BR Class 100
56301
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Gloucester C&W
British Rail Class 100
1957
Bo-Bo
N/A
N/A
On Display
Mid-Norfolk Railway
British Railways Class 100 Diesel Multiple Unit
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The British Railways Class 100 Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) were built by the Gloucester Carriage & Wagon Company between 1957 and 1958, with a total of 40 sets (80 cars) produced.
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Designed as lightweight units, the Class 100s offered good and consistent acceleration, making them suitable for local and regional services. Despite their performance, none were selected for refurbishment during British Rail’s modernization programs. Withdrawals began in 1969, with the final unit taken out of service in 1988.
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Of the original 80 cars, only three survive in preservation, with the remainder having been scrapped.
56301
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Car 56301 was built in 1957 and became notable for being the first Class 100 diesel multiple unit vehicle to enter preservation in 1969, initially at the Chasewater Railway.
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After leaving Chasewater, the car was briefly stored at the Uranium Fuel Centre in Salwick before being transferred to the King’s Lynn Sugar Factory, where it remained between 1996 and 1997.
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In August 1999, 56301 arrived at County School Station, where it was repurposed as an extension to the Tea Room. The vehicle is currently on display at County School, awaiting its turn for restoration and future operational use.