Sadly during its time in store at the East Lancs it suffered a lot of damage to the body the Motor Car has suffered with a lot of corrosion, Under the tarpaulin there's a large hole which is top of the list for repairs, Ive had people may that its a scrapper due to the damage but the railways attitude is that its just another Mk1 and look at the stunning restorations the line has done to other coaches.
Once finished it should look fantastic and will be restored to the same high standards the line is known for
Bluebell Railways new arrival
The 1305 group who are the guys restoring the unit have a Facebook group so please follow them
In January 2023 the Bluebell Railway took another major step into the world of Southern Region Diesels by acquiring Class 207 No 1305, later 207202.
Since withdrawal it hasn't had the best of luck, it was taken to the East Lancs Railway where it was given a bit of a half hearted restoration but most of the time was spent in a siding.
A couple of years ago was transferred to a group in Bicester called COVES, who done some work to it but ultimately decided to dispose of their rail vehicles and concentrate on road vehicles instead.
This is where the Bluebell Railway steps in, they are building a small collection of Southern Region diesels, they have an 08 & 33 and at the time of writing this article a 73 was due to be delivered
I visited the line on 22nd April 2023 where the line were having a branchline gala where the unit was on display for the first time .