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.
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 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.
The type was used for a railtour from Paddington to the south west on 31 May 1969.
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 changes 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 when the units came into service by 28 November 1992.
They continued operation on the former Western Region until replaced by and 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 "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.
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 . The final day of 117s running in Scotland was 27 November 1999.
In 2000, 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.
+ Table of orders and numbers Lot No. Type Diagram Qty Fleet numbers Notes 30546 Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS) 534 42 51332–51373 30547 Trailer Composite with lavatory (TCL) 601 39 59484–59522 30548 Driving Motor Second (DMS) 535 42 51374–51415
Preservation
Due to the type's longevity, 12 units have been preserved on heritage railways.
Set numberVehicle numbersLiveryLocationNotesDMBSTCLDMSL4255136359510 51405BR GreenBo'ness & Kinneil RailwayMoved from the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway in operational condition in late 2024 11720451365-51407BR GreenPlym Valley RailwayAwaiting restoration.11730151353--ScotRailWensleydale RailwayBought by a local community group. 51395 Scrapped March 2013.117310--51381Regional RailwaysMangapps Railway Museum In active use.11731151352-51376Yellow DMBS, Green with whiskers DMSSouth Devon RailwayCurrently Under Restoration to run with W55000.-51371-51413BR GreenMOD Long MarstonPreserved June 2015 117313513395950651382BR GreenColne Valley RailwayMoved from East Lancashire Railway in 2021L702513565949251392BR GreenSwanage Railway51356 restored to main line standard.-51342-51384BR GreenEpping Ongar RailwayRepainted into BR green from EOR dark blue livery-513465948651388BR GreenSwanage Railway Overhauled & Mainline Registered.11744451360BR BlueGloucestershire Warwickshire RailwayMoved from the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway in 2013-513475950851401BR Green Gwili RailwayStored away, awaiting repairs.51347 Class 117 Driving Motor Brake Second-513675951151402BR GreenStrathspey Railway51402 and 51367 both now repainted, 59511 being restoredL432513705952051412BR BlueMid-Norfolk Railway In storage as car 51412 is stored first.51370 Class 117 Driving Motor Brake Second-51372--BR BlueBo'ness & Kinneil Railway Moved from the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway in late 2024, to be used for spares for L425 --5950951400BR GreenWensleydale RailwayMain-line certificated by RESCO-51351-51397GreenPontypool and Blaenavon RailwayL72051354-51396BR GreenPeak Rail---51375BR GreenChinnor and Princes Risborough RailwayRebuilt as an intermediate car by Chiltern Railways for use as a water jetting van. Sold in 2015 to its current owner--59488-Green and CreamPaignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway-59493-BR Green West Somerset Railway--59494-Chocolate and CreamPaignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway--59500-Green and CreamWensleydale Railway--59501-BR Green Great Central RailwayAwaiting restoration.--59503-Chocolate and CreamPaignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway--59507-Chocolate and CreamPlym Valley Railway--59513-Chocolate and CreamPaignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway--59514-BR GreenSwindon and Cricklade RailwayAs of 2025, in storage and for sale.59514 Class 117 Trailer Composite Lavatory--59515-Blood and CustardYeovil Railway CentreIn service.59515 Class 117 Trailer Composite Lavatory--59517-Chocolate and CreamPaignton and Dartmouth Steam RailwayIn service59517 Class 117 Trailer Second Lavatory (Ex Composite)--59521-ScotrailHelston RailwayRestoration stalled.59521 Class 117 Trailer Composite Lavatory--59522-BR Blue and GreyChasewater RailwayScrapped59522 Class 117 Trailer Composite Lavatory (Scrapped)--59511-BR GreenStrathspey RailwayAs of 2022, the car is in restoration.59511 Class 117 Trailer Composite Lavatory-51366-- - -parts survive --59505-BR GreenGloucestershire Warwickshire RailwayUnder restoration, owned by Cotswold Diesel Railcar Ltd
References
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