British Rail Class 159
Encyclopedia
The British Rail Class 159 is a class of diesel multiple unit
of the Sprinter family
, built in 1989 - 1992 by BREL
at the Derby Carriage and Wagon Works
as Class 158. Before entering traffic, the original 22 units were modified at Rosyth Dockyard to Class 159.
The class are known and were originally branded by Network SouthEast as South Western Turbo
route from London Waterloo
to Salisbury, Yeovil
and Exeter
was in urgent need of replacement. The Class 50s
were not suited to the stop-start nature of the route, and frequently broke down. Combined with the long sections of single track west of Salisbury a single breakdown could cause chaos. Various options were considered including electrification, shortened HSTs
, construction of new locomotives and stock (a passenger version of the proposed Class 48), or the proposed Class 171 (an intercity version of the Class 165 - not to be confused with the later Turbostar
s). A study found the best options were electrification or new DMUs.
With the economy in decline in the early 1990s it was found that Regional Railways
had over-ordered Class 158s
at the same time as Network SouthEast was looking for a similar number of new diesel units. NSE agreed to take on the surplus 158 vehicles.
The original 22 units were built as Class 158
units, but were rebuilt by Babcock Rail in Rosyth
before entering traffic. The rebuild consisted of the fitment of first-class accommodation, retention toilets and various other modifications. The rebuild was required because it was not possible for Network SouthEast and the newly privatised BREL to agree terms on the variation order to NSE specification, hence the rebuilding at Rosyth.
The first unit (159004) was handed over to NSE on 6 January 1993.
The 1992 - 1993 build units are numbered 159001-022, with individual cars numbered 52873-894 and 57873-894 for driving motor vehicles, and 58718-739 for intermediate motor vehicles. The entire class is maintained at a purpose-built depot at Salisbury.
In 2007, eight further Class 159 units were created through the rebuilding of surplus Class 158 units displaced from Transpennine Express.
All units use P4-4A and T4-4A bogies.
Upon privatisation of British Rail
, the West of England
route passed in 1996 to the South West Trains
franchise, which was won by the Stagecoach Group
. Starting in 2000, units were progressively refurbished and repainted from Network SouthEast
's blue, red and white livery into South West Trains' express livery. Other post-privatisation modifications included clearer LED destination displays, upgraded air conditioning and more openable windows.
Nowadays, the Class 159s operate mainly from London Waterloo to Salisbury/Exeter in six- or nine-coach formations, and between Salisbury and Exeter in three- or six-coach formations. Until the December 2009 timetable change, some trains continued beyond Exeter to Paignton
, Plymouth
and Penzance
; these usually operated as three-coach units, though at weekends there were some six-coach formations. The service to Bristol Temple Meads
is now also in the hands of Class 159s.
Since 2006, the original Class 159 fleet of 22 has been supplemented by eight three-coach 158s (renumbered into the 159/1 series) and 11 two-coach Class 158
s. The decision to standardise on 158s and 159s allowed the nine Class 170 'Turbostar' units to be transferred to other operators. Eight went to First TransPennine Express
, with the remaining unit going to Southern
.
) were installed, new seating was installed in first class and at the same time the units received a modified version of the South West Trains
express livery for compliance with disabled access regulations.
units have been refurbished to Class 159 standards at Wabtec
Doncaster
and have been renumbered as Class 159/1. The first updated units were delivered to South West Trains in November 2006 and by May 2007 all of the new subclass were in service.
The refurbishment included new first class accommodation, brighter interior lighting with new diffusers and the plating over of the disused toilet in the MSO vehicle. The Class 159/1s have been fitted with retention toilets. Additional alternations include the installation of a Passenger information system
(PIS) and CCTV as is fitted on the 159/0s.
route.
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
of the Sprinter family
Sprinter (train)
The Sprinter is a family of diesel multiple unit trains in use on the UK railway system. They were built in the 1980s and early 1990s by BREL, Metro Cammell and Leyland. Most are based around a Cummins engine with Voith hydraulic transmission, although some class 158s have a Perkins engine...
, built in 1989 - 1992 by BREL
BREL
British Rail Engineering Limited , was the railway systems engineering division of British Rail, until the design and building of trains in the UK was privatised in 1993. On 31 October 1969, the company was incorporated as British Rail Engineering Limited.-Main products:The vast majority of BREL's...
at the Derby Carriage and Wagon Works
Derby Carriage and Wagon Works
Derby Carriage and Wagon Works was built by the Midland Railway in Derby, England. The plant has been through many changes of ownership and is currently owned by Bombardier Transportation, a subsidiary of Bombardier Inc. of Canada. As of 2011 it is the only remaining passenger rolling stock...
as Class 158. Before entering traffic, the original 22 units were modified at Rosyth Dockyard to Class 159.
The class are known and were originally branded by Network SouthEast as South Western Turbo
History and design
In the late 1980s, the locomotive hauled stock on Network SouthEast's West of EnglandWest of England Main Line
The West of England Main Line is a British railway line that runs from , Hampshire to Exeter St Davids in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter...
route from London Waterloo
Waterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
to Salisbury, Yeovil
Yeovil
Yeovil is a town and civil parish in south Somerset, England. The parish had a population of 27,949 at the 2001 census, although the wider urban area had a population of 42,140...
and Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
was in urgent need of replacement. The Class 50s
British Rail Class 50
The British Rail Class 50 is a diesel locomotive built from 1967-68 by English Electric at their Vulcan Foundry Works in Newton-le-Willows. Fifty of these locomotives were built to haul express passenger trains on the, then non-electrified, section of the West Coast Main Line between Crewe,...
were not suited to the stop-start nature of the route, and frequently broke down. Combined with the long sections of single track west of Salisbury a single breakdown could cause chaos. Various options were considered including electrification, shortened HSTs
InterCity 125
The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...
, construction of new locomotives and stock (a passenger version of the proposed Class 48), or the proposed Class 171 (an intercity version of the Class 165 - not to be confused with the later Turbostar
Turbostar
Turbostar is the name given to a family of diesel multiple units built by Bombardier Transportation at their Litchurch Lane Works in Derby, England...
s). A study found the best options were electrification or new DMUs.
With the economy in decline in the early 1990s it was found that Regional Railways
Regional Railways
Regional Railways was one of the three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982 that existed until 1996, 3 years after privatisation. The sector was originally called Provincial....
had over-ordered Class 158s
British Rail Class 158
British Rail Class 158 Express Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train, built for British Rail between 1989 and 1992 by BREL at its Derby Works. They were built to replace many locomotive-hauled passenger trains, and allowed cascading of existing Sprinter units to replace elderly 'heritage' DMUs...
at the same time as Network SouthEast was looking for a similar number of new diesel units. NSE agreed to take on the surplus 158 vehicles.
The original 22 units were built as Class 158
British Rail Class 158
British Rail Class 158 Express Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train, built for British Rail between 1989 and 1992 by BREL at its Derby Works. They were built to replace many locomotive-hauled passenger trains, and allowed cascading of existing Sprinter units to replace elderly 'heritage' DMUs...
units, but were rebuilt by Babcock Rail in Rosyth
Rosyth
Rosyth is a town located on the Firth of Forth, three miles south of the centre of Dunfermline. According to an estimate taken in 2008, the town has a population of 12,790....
before entering traffic. The rebuild consisted of the fitment of first-class accommodation, retention toilets and various other modifications. The rebuild was required because it was not possible for Network SouthEast and the newly privatised BREL to agree terms on the variation order to NSE specification, hence the rebuilding at Rosyth.
The first unit (159004) was handed over to NSE on 6 January 1993.
The 1992 - 1993 build units are numbered 159001-022, with individual cars numbered 52873-894 and 57873-894 for driving motor vehicles, and 58718-739 for intermediate motor vehicles. The entire class is maintained at a purpose-built depot at Salisbury.
In 2007, eight further Class 159 units were created through the rebuilding of surplus Class 158 units displaced from Transpennine Express.
All units use P4-4A and T4-4A bogies.
Operations
The units were dedicated to the West of England sector of Network South East, operating services between London Waterloo and Exeter; they also worked services between Salisbury and Southampton and on the Reading to Basingstoke line, replacing elderly DEMUs. They then transferred to the South West Trains shadow franchise in readiness for privatisation.Upon privatisation of British Rail
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
, the West of England
West of England Main Line
The West of England Main Line is a British railway line that runs from , Hampshire to Exeter St Davids in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter...
route passed in 1996 to the South West Trains
South West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
franchise, which was won by the Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
. Starting in 2000, units were progressively refurbished and repainted from Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast was one of three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982. NSE principally operated commuter trains in the London area and inter-urban services in densely populated South East England, although the network reached as far west as Exeter...
's blue, red and white livery into South West Trains' express livery. Other post-privatisation modifications included clearer LED destination displays, upgraded air conditioning and more openable windows.
Nowadays, the Class 159s operate mainly from London Waterloo to Salisbury/Exeter in six- or nine-coach formations, and between Salisbury and Exeter in three- or six-coach formations. Until the December 2009 timetable change, some trains continued beyond Exeter to Paignton
Paignton
Paignton is a coastal town in Devon in England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the unitary authority of Torbay which was created in 1998. The Torbay area is a holiday destination known as the English Riviera. Paignton's population in the United Kingdom Census of 2001 was 48,251. It has...
, Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
and Penzance
Penzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
; these usually operated as three-coach units, though at weekends there were some six-coach formations. The service to Bristol Temple Meads
Bristol Temple Meads railway station
Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the oldest and largest railway station in Bristol, England. It is an important transport hub for public transport in Bristol, with bus services to various parts of the city and surrounding districts, and a ferry service to the city centre in addition to the...
is now also in the hands of Class 159s.
Since 2006, the original Class 159 fleet of 22 has been supplemented by eight three-coach 158s (renumbered into the 159/1 series) and 11 two-coach Class 158
British Rail Class 158
British Rail Class 158 Express Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train, built for British Rail between 1989 and 1992 by BREL at its Derby Works. They were built to replace many locomotive-hauled passenger trains, and allowed cascading of existing Sprinter units to replace elderly 'heritage' DMUs...
s. The decision to standardise on 158s and 159s allowed the nine Class 170 'Turbostar' units to be transferred to other operators. Eight went to First TransPennine Express
First TransPennine Express
First TransPennine Express is a British train operating company. It is a joint operation between First Group and Keolis . It operates regular passenger services in northern England, including services linking the west and east coasts across the Pennines...
, with the remaining unit going to Southern
Southern (train operating company)
Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
.
Refurbishments and conversions
2000
South West Trains commenced a refurbishment programme for their 22 159/0s in 2000. The seats were re-trimmed and interiors repainted. The units were repainted into South West Trains livery.2008
The units received another refurbishment in 2008. CCTV and PIS (Passenger Information SystemsPassenger information system
A passenger information [display] system is an electronic information system which provides real-time passenger information. It may include both predictions about arrival and departure times, as well as information about the nature and causes of disruptions...
) were installed, new seating was installed in first class and at the same time the units received a modified version of the South West Trains
South West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
express livery for compliance with disabled access regulations.
Class 158 conversions
Eight of TransPennine's surplus three-coach Class 158British Rail Class 158
British Rail Class 158 Express Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train, built for British Rail between 1989 and 1992 by BREL at its Derby Works. They were built to replace many locomotive-hauled passenger trains, and allowed cascading of existing Sprinter units to replace elderly 'heritage' DMUs...
units have been refurbished to Class 159 standards at Wabtec
Wabtec
Wabtec Corporation is an American company formed by the merger of the Westinghouse Air Brake Company and MotivePower Industries Corporation in 1999....
Doncaster
Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
and have been renumbered as Class 159/1. The first updated units were delivered to South West Trains in November 2006 and by May 2007 all of the new subclass were in service.
The refurbishment included new first class accommodation, brighter interior lighting with new diffusers and the plating over of the disused toilet in the MSO vehicle. The Class 159/1s have been fitted with retention toilets. Additional alternations include the installation of a Passenger information system
Passenger information system
A passenger information [display] system is an electronic information system which provides real-time passenger information. It may include both predictions about arrival and departure times, as well as information about the nature and causes of disruptions...
(PIS) and CCTV as is fitted on the 159/0s.
Fleet details
Four of South West Trains Class 159 units have been named after cities and towns along the West of EnglandWest of England Main Line
The West of England Main Line is a British railway line that runs from , Hampshire to Exeter St Davids in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter...
route.
- 159001 - City of ExeterExeterExeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
- 159002 - City of Salisbury
- 159003 - TemplecombeTemplecombeTemplecombe is a village in Somerset, England, situated on the A357 road five miles south of Wincanton, twelve miles east of Yeovil, and 30 miles west of Salisbury. The village has a population of 1,506...
- 159004 - Basingstoke and DeaneBasingstoke and DeaneBasingstoke and Deane is a local government district and borough in Hampshire, England. Its primary settlement is Basingstoke. Other settlements include Bramley, Tadley, Kingsclere, Overton, Oakley, Whitchurch and the hamlet of Deane, some from Basingstoke....
Class Operator No. Built Year Built Cars per Set Unit nos. Notes Class 159/0 South West Trains 22 1992–1993 3 159001 - 159022 Class 159/1 8 2006-07 (converted) 159101 - 159108 Converted from Class 158/0