CEPG - Class 309 624 Preservation and Restoration Updates

After many threads on this site covering the plight of the 309's last few rough years in preservation, not much seems to have been said of its recent change of fortune. I thought it a good idea to share some more positive updates in regards to its move to the EARM and RHWR, and the subsequent restoration that has finally been able to commence.

For those who may not know the story so far, 309624 was preserved by AMPSRail in 2009 along with sister unit 309616. they both moved to the ERM and were there until 2018 when the site was forced to close. 624 was sold to the Lavender Line and then put up for sale again in 2021. The CEPG was setup by a couple of young enthusiasts who didn't want to see the unit get the chop. 3 years later, all the odds have been beat, funding was secured, the set purchased, and after many tries a deal to keep all 3 vehicles intact was closed at the 11th hour, and the set was spared from the torch. Despite all the odds the group persevered and we are now finally able to get stuck in on a full works programme, something we were not able to do until the vehicles had a secure future.

Two vehicles have come "home" and moved to the East Anglian Railway Museum, 5 miles from the Great Eastern mainline, their old stomping ground of London-Clacton. The two vehicles that moved to the EARM are BDTC 75965 and MBS 61928, a representative pair. Due to space restraints at Chappel the 3rd vehicle, DTS 75972, has gone to the Rushden, Higham and Wellingborough Railway. It was decided best to donate all 3 vehicles to their new respective homes in order to provide long term security for the vehicles, indeed the pair at Chappel have now become Accessioned museum assets.

The CEPG have remained around acting as ambassadors, fundraising and volunteer support body. working collaboratively with both sites to ensure the full restoration of all 3 vehicles in time. Mainly, due to location of volunteers, majority of time and manpower is spent at Chappel but we have a project manager and small team at Rushden too.

Since arriving at the EARM in May, there has been consistent weekly work parties on the pair. First it was about temporary weatherproofing after the BDT suffered one last large vandal attack at the LL the week before moving. A set of bespoke access steps were soon built to allow for public access inside the MBS on guided tours. It was then agreed with the EARM that the 309 would be the centrepiece for this years annual Beer festival, so an intensive two week programme was conducted to smarten the appearance of the front end, receiving a new coat of warning yellow, finally covering the primer work we had started in 2022 and had been forced to abandon. Some temporary sheets of Perspex also were cut to fill the holes where windows should be. We also managed to get the units brakes run up for the first time in our care after completing the repairs required back in 2022 and the lights on all ready for display.

After the beer festival, the BDT got its slot in the shed for full weatherproofing work to begin. the entire roof and sides have been stripped back to metal, for the first time in its life. We are replacing a single door pillar and taking the opportunity fully stripping and completely rebuilding the 3 offside doors (as all the droplights got smashed). The window frames have been cleaned out and we have now placed an order for 8 new sealed double glazed bodyside units. These are not cheap with the total vandalism repair bill coming in at over £3000 but this work is mostly fully funded thanks to an ongoing fundraiser and the generous donation from a local classic car club. The aim is to have the BDT fully watertight, in a primer and undercoat by the new year to allow the MBS to come inside and have the same work done. they will then return outside to wait their turn in the queue for longer shed slots.

The restoration work is being done in phases with both wanting some usual Mk1 repair work, for now the main goal is to make sure they are watertight and the sides protected from further areas of paintwork deteriation. the usual question of "What livery" is one that's yet to be decided between the CEPG and EARM, however there is still a strong consensus for 1987 NSE as that is the physical spec of the windows and internal trim. Although the Chappel pair are being restored to museum display condition we will be undertaking all the required work so to not preclude any potential operational scope in the long term future. the DT at Rushden is being restored to operational condition to be used as a Piloting vehicle with another Mk1 TSO and resident Class 31. The fact that all 3 vehicles survive also then does not preclude a reunion of the set in the long term future.

Hope this makes for pleasurable reading, the usual post about EMUs here is how one is either at risk or how they are dead ducks in general. I'm proud that after three long years the group can finally put their money where their mouth has been and do the thing we set out to do. https://www.clactonexpresspreservationgroup.com/ link to the site for those who want to have a further read, and your support, as always, is appreciated.

Any questions, comments, feedback, ill do my best to respond.
-CEPG

Few key progress photos attached below.

 

Well done!
You've achieved something most people have not.

Now comes the "easy" part...

 

Nice piece on the CEPG on the BBC website today;

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czr3zvy4l2ko