The technical and legal challenges faced in this restoration project are considerable. The traction motors, switchgear and cab controls were removed for scrap by British Rail and replacements must be acquired from other EMUs or manufactured. No privately-owned EMU has yet devised an appropriate safety management system (SMS) for operation on the main lines of Network Rail (NR). This will be drawn up by our consultants and presented to the Office of the Rail Regulator (ORR) for their approval.  An SMS is required for the safe operation of any railway vehicle and is essential if the Belle is to run again.

Each 5 BEL motor coach has two power bogies, with two traction motors, so we require a total of eight motors. No supplies of the EE163 motors, as fitted to the units in 1955, are available, so the project therefore intends to use eight EE507 traction motors - an extremely reliable and rugged motor that was fitted to many SR suburban EMUs and approved for use on Network Rail’s infrastructure.

Traction control equipment will be sourced from redundant EMU stock and its design will be managed by the rail engineering consultancy Pindari, which has considerable experience in this field.  

We are fortunate that the all-steel construction of the 5 Bel cars goes some way towards meeting modern safety standards. The rigidity of each Belle car is greater than that of a standard BR Mk. 1 coach, and although additional corner strengthening will be required, this should be a relatively straightforward task. The brake van also offers up a large degree of non passenger space in the driving motor cars that can be utilised as a crumple zone.

However, the screw couplings between the intermediate Belle cars offer no protection against telescoping. The gangways can be retained but the couplings must be replaced by something that meets the SMS, such as a rigid bar coupler. This will require fabrication of a new dragbox to take the buffing forces and will render the original buffers redundant. It is hoped that these distinctive features can be retained in situ, even if inoperable.

Secondary, or centralised, door locking is now required for all trains with passenger operated slam doors. Fortunately, the ex-Belle cars operated by the VSOE, have employed a safe system of operation that will be applied to the cars earmarked for the project. The unit will also need to have on-train monitoring equipment (OTMR), a new train electrical system for lighting (main and emergency) and possibly catering and a new air braking system.

To facilitate the movement of the train set around the network, control systems will be installed that will permit the vehicle to be propelled by an electro-diesel. The electrical systems supplying lighting, heating and possibly catering must also be overhauled, with battery boxes fitted to operate from a 24v system, as used on loco hauled coaches, [and all circuits re-wired to original operation and terminated to accept original power supply].