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[[File:{{Infobox carriage|image = 52255 RH 800.jpg |thumb|300px|right| caption = 52255 outside Kidderminster Railway Museum in 2016|construc = LNER York|status = In service|carno = 52255|othernos = 13547, GE13547E, DE321005|designed = Gresley|diagram = 186|lot = 594|cartype = [[:Category: Carriage Type TO|TTO]]|length = 61ft 6in|weight = 31t 0cwt|seats = 64 third|built = 1935|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 = |years6 = |events6 = }}[[File:52255 interior RH.jpg|thumb|300px|right| Interior view of 52255]]'''LNER Gresley Open Third (TO) 52255''' was built at York in 1935 to Diagram Number 186 Lot number 594.

Third Open (TO) 52255 The 1930s saw the LNER and other railways moving away from traditional compartment stock and introducing more open carriages. This Diagram was built at York intended primarily for use in excursion traffic, although carriages of this type were often found in 1935 to Diagram Number 186 Lot number 594service trains. It was renumbered as 13547 in 1946the first LNER vehicle built with a welded chassis, and reducing the weight by around a ton. The 'Vestibule Third Open Corridor' in 1961 it was withdrawn LNER parlance provided seating for Departmental use as an Office Coach in a Control Train, numbered DE32100564 at tables with two toilets at one end of the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>.

52255 arrived on the SVR from Doncaster in April 1980, having been purchased by an individual. External restoration to 1935 livery was undertaken in the mid-1980s with the assistance of the LNER (SVR) Coach Fund, although the interior still consisted of BR Mark 1 seating. ==Service==52255 was purchased by the SVR Rolling Stock Trust (now [[Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd | The SVR Charitable Trust]]) in June 2011. It was withdrawn from use at the end renumbered 13547 as part of 2014 for major body overhaul, and for the interior to undergo a high class upgrade to LNER appearance, similar to that previously completed on [[LNER 43600 Open Third | 43600]]. It entered the paintshop 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 's 1943 re-canvassed and paintednumbering scheme. 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 On Nationalisation in maroon. New brown lino1947, rexined seat ends made BR initially allocated an E prefix to the new "indicate its LNER" profileorigin, pictures, mirrors, coathooks, wall lamps and luggage racks were added. The volunteer upholsterer with a further re-covered numbering to GE13547E after 1951 reflecting its allocation to the seats in new LNER red & black patterned moquette, and these were fitted, as were the new LNER pattern tables's former Great Eastern lines.<ref name=Longworth>[[Bibliography#Other References|Longworth (2018)]] pp. Gangways were refurbished175, 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 illumination264. </ref>

The restoration in full LNER prewar livery In 1961 it was completed withdrawn from passenger service and from July 1962 entered Departmental use as an Office Coach in September one of the two Eastern Region [[:Category:Rolling stock previously part of emergency control trains|Emergency Control Trains]], 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 time for Railway World June 1981] (Retrieved 1 February 2017)</ref><ref name=Longworth/>. For this role the Tornadointerior 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.</Flying Scotsman visitref>:*DE321005: GE13547E, with much effort by apprenticesformerly LNER 24105 Gresley Open Third*DE321006: GE13385E, volunteer and full time C&W staff expended to meet that deadlineformerly 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.

==Sources52255 in preservation==The first SVR's LNER Open Third, Messrs. Gardner Shaw's [[LNER 43612 Open Third|43612]] had arrived in 1979 on loan to the Railway Heritage Register Carriage Survey<br>. 3 April 1980 saw the arrival from York of [[LNER 43600 Open Third | 43600]] (part of one of the two North Eastern Regions control trains) which had been acquired by [[The LNER (SVR) Coach Fund]]. SVR Member John Giles, who had helped with the inspection of 43600, purchased 52255 at the same time. 53255 arrived from Doncaster on 28 April 1980 and was moved into [[Bewdley Down Yard|Bewdley yard]], taking the place of 43612 which was not being worked on. 52255's roof was quickly re-canvassed and the interior stripped to return it to its original layout. Over the next few years John continued with the restoration with the assistance of other members of the LNER (SVR) Coach Fund, beginning by removing rotten flooring and installing new flooring.<ref>SVR News 57, 59, 64</ref> During service as a control train, the exterior had been covered with a 'thick black gunge'; one side was stripped to reveal the original teak in 1983 and the second side in early 1984.<ref>SVR News 69, 73</ref> In August 1984 external restoration to fully lined 1935 livery was completed, with the painting being funded by the owner. The interior had been fitted out, although only using BR Mark 1 seating. Entry into service was achieved in mid-1985.<ref>SVR News 75, 77, 78<br/ref> 52255 underwent a routine 10-year mechanical overhaul in the mid-1990s by the full-time staff, assisted by the volunteers. By early 1998 it had been nicknamed the 'black Gresley', due to the amount of staining to the varnish and teak by ultra-violet light and soot. During a visit to Kidderminster paint shop, three weeks was spent burning off the varnish all over, during which time several split planks and splits in the roof canvas were found and patched up. A complete re-varnish was then carried out.<ref>SVR News 122,126, 127</ref> 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 Book Ninth EditionTrust (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 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 />

*[http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrustrhrp.org.uk/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=1021 52255 on vintagecarriagestrust.orgRailway Heritage Register On-Line]<br>*[http://www.lnersvrcoachfund.org.uk//teak_set.html#52255 52255 on lnersvrcoachfund.org.uk]<br>*[http://svrtrust.org.uk/our-vehicles/lner/52255-2.html 52255 on svrtrust.org.uk]{{CarriageNavbox}}