Sprinter (train)

The Sprinter is a family of diesel multiple unit trains in use on the British 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 47 class 158 units have a Perkins engine instead. Sprinters can be seen operating in almost every part of the UK, from rural branch lines to commuter expresses into major cities.

Originally British Rail coined the 'Sprinter' name for the units, mainly to promote the superior acceleration capabilities of the units compared with the First-Generation DMU trains they replaced. Ads such as 'The Sprinters are coming' were locally advertised in newspapers when these trains were scheduled to be introduced. Great play was also made of, in many cases, reduced journey times and on many lines timetables were changed to take advantage.

Prototypes
Two companies, Metro-Cammell and BREL built three coach prototypes for the first batch of Sprinters.

Production units
The production units were all built as two coach units, with the exception of 17 Class 158s and the 22 Class 159 units, which were built with an additional centre car. The Class 153 railcars were converted from the two coach Class 155.

Class 150,153,155, and 156 units have no air-conditioning and a top speed of 75 mph; Classes 158 and 159 have air conditioning and a top speed of 90 mph. All units except the first batch of Class 150s have outer-end gangways, allowing passengers to walk between trains working in multiple.

Class 150 Sprinter


These were designed as commuter units and are fitted with 5 abreast seating and doors fitted at 1 and 2 thirds down the length of each car, unique amongst the Sprinter family. Early units also didn't feature any outer-end gangway, therefore in multiple-working with other Sprinter units, passengers cannot move about between trains. The 150/2s do feature end gangways, as well as two-by-two airline seating.

150/1
Currently operated by
 * First Great Western
 * London Midland
 * Northern

150/2
Currently operated by
 * Arriva Trains Wales
 * First Great Western
 * Northen Rail

Class 950
In addition to the standard Class 150 units, a single two car DMU was constructed using the same bodyshell for use as a track assessment unit on stretches of line where heavier stock cannot be safely used. This unit was initially classified as Class 180, but was reclassified in the departmental series as Class 950 upon the entry into service of the Class 180 Adelante units.

Class 153 Super Sprinter


These single-car units were originally built as two-car Class 155 units by Leyland from 1987–88, but were converted by Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock from 1991-92. The class was built for lightly used lines, replacing first generation single coach units. The conversion involved building a new cab at the original inner ends of the vehicles. The layout of the original non-cab ends was subtly different from the original cab end, so the ends are noticeably different, and the vehicle not symmetrical. The new cab is significantly smaller than the original Leyland cab and pushes back into the door area.

Currently operated by
 * Arriva Trains Wales
 * East Midlands Trains
 * First Great Western
 * London Midland
 * Northern
 * Greater Anglia

Class 155 Super Sprinter


These DMUs were built by British Leyland at Workington (using a body construction technology derived from the Leyland National bus) between 1987 and 1988. Very few units remain, most were converted into Class 153. They have a top speed of 75 mph.

Currently operated by
 * Northern

Class 156 Super Sprinter


The Class 156 units were built from 1987-89 by Metro-Cammell (now owned by Alstom) at their Washwood Heath Works in Birmingham. The vehicles are like the Class 155s have a single leaf sliding door at either end of each coach - this feature reflected the anticipated longer journeys (with fewer stops) that the Class 156 was supposed to operate. They have a top speed of 75 mph.

Currently operated by
 * East Midlands Trains
 * First ScotRail
 * Northern
 * Greater Anglia

Class 158 Express Sprinter


The Class 158 "Express Sprinter" units were built from 1989-92 by BREL at Derby Works to replace elderly 'heritage' DMUs and locomotive-hauled passenger trains. Compared with previous members of the Sprinter family, specifically the venerable Class 156 SuperSprinter, the Express Sprinter is a large step up. Fully air-conditioned (except the driver's cabs) with provision for a trolley refreshment service and an increased top speed of 90 mph, the Class 158 is much better suited to longer journeys with fewer stops and provides a much quieter and more comfortable environment than its contemporaries.

They are mostly fitted with Cummins engines, with the remaining 47 fitted with Perkins Engines.

Currently operated by and export version for State Railway of Thailand (differences include inward opening slam doors rather than plug doors and 3 carriages rather than 2)
 * Arriva Trains Wales
 * East Midlands Trains
 * First Great Western
 * First ScotRail
 * Northern Rail
 * South West Trains

Class 159 South Western Turbo
Originally built as 3 car class 158s, but converted before entry into service. Twenty-two 3-car units were built for Network SouthEast's West of England and from London Waterloo to Salisbury, Yeovil and Exeter. They were used to replace Class 50 and Class 47 locomotive-hauled passenger trains. Units tend to operate in six or nine coach formations between Waterloo and Salisbury, in three or six coach formations between Salisbury and Exeter, and as single units west of Exeter.

Some surplus three coach Class 158 units were transferred to the West of England route in 2007 have been refurbished to Class 159 standards at and have been renumbered as Class 159/1

Currently operated by
 * South West Trains

Proposed
In addition to the production types, there were two types of Sprinter proposed that were in the event not proceeded with.

Class 152
In the early 1990s, as a cost saving measure on underused rural routes, British Rail proposed converting the 2-car Class 156 into single car units, which were named as Class 152. Although the single car Sprinter did go ahead, it was eventually decided to convert Class 155, which became Class 153.

Class 157
In the 1990s, Strathclyde Passenger Transport was looking to update the fleet that was used to operate commuter and suburban services in and around Glasgow, with a new Sprinter type intended to be procured, which became Class 157. However, due to British Rail's financial limits at the time leading up to privatisation, these units were not ordered, with Class 170 trains eventually being procured.

Reception
On many lines, the new units were warmly welcomed. It is important to remember that while the first generation DMU trains had given many years of service, in very many cases, they suffered from lack of and/or poor maintenance, with sometimes filthy and worn interiors, and leaking exhaust systems. Ignoring arguments over comfort and style, the mere fact that the trains were clean and new was enough to make them welcome countrywide.

The downside of the new units was the more restricted view through the windows. The Mk 3 bodyshell has a much higher window sill level than the first generation DMUs and moreover the alignment of the windows with the seating positions is poor, a problem common to much Mk 3 derived stock. The view is especially poor for passengers seated nearest to the doors, whose view is obscured by the pockets into which the doors slide when opened, or at the ends of the vehicle. Also unlike the first generation DMUs, the rear of the driver's cab was not glazed, so passengers in the front seats no longer had a view of the track ahead, which was regretted both by railfans and children.

Replacement
As many sprinters are now 20 years old, TOCs are beginning to replace them. For example, London Midland have decided to replace their aging Class 150 fleet with Class 172 Turbostars from 2010. This is good news for the passenger as most Sprinters lack air conditioning and have a top speed of only 75 mph. They can be noisy inside, as opening windows are needed for ventilation and there are no pressure doors at the end of each carriage, next to the external doors. It is likely these trains will be 'cascaded' to other TOCs to replace the even older Pacers.

Class 158 Sprinter Express trains have been augmented or replaced by Turbostar and Coradia units, allowing these to be cascaded down to lesser services and replace older and less comfortable Sprinters. They still operate the 5 hour journey from Norwich to Liverpool replacing the Turbostar units, which have been cascaded to London Midland under the new franchise that began in November 2007, and the 4 hour Birmingham International to Holyhead, replacing Class 175 Coradia units so that they can be used on longer distance routes between Holyhead, Llandudno, Manchester & Cardiff.