The two coach SUB de-icing unit held by the 5BEL Trust at Etches Park will now be preserved as the only surviving example in Britain of a de-icer.

 Click on the picture to see the de-icer at Etches Park

The unit was originally acquired as a donor for traction motors, but the Trust was unable to resource sufficient numbers of  the EE163 motors originally fitted to the units in 1955 when the bogies were replaced and upgraded. EE507 traction motors are being installed instead.

A Trust spokesman noted that "Although we do not want to be deflected from our demanding task of restoring the Brighton Belle to the mainline, we recognise that, following the scrapping of the other remaining British de-icers at Rotherham at the end of February 2010, this is the sole survivor. It is important that this de-icing unit is preserved for the British public. The Trust acknowledges the generous support of East Midland Trains."

The SUB de-icing unit will be displayed at the Electric Railway Museum in Coventry.  

For further background on Southern Region de-icing units, click here.