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|years1 = 1980
|events1 = Preserved on SVR
|years2 = 1985|events2 = Entered SVR service|years3 = 2011|events3 = Acquired by the [[Charitable Trust]]|years4 = 2016|events4 = Interior restoration completed
|years5 =
|events5 =
|events6 =
}}[[File:52255 interior RH.jpg|thumb|300px|right| Interior view of 52255]]
'''LNER Gresley Open Third Open (TO) 52255 ''' was built at York in 1935 to Diagram Number 186 Lot number 594. The 1930s saw the LNER and other railways moving away from traditional compartment stock and introducing more open carriages. This Diagram was intended primarily for use in excursion traffic, although carriages of this type were often found in service trains. It was the first LNER vehicle built with a welded chassis, reducing the weight by around a ton. The 'Vestibule Third Open Corridor' in LNER parlance provided seating for 64 at tables with two toilets at one end of the carriage<ref>Railway Heritage Register Carriage Survey</ref><ref>[[Bibliography#Other References|Longworth (2018)]] p.263.</ref>.
==Service==
It was renumbered 13547 as part of the LNER's 1943 re-numbering scheme. On Nationalisation in 1947, BR initially allocated an E prefix to indicate its LNER origin, with a further re-numbering to GE13547E after 1951 reflecting its allocation to the LNER's former Great Eastern lines.<ref name=Longworth>[[Bibliography#Other References|Longworth (2018)]] pp.175,264.</ref>
In 1961 it was withdrawn from passenger service and from July 1962 entered Departmental use as an Office Coach in an one of the two Eastern Region [[:Category:Rolling stock previously part of emergency control trains|Emergency Control TrainTrains]], numbered DE321005<ref name=Brown>[http://www.lnerca.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Hush-Hush-Coaches.pdf “Gresley’s ‘Hush-Hush’ Coaches”, Murray Brown, article in Railway World June 1981] (Retrieved 1 February 2017)</ref><ref name=Longworth/>. For this role the interior was stripped of seats, steam heating and 24V lighting. Desks, phones, 240V mains lighting and heating, lockers and chemical toilets were added. The Eastern Region control train sets each consisted of 4 vehicles, in this instance comprising<ref>[[Bibliography#Other References|Longworth(2018)]] p.473.</ref>:*DE321005: GE13547E, formerly LNER 24105 Gresley Open Third*DE321006: GE13385E, formerly LNER 43632 Gresley Open Third *DE321007: E12418E, formerly LNER 3291 Gresley Corridor Third*DE321008: E12328E, formerly LNER 23896 Gresley Corridor ThirdThe other 3 vehicles are all preserved at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
==52255 in preservation==
In 2002 52255 was stopped for gangway repairs following an 'unfortunate encounter' with a Class 50. The varnish used in the 1998 had not fared well, and another two weeks was spent revarnishing.<ref>SVR News 141</ref> A further body overhaul and re-varnish was carried out at Bewdley in October 2006, followed by a bogie overhaul on March 2007.<ref>SVR News 158, 163</ref> By 2009 both 52255 and 43600 had given around 25 years' service on the SVR. However both still had their ex-BR Mark I seating and tables and lacked many of the correct LNER-style fixtures such as luggage racks, oval mirrors, coat hooks and correct pattern wall lamps. In that year the Coach Fund launched an appeal to replace Fund-owned 43600's fittings, upgrade the tables and if possible, re-upholster the seating. Although 55255 was still privately owned at the time, the Fund's appeal included the wall fittings for it by way of compensating the owner for two bogies donated to the Fund.<ref>SVR News 165</ref> In early 2011 52255 was reluctantly put up for sale by the owner and an appeal was launched by the Coach Fund to help acquire it.<ref>SVR News 173</ref> Interest was expressed by another heritage railway and in June of that year an external bid of £30,000 was received for the coach. The SVR Rolling Stock Trust (now [[Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd | The SVR Charitable Trust]]) was able to match that bid, raising the necessary funds in just two days, enabling them to purchase it and keep it on the SVR.<ref>SVR News 175</ref> In August of that year the [[:Category:SVR fundraising lotteries|SVRA held a raffle]] to help pay off the temporary funding that secured the deal and raise money towards an upgrade of the interior of 52255.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150521193831/http://www.svr-association.org.uk/raff082011.html SVRA Website via Internet Archive Wayback Machine]</ref> Following acquisition by the Charitable Trust, some internal upgrades were carried out with new mirrors, coat hooks and luggage racks installed by 2013.<ref>SVR News 182</ref> 52255 was then withdrawn from use at the end of 2014 for major body overhaul, and for the interior to undergo a high class upgrade to LNER appearance, similar to that just completed on 43600.<ref>SVR News 189</ref> It entered the paint shop in early 2016, and by 3 September the work was almost complete with side framework repaired, roof planks secured firmly to the hoops and then re-canvassed and painted. Windows were re-bedded and the bodywork externally re varnished. The interior had been dismantled and many components refurbished or replaced before reassembly with new saloon paneling and fawn Rexine finish trimmed in maroon. New brown lino, rexined seat ends made to the new "LNER" profile, pictures, mirrors, coathooks, wall lamps and luggage racks were added. The volunteer upholsterer re-covered the seats in new LNER red & black patterned moquette, and these were fitted, as were the new LNER pattern tables. Gangways were refurbished, and its refurbished bogies fitted. The previously standard tungsten light bulbs were replaced with almost indistinguishable LED ones which use much less power whilst giving a superior level of illumination. The restoration in full LNER prewar pre-war livery was completed in September 2016 in time for the 'Pacific Power' Tornado/Flying Scotsman visit, with much effort by apprentices, volunteer and full time C&W staff expended to meet that deadline. ==See also==[[Carriages#LNER (and constituents) Designed Coaches| List of carriages]]
==References==
<references />
==Links==
[[Category:Rolling stock previously part of emergency control trains]]
[[Category:SVR fundraising lotteries]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]
