List of British Rail diesel multiple unit classes

This is a list of British Rail diesel multiple-unit train classes.

For a historical overview of diesel multiple unit train development in Great Britain, see British railcars and diesel multiple units.

Pre-nationalisation designs GWR railcars LMS railcars

First generation Early BR DMUs (79xxx series)

ManufacturerEngines (per motor car)TransmissionTypeBuiltQuantity (sets)WithdrawnNotesImageScrappedBR Derby 'Lightweight' 2 × Leyland or 2 × AEC hydraulic (2 car) or mechanical (single car) low density1954-1959217 vehicles1967-19691977-1994 (departmental use)215Metro-Cammell 'Lightweight' 2 × AEC mechanical1955-195636 sets1967-19691981 (departmental use)AllAC Cars Railbuses 1 × AEC railbus1958519683 (1 in preservation)Bristol-ECW Railbuses 1 × Gardner 21966AllPark Royal Railbuses 1 × AEC 51966-1968Waggon and Maschinenbau Railbuses 1 × Büssing 51966-19671Wickham Railbuses 1 × Meadows 619661997 (departmental use)5

TOPS classes ClassManufacturerEngines (per motor car)TransmissionTypeBuiltQuantity (sets)WithdrawnNotesImageScrappedClass 100 Gloucester RC&W 2 × AEC mechanical low density1957–195840 sets (80 cars)1969–1988About 79 (3 in preservation)Class 101 Metro-Cammell1956–1960527 sets1957 (1)1978–20032009–2012 (departmental use)About 502 (9 in preservation)Class 102 2 × Leyland 106 setsClass 103 Park Royal 2 × AEC 195720 sets (40 cars)1972–19831985–1990 (departmental use)About 19 (3 in preservation)Class 104 Birmingham RC&W 2 × Leyland 1957–1959302 cars1980–1995About 63Class 105 Cravens 2 × AEC 1956–1959302 cars1976–19881989–1990 (departmental use)About 300Class 106 2 × Leyland Class 107 BR Derby 'Heavyweight' 2 × AEC 196026 sets (78 cars)1973 (1)1983–19921995 (departmental use)About 19 sets (66 cars)Class 108 2 × Leyland 1958–1961333 cars1964 (1)1974 (1)1990–1993About 138Class 109 D Wickham & Co 1957–19585 sets19714Class 110 Birmingham RC&W 'Calder Valley' 2 × Rolls-Royce C6NFLH 1961–196230 sets1963 (3)1971–1972 (3)1983 (3)1986–1991About 28 sets (85 vehicles)Class 111 Metro-Cammell 1957–196023 train sets1989 Last unpowered car went in 2000About 23 (50 vehicles)Class 112 Cravens 1 × Rolls-Royce C8NFLH 1959–196025 sets (50 cars)1968–1969AllClass 113 1 × Rolls-Royce C8NFLH hydraulic 25 sets (50 cars)Class 114 BR Derby 'Heavyweight' 2 × Leyland mechanical1956–1957 (entered service 1960)50 sets (100 cars)1962 (1)1965 (1)1967 (prototype)1970–1971 (6)1992 2004 (departmental use)About 48 sets (95 vehicles)Class 115 BR Derby 'Suburban' 2 × Albion high density196041 four-car sets1991–1994About 30 sets (149 vehicles; 3 in preservation)Class 116 2 × Leyland 1957–1961310 cars1961 (1)1983 (32)1987–19952 converted to Class 130About (304 vehicles; 5 in preservation)Class 117 Pressed Steel 'Suburban' 1959–1961123 cars1993–200030Class 118 Birmingham RC&W 'Suburban' 196015 sets (45 cars)1994About 14 sets (44 cars)Class 119 Gloucester RC&W 'Cross-Country' cross country195884 cars1992–1995About 28 sets (81 cars)Class 120 BR Swindon 'Cross-Country' 2 × AEC 194 cars1989About 64 sets (193 cars)Class 121 Pressed Steel 'Bubble Car' 2 × AEC high density1960–196116 (DMBS)10 (DTS)1978 (2)1991–2017Last first-generation DMU in service, 55022 is still in departmental use.12 (2 in preservation)Class 122 Gloucester RC&W 'Bubble Car' 2 × AEC 195920 (DMBS)9 (DTS)1979–19951998–2011 (departmental use)8Class 123 BR Swindon 'Intercity' 2 × Albion intercity196340 (Ten 4-car units)1984Buffets withdrawn in 1970 and a DMBS and DMSK withdrawn in 1977 and 1979 respectively.AllClass 124 BR Swindon 'Trans-Pennine' 2 × Albion 1960Eight 6-car sets, plus 3 spare cars1972 (3)19751979–1984Class 125 BR Derby 'Lea Valley' 2 × Rolls-Royce C8NFLH hydraulic high density195820 three-car sets1971 (1)1976–19771986–1988 (departmental use)Class 126 BR Swindon 'Intercity' 2 × AEC mechanical intercity1959221970 (1)1973 (3)1979–1982About 21 (62 cars; 3 in preservation)Class 127 BR Derby 'Bed-Pan' 2 × Rolls-Royce C8NFLH hydraulic high density195930 sets (120 vehicles)1964 (1)1966 (1)1968 (1)1972 (1)1975–1977 (8)1982–199322 rebuilt in 1985About 27 vehicles (112 vehicles; 3 in preservation)Class 128 Gloucester RC&W 'Parcels' 2 × Albion mechanical parcels1959–1960101971 (1)1979–1980 (2)1982 (2)1990AllClass 129 Cravens 'Parcels' 2 × Leyland 1955 (entered service 1958)31972–19731986 (departmental use)Class 130 Parcels conversion from Class 116 1957–1961(converted 1969)21972Parcels conversion from Class 116Class 131 Parcels conversion from Class 122 2 × AEC 1959(converted 1966/69/71)31976Parcels conversion from Class 122

Second generation Lightweight railcars ClassManufacturerDate BuiltNumber BuiltWithdrawnImageScrappedClass 139 Parry People Movers 2008 2 × single cars still in useNone

Pacers ClassManufacturerDate BuiltNumber BuiltWithdrawnImageScrappedLeyland Prototypes BREL-Leyland 1978-84 4 × single cars 1978-1997NoneClass 140 1980 1 × 2-car set 1981 Class 141 1984 20 × 2-car sets Britain 1997, Iran 20054 (2 in preservation)Class 142 1985-87 96 × 2-car sets 2019–202152Class 143 Barclay-Alexander 1985-86 25 × 2-car sets 2020 (GWR) 2021 (TFW) 5Class 144 BREL-Alexander 1986-87 13 × 2-car and 10 × 3-car sets 2020 1

Sprinters ClassManufacturerDate BuiltNumber BuiltWithdrawnImageScrappedClass 150Sprinter BREL 1984–7 135 × 2-car and 2 × 3-car sets Still in use 3 ()Class 151 Metro-Cammell 1985 2 × 3-car units 1989 BothClass 152 N/A Never built Proposed single car conversion of Class 156 - the Railway CentreNever builtNever builtClass 153Super Sprinter BREL-Leyland 1991–2 70 × single cars (Converted from Class 155) Still in use 12Class 154 BREL 1985 1 × 3 car unit converted from Class 150 Converted back to Class 150 NoneClass 155Super Sprinter BREL-Leyland 1987–8Class 155 Super Sprinters 42 × 2-car sets7 × 2-car sets still in original form Still in use Class 156Super Sprinter Metro-Cammell 1987–9Fleet Survey - 156 Super-Sprinter 114 × 2-car sets Class 157Strathclyde Sprinter N/A Never built Proposed Strathclyde PTE Sprinter Never built Never builtClass 158Express Sprinter BREL 1989–92 165 × 2-car and 17 × 3-car sets Still in use 1Class 159South Western Turbo 1992–3 22 × 3-car sets2 vehicles

Turbos Networker ClassManufacturerDate BuiltNumber BuiltWithdrawnImageScrappedClass 165Networker Turbo BREL/ABB York 1990–2 49 × 2-car and 26 × 3-car sets Still in use 1Class 166Networker Turbo Express 1992–3 21 × 3-car sets None

Turbostar ClassManufacturerDate BuiltNumber BuiltWithdrawnImageScrappedClass 168Clubman Adtranz/Bombardier, Derby 1998–2004 9 × 3-car and 10 × 4-car sets Still in use NoneClass 170Turbostar 1998–2005 44 × 2-car and 89 × 3-car sets Class 171Turbostar Bombardier, Derby 2003–04 9 × 2-car and 6 × 4-car sets Class 172Turbostar 2010–11 24 × 2-car and 15 × 3-car

Coradias ClassManufacturerDate BuiltNumber BuiltWithdrawnImageScrappedClass 175CoradiaAlstom, Washwood Heath1999–200111 × 2-car and 16 × 3-car setsStill in useNoneClass 180Adelante2000–0113 x 5-car sets and 1 x 4-car set (180 110)Still in use

Desiro ClassManufacturerDate BuiltNumber BuiltWithdrawnImageScrappedClass 185 DesiroSiemens2005–0651 × 3-car setsStill in useNone

Civity ClassManufacturerDate BuiltNumber BuiltWithdrawnImageScrappedClass 195 CivityCAF2017–2025 × 2-car sets33 × 3-car setsstill in useNoneClass 196 Civity2019–2212 x 2-car sets14 x 4-car setsClass 197 Civity2020–51 x 2-car sets26 x 3-car sets

Diesel-electric multiple units (DEMUs) Southern Region DEMUs

ClassSR codeBuiltQuantity (sets)WithdrawnImageScrappedClass 201 6S 1957-58 7 × 6-car sets 1986 About 5Class 202 6L 9 × 6-car sets About 8 (46 cars)Class 203 6B 1958 7 × 6-car sets1990 5Class 204 2H/3T 1957 4 × 3-car sets(formed using Class 205 and 206 cars) 1987 About 3 (19 vehicles)Class 205 2H/3H 1957-62 4 × 2-car and 29 × 3-car sets 1992–2004 About 21Class 206 3R 1964 6 × 3-car sets(formed using Class 201 and 416 cars)1979 AllClass 207 3D 1962 19 × 3-car sets1990–2004 About 16

Second Generation ClassManufacturerDate BuiltNumber BuiltWithdrawnNotesImageScrappedClass 210 BREL, Derby1982 1 × 3-car and 1 × 4-car set 1987 mostly scrapped, with 1 carriage preserved and 2 carriages converted to Class 455 4 carriagesClass 230D-Train Metro-Cammell (original builders)Vivarail (conversion) 2015(prototype) 1 × 3-car set (prototype)3 × 2-car5 × 3-car still in use Converted from former London Underground D78 Stock NoneClass 231FLIRT Stadler 2021-22 11 × 4-car sets still in use Class 769Flex BREL, YorkBrush Traction (conversion) 2017 35 × 4-car sets still in use Converted from EMUs

Voyager-style express DEMUs ClassManufacturerDate BuiltNumber BuiltWithdrawnImageScrappedClass 220Voyager Bombardier, Bruges, Belgium 2000-01 34 × 4-car sets still in use NoneClass 221Super Voyager 2001-024 × 4-car and 40 × 5-car sets Class 222Meridian/Pioneer 2003–054 × 4-car, 7 × 9-car and 17 × 5-car sets

High-speed trains ClassManufacturerInformationDate BuiltNumber Built WithdrawnImageScrappedClass 251Metro-CammellBlue Pullman1959-19602 × 6-car3 × 8-car1973AllClass 252BRELPrototype HST19721 × 10-car plus 2 spare coaches19822 vehiclesClass 253HST1975–198258 × 9-carstill in use22Class 25436 × 10-carClass 255BRELHST Challenger2002 (planned refurbishment)14 (planned)Never builtNever builtClass 800Hitachi Kudamatsu &Newton AycliffeElectro-diesel units designed with both pantograph for OHLE use and internal diesel powerplant for non-electrified lines2014-201946 × 5-car13 × 9-carstill in useNoneClass 802Hitachi Kudamatsu &Pistoia2017-202027 x 5-car7 x 9-carClass 805Hitachi Newton Aycliffe2021-13 x 5-carClass 81033 × 5-caronly just came in service

See also List of British Rail classes List of British Rail modern traction locomotive classes List of British Rail electric multiple unit classes British Rail locomotive and multiple unit numbering and classification British Rail coach type codes

References

External links