Clacton Express Preservation Group purchases Class 309 train

The Clacton Express Preservation Group has purchased Class 309 309624 from The Lavender Line – and the group invited RailAdvent down to Sussex to see the official handover.

The Electric Multiple Unit is now in the care of the CEPG, whose intention is to restore it to working condition, initially as loco-hauled stock.

309624 is to be stored at its current home of the Lavender Line in Isfield where limited restoration can continue – initially the train will be kept at the Lavender Line for 18 months.

There was an initial JustGiving page launched by the CEPG to raise the funds to purchase 309624, however, a generous benefactor came along in December with the funding to purchase the unit.

The Long term goal is for the unit to find a home in East Anglia where a full restoration can be completed.

During our visit to the Lavender Line, we were told by a member of staff at the Lavender Line that it is unlikely that the EMU will enter service on the heritage line.

Whilst at the Lavender Line, we were invited round the sheds at Isfield, where we saw some of the restoration projects that are ongoing as well as operational steam locomotive Cockerill 2945 ‘Lady Lisa'. Some of you may recognise this loco as being similar to Piglet's Lucy, which is based at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

As part of the visit, we were given a guided tour of the 309 EMU to see what condition it had been in – the train hasnt run since withdrawal from service, being based outside at both the Lavender Line and the Electric Railway Museum (now closed) in Coventry.

Overall, of course there is plenty of work to do, you can see that the unit needs a wash and new paint as well as an interior refresh – but as work continues we will keep readers updated!

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Lavender Line said: “The Lavender Line Preservation Society are pleased to announce that our class 309 3 car EMU has been sold and will pass into the care of the Clacton Express Preservation Group (CEPG).

“CEPG's intention is to restore the unit to working condition, initially as hauled stock. In the medium to long term it is intended that the unit will be moved to an East Anglian home more appropriate to its origins, however in the short term we have agreed terms for storage and limited conservation / restoration to continue at Isfield. Initially this is for a period of 18 months after which it will be reviewed in the light of our joint experience.

“It is unlikely that the unit will enter service at Isfield though this is not ruled out in the medium term. While we would have preferred that the unit were removed from Isfield we much prefer, and are glad to facilitate, that it continues in preservation rather than being used for spares which was the only other option.

Brad Wright, from the Clacton Express Preservation Group  said “we are overjoyed that we have successfully achieved the first step in our organisation's main goal. It's been a long road with many setbacks but we are proud to say that 309 624 will continue to be preserved.”

“The purchase has been funded by a generous benefactor, who first approached us back in December. After this, the main challenge has been finding a new home. All of our original options did not materialise, so after much discussion with the Lavender Line, we have reached an 18-month deal to allow us to stay on-site paying commercial storage fees.”

“Our long-term aim is still to get the set back to East Anglia. Hopefully, now we have this time we can carry out some initial conservation and restoration work, working towards the possibility of getting the vehicles operational, then subsequently we can reapproach various railways in the future. We are incredibly grateful to the Lavender Line for providing the space to keep the set safe, without this deal the set would have assuredly been sold off for spares. The “Clacton Express” should now have a brighter future ahead!”

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