Derby Lightweights - Preservation
Thanks to several vehicles being reused for departmental vehicles, they survived long enough to enter the DMU preservation era.
Our twin set 79018 / 79612 was converted to an Ultrasonic Test train, numbered 975007/8. The set was heavily modified for this use, containing test equipment and staff accommodation. They were bought by the DLPG, underwent asbestos stripping at Doncaster Works and moved to the Midland Railway - Butterley. The power car 79018 has been fully restored, work on 79612 has yet to begin.
Single car 79900 became a route learning vehicle and the taken on by Railway Technical Centre at Derby as vehicle 975010 "Test Car Iris". At the end of it's days there it was bought by a RTC employee and moved to the Midland Railway - Butterley, where it is being restored back to original condition.
Battery unit 79998/9 was also taken on by the RTC, becoming 975003/4 "Gemini". It was bought by the West Yorkshire Transport Museum for use on the abortive Bradford Low Moor scheme. It was put into store in the city's redundant BR Hammerton St. depot, which was the West Yorkshire areas first operational DMU depot in 1954. While in store they underwent complete asbestos removal. The vehicles were loaned to the East Lancashire Railway, and once the interior was replaced the unit went into service, with portable battery charging equipment being fitted in the guards van. The West Yorkshire Transport Trust's "Transperience" project went into liquidation, and most of it's assests were auctioned off, with the exception of the BEMU, claimed to be a precaution against disposal through no sale or a high bid by a scrap merchant. The Royal Deeside Railway Preservation Society successfully negotiated with the liquidators to purchase the vehicles, and they arrived back in Scotland in 2001. They are present stored out of public access. Further details can be found on the Society's website.