacedSteam locomotives and carriages
Constructed1959–1961
Number built123 cars (42 DMBS, 42 DMS, 39 TCL)
Number preserved35 cars (17 DMBS, 16 DMS, 23 TCL)
Number scrapped88 cars (25 DMBS, 26 DMS, 16 TCL)
FormationDMBS-TCL-DMS
Operators British Rail
ScotRail
Silverlink
Lines served Western Region
London Midland region
Scottish region
Specifications
Car body construction Steel
Car length64 ft 0 in (19.51 m)
Width9 ft 3 in (2.82 m)
Height12 ft 8+1⁄2 in (3.87 m)
DoorsSlam
Maximum speed70 mph (113 km/h)
WeightPower cars: 36 long tons 0 cwt (80,600 lb or 36.6 t),
Trailer cars: 30 long tons 0 cwt (67,200 lb or 30.5 t)
Prime mover(s) BUT (AEC) then BUT (Leyland), of 150 hp (110 kW), (both types), two per power car
Power output600 hp (450 kW) per 3-car set
Transmission Mechanical
HVAC Oil burning air heater
Braking system(s) Vacuum
Safety system(s) AWS
Coupling system Screw
Multiple working ■ Blue Square
Track gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

The British Rail Class 117 diesel multiple units (DMUs) were built by Pressed Steel from 1959 to 1961. It was a licence-built variant of the British Rail Class 116. [1]

Contents

Original work

A total of 123 Class 117 cars were built by Pressed Steel between 1959 and 1961, delivered as 39 three-car units plus three pairs of spare motor coaches. When first introduced in 1960, these three-car units were all based with the similar Class 121 single carriage (railcar) units on British Railways Western Region for suburban work out of London Paddington. The units were largely based at Reading and Southall depots. The units remained here for many years working these services. [2]

The type was used for a railtour from Paddington to the south west on 31 May 1969. [3]

Later operations

In the 1980s, expiry of other DMUs facilitated moves for some units from the Western Region to Birmingham, as below, and Scotland, prior to the delivery of new units to replace them. They were given refurbishments.

The first shake up in ownership occurred in the late 1980s, when the Scottish, Welsh, Cornish and Birmingham based units were transferred to Provincial Services, later Regional Railways, in the sectorisation of British Rail, while the Southall-based units transferred to Network SouthEast.

They were replaced on the lines out of Paddington when the Class 165/1Network Turbo units came into service by 28 November 1992. [4]

They soldiered on in the former Western Region until replaced by Class 150 and Class 153 DMUs by 21 May 1993, although the type could be found running Penzance - Looe services until 1997. An attempt was made to remove them from Cornish work using Class 142 "Skipper/Pacer" railcars, but these fixed wheelbase units proved to be a liability on the tight Cornish branchline curves, increasing rail and wheel wear, and were transferred to the North of England instead. The 117s were finally replaced with the advent of more Class 150s and Class 153s freed up from other areas. [5]

117308 in Scotrail livery at Edinburgh Haymarket in 1994 117308 at Haymarket.jpg
117308 in Scotrail livery at Edinburgh Haymarket in 1994

The type was used in Scotland between Edinburgh - Perth, Cowdenbeath and Markinch using the Forth Bridge and continued to work in Scotland until 12 January 1998, where they were replaced with Class 156s.[ citation needed ] The final day of 117s running in Scotland was 27 November 1999. [6]

In 2000, Class 150 Sprinter units replaced the Class 117 units on Silverlink, finally bringing to an end decades of service on Britain's rail network in front line service. [7]

Table of orders and numbers
Lot No.TypeDiagramQtyFleet numbersNotes
30546Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS)5344251332–51373
30547Trailer Composite with lavatory (TCL)6013959484–59522
30548Driving Motor Second (DMS)5354251374–51415

Preservation

Built as part of a Class 117 3-car dmu, No.59517 is now used as a loco hauled coach on the Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway. It is a TC(L) Trailer Composite built by Pressed Steel in 1959. Now in P&DSR branded chocolate & cream livery. Hugh llewelyn 59517 (6731296035).jpg
Built as part of a Class 117 3-car dmu, No.59517 is now used as a loco hauled coach on the Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway. It is a TC(L) Trailer Composite built by Pressed Steel in 1959. Now in P&DSR branded chocolate & cream livery.

Due to the type's longevity, 12 units have been preserved on heritage railways.

Set numberVehicle numbersLiveryLocationNotes
DMBSTCLDMS
L425513635951051405BR Green Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway Moved from the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway in operational condition in late 2024 [8]
11720451365-51407BR Green Plym Valley Railway Awaiting restoration. [9]
11730151353--ScotRail Wensleydale Railway Bought by a local community group. [10] 51395 Scrapped March 2013. [11]
117310--51381Regional Railways Mangapps Railway Museum In active use. [12]
11731151352-51376Yellow DMBS, Green with whiskers DMS South Devon Railway Currently Under Restoration to run with W55000. [13]
-51371-51413BR Green MOD Long Marston Preserved June 2015 [14]
117313513395950651382BR Green Colne Valley Railway Moved from East Lancashire Railway in 2021
L702513565949251392BR Green Swanage Railway 51356 restored to main line standard. [15]
-51342-51384BR Green Epping Ongar Railway Repainted into BR green from EOR dark blue livery
-513465948651388BR Green Swanage Railway Overhauled & Mainline Registered.
11744451360BR Blue Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Moved from the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway in 2013 [16]
-513475950851401BR Green Gwili Railway Stored away, awaiting repairs. [17]
-513675951151402BR Green Strathspey Railway 51402 and 51367 both now repainted, 59511 being restored
L432513705952051412BR Blue Mid-Norfolk Railway In storage as car 51412 is stored first. [18]
-51372--BR Blue Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway Moved from the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway in late 2024, to be used for spares for L425 [8]
--5950951400BR Green Wensleydale Railway Main-line certificated by RESCO
-51351-51397Green Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway
L72051354-51396BR Green Peak Rail
---51375BR Green Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway Rebuilt as an intermediate car by Chiltern Railways for use as a water jetting van. Sold in 2015 to its current owner
--59488-Green and Cream Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway
-59493-BR Green West Somerset Railway
--59494-Green and Cream Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway
--59500-Green and Cream Wensleydale Railway
--59501-BR Green Great Central Railway Awaiting restoration. [19]
--59503-Chocolate and Cream Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway
--59507-Chocolate and Cream Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway
--59513-Chocolate and Cream Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway
--59514-BR Green Swindon and Cricklade Railway As of 2025, in storage and for sale. [20]
--59515-Blood and Custard Yeovil Railway Centre In service. [21]
--59517-Chocolate and Cream Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway In service [22]
--59521-Scotrail Helston Railway Restoration stalled. [23]
--59522-BR Blue and Grey Chasewater Railway Scrapped [24]
--59511-BR Green Strathspey Railway As of 2022, the car is in restoration. [25]
-51366----parts survive [26]
--59505-BR Green Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Under restoration, owned by Cotswold Diesel Railcar Ltd [27]

References

  1. ↑ "Preserved Vehicles". The Railcar Association.
  2. ↑ "Diesel Multiple Units".[ better source needed ]
  3. ↑ "The Taunton Trains Collection Gallery". Taunton Trains. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  4. ↑ "BR Class Manual" (PDF).[ better source needed ]
  5. ↑ "North from Toddington". Gloucestershire Transport History. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  6. ↑ "Class 117 DMU". The Railcar Association.
  7. ↑ Marks, Roger (15 February 2015). Heritage DMUs: The Final Years. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN   9781445640297.
  8. 1 2 "Railcar fleet strengthened". The Railway Magazine. Vol. 170, no. 1485. December 2024. p. 74.
  9. ↑ "59507". The Railcar Association. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
  10. ↑ "51353". The Railcar Association.
  11. ↑ "BR 51400 Class 117 DMU Driving Motor Second (Scrapped) Built 1960". Railway Heritage Register Carriage Survey.
  12. ↑ "51381". The Railcar Association.
  13. ↑ "51352". The Railcar Association.
  14. ↑ "51371". The Railcar Association.
  15. ↑ "51356". The Railcar Association.
  16. ↑ "Class 117 – W51360 – Cotswold Diesel Railcar". Cotswold Diesel Railcar. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  17. ↑ 51347 Class 117 Driving Motor Brake Second
  18. ↑ 51370 Class 117 Driving Motor Brake Second
  19. ↑ "59501". The Railcar Association.
  20. ↑ 59514 Class 117 Trailer Composite Lavatory
  21. ↑ 59515 Class 117 Trailer Composite Lavatory
  22. ↑ 59517 Class 117 Trailer Second Lavatory (Ex Composite)
  23. ↑ 59521 Class 117 Trailer Composite Lavatory
  24. ↑ 59522 Class 117 Trailer Composite Lavatory (Scrapped)
  25. ↑ 59511 Class 117 Trailer Composite Lavatory
  26. ↑ "Preserved Vehicles". The Railcar Association.
  27. ↑ "59505". The Railcar Association.

Bibliography

Further reading

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