British Rail Class 159

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 and are known by South West Trains as Wessex Turbo.

History and design
In the late 1980s, the locomotive hauled stock on Network SouthEast's West of England 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 Turbostars). 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.

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, 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 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 158s. 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.

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 Systems) 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.

Class 158 conversions
Eight of TransPennine's surplus three-coach Class 158 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.

Fleet details
Four of South West Trains Class 159 units have been named after towns along the West of England route.
 * 159001 - City of Exeter
 * 159002 - City of Salisbury
 * 159003 - Templecombe
 * 159004 - Basingstoke and Deane



Models
A model of the Class 159 is made by Bachmann.