The British Rail Class 156 Super Sprinter is a type of diesel-hydraulic multiple unit passenger train. A total of 114 sets were built between 1987 and 1989 for British Rail by Metro-Cammell's Washwood Heath works. They were built to replace elderly first-generation diesel multiple units (DMUs) and locomotive-hauled passenger trains.
Background By the beginning of the 1980s, British Rail (BR) operated a large fleet of first generation DMUs, which had been constructed in prior decades to various designs. While formulating its long-term strategy for this sector of its operations, BR planners recognised that considerable costs would be incurred by undertaking refurbishment programmes necessary for the continued use of these ageing multiple units.
Planners instead examined the prospects for the development and introduction of a new generation of DMUs to succeed the first generation.
The initial specification was relatively ambitious, calling for a maximum speed of and acceleration comparable to contemporary electric multiple units (EMU). This specification led to the experimental diesel-electric multiple unit (DEMU). However, it was found to be expensive and it was recognised that a production model assembled from proven components would possess greater reliability and lower maintenance costs; an availability rate of 85% was forecast.
By 1983, experiences with the Class 210 had influenced BR planners to favour procuring a new generation of DMUs, but to also adopt a new specification that were somewhat less demanding than before. Specifically, it was decided to drop the top speed from , as testing had revealed the higher rate to deliver no perceivable improvement in journey times due to the typically short spacing of the stations the type was intended to serve. The requests for compatibility with other rolling stock were eliminated, although auto-coupling and auto-connecting functionality was added. In addition to a good ride quality, the specification included a sound level of 90 dB when at full speed, an operational range of , and an interval between major overhauls of five years or .
The bid submitted by British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL) was heavily based on its successful EMU, sharing its body and the majority of its running gear, albeit equipped with two different power trains.
The resulting was viewed as unsatisfactory for more-upmarket services. Studies showed coaches could be stretched, providing more internal volume and thus enabling the somewhat cramped two-by-three seating arrangement of the Class 150 to be substituted with a more roomy two-by-two counterpart. These changes could be implemented without impacting much of the benefits of adopting the existing design.
It was identified that this would result in a weight increase and thus a decreased power-to-weight ratio, but it was determined that the performance of the proposed DMU was only slightly lower; it could achieve similar journey times across the intended cross-country routes as the Class 150. It was also found that, while there was a slight increase in fuel consumption due to the changes, the envisioned DMU had lower fuel consumption than locomotive-hauled trains and lower maintenance costs. Accordingly, it was decided to proceed with developing a detailed specification and issuing it to industry. Amongst the requirements listed in the issued specification was the explicit statement of the acceptability of the proven power trains of both Classes 150 and .
Description The design of the Class 156 was relatively conservative in comparison to Metro-Cammell's earlier Class 151 design. Specific changes include the bodyshell being primarily composed of steel instead of aluminium; the deliberate decision was made to model the cab design on the earlier Class 150 was allegedly taken to ease union acceptance. Each coach is powered, being outfitted with a single six-cylinder Cummins NT855-R5 diesel engine coupled to a Voith T211r hydraulic transmission and Gmeinder final drive units.
The Class 156 can achieve a top speed of . Construction of the welded bodyshells was subcontracted out; 118 by Procor Engineering of Horbury railway works in Wakefield, 60 by W.H. Davis of Mansfield and 50 by Standard Wagon of Heywood. Aston Martin Tickford were awarded the interior fitout contract.
The units were numbered 156401 to 156514. Each unit was formed of two powered vehicles, one of which contained a toilet. Individual vehicle are numbered as follows, where the final three digits of the vehicle number match the unit to which the vehicle belongs: 52401–52514: Driving Motor Standard Lavatory (DMSL) 57401–57514: Driving Motor Standard (DMS), containing an area for storing wheelchairs, bicycles and bulky luggage.
Unlike the Class 150 units, the 156s have a single-leaf sliding door at either end of each coach. This reflected the expected longer journeys with fewer stops that they were intended to operate. As with the Class 150, all the doors are operable by passengers when released by the guard using one of two passenger door control panels; they are energised using a carriage key to turn a rotary switch situated on the cab bulkhead. Units operated by Abellio ScotRail were fitted with additional door-control panels near the centre sets of doors, for the convenience of the guard.
Nine units used by Abellio Greater Anglia were transferred to East Midlands Railway in 2019, at which point they were renumbered into the 156/9 subclass (e.g. 156419 becoming 156919) to indicate that their public address and passenger information systems were incompatible with EMR's existing units. A number of these units started to transfer to Northern Trains from December 2021 onwards, at which point they were returned to their original numbers.
Operations British Rail
On 10 November 1987, 156401 conducted its first test run from Washwood Heath to . Between January and July 1988, 156401-156429 were delivered to Crown Point TMD entering service on 16 May 1988 on new services from East Anglia to North West England. They also operated services from and to , and boat trains from to and later .
The remaining 85 were delivered to Heaton, Neville Hill, Haymarket and Inverness. With the units withdrawn temporarily with faulty door mechanisms, 25 were transferred to Cardiff Canton from December 1988, with the last remaining until November 1989. In this guise, they operated services as far south as . In May 1991, six were transferred from Crown Point to Derby Etches Park.
On 15 June 1989, 156502 was sent to the Netherlands, as part of the Dutch Railways' 150th anniversary celebrations; it returned on 10 July. On 21 October 1993, 156405 became the first Sprinter to accrue one million miles, whilst working the 10:10 to Norwich service.
The first 100 were painted in Provincial sector's livery of blue and beige with light blue stripe. Twenty units based at Tyseley depot, 156401–156419 and 156422, were later repainted into Regional Railways' Express livery after the rebranding of Provincial. The last fourteen units were operated by Strathclyde PTE, carrying an orange and black livery. Following the delivery of the Express Sprinters in the early 1990s, the 156s began to be cascaded to less important services.
In the early 1990s, BR was looking to save costs on rural routes, and decided that operating two-car trains was too expensive. The company planned to convert a number of units into single-car vehicles, named as Class 152. In the event, the decision was taken to do this with the Class 155 instead, forming the fleet.
Post-privatisation As part of the privatisation of British Rail, the fleet was split and sold to Angel Trains (76 units) and Porterbrook (38), which then leased the units to several train operating companies in the following regions:
Scotland
At privatisation the Scottish fleet passed to the National Express-owned ScotRail franchise, which used them until 2004 when the franchise was taken over by First ScotRail. All passed to Abellio ScotRail with the franchise in 2015.
Units 156500–156514 were operated by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and originally wore its orange and black livery. This was replaced with a carmine and cream livery in 1997, which was also applied to further 14 units. Despite receiving these special liveries, the SPT units were not confined to any specific route and thus worked in tandem with the rest of the fleet on other routes.
In September 2008, Transport Scotland announced that all ScotRail trains (including those of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport) would be repainted in a new livery of blue with white saltire markings on the carriage ends. The first unit was repainted in this livery by RailCare Springburn in February 2009.
In December 2014, unit 156478 was written off by Angel Trains and sold to Brodie Leasing after being damaged by floodwaters on the Glasgow South Western Line. Brodie Leasing repaired the unit and it returned to service with Abellio ScotRail in October 2016.
Between 2016 and 2019, all of ScotRail's units were refurbished to make them compliant with PRM-TSI standard. This refurbishment included a larger toilet, a dedicated wheelchair area and brand new interior upholstery with new seats similar to those found on the .
In late 2018, five units transferred to Arriva Rail North after the Class 385s began to enter service.
From 2020, ScotRail's units began operating in multiple with Class 153 units on the West Highland Line, to provide upgraded seating and additional capacity for bicycles and other sporting equipment.
The ScotRail 156s currently operate the following routes: to Glasgow Central to /Carlisle Glasgow Central/ to / to Glasgow Queen Street to /.
Only the fifteen units fitted with Radio Electronic Token Block signalling equipment can operate on the West Highland Line.
East Anglia
Having originally been based in the East Anglia region but later transferred away, they returned in early 2005, when One received nine from Central Trains in exchange for a similar number of Class 150s.
The units were used on the following local services: Bittern Line - to , via Wherry Lines - Norwich to / East Suffolk Line - to Lowestoft/ Sudbury Branch Line - to
They were also used on the longer-distance services between Ipswich and /.
All nine passed to Abellio Greater Anglia, when it took over the Greater Anglia franchise in February 2012. Despite being overhauled by Railcare Wolverton in 2012/13, including work to make them comply with disability legislation, all were replaced by s with the last day of service being 29 January 2020. These then moved to East Midlands Railway, where they were renumbered into the 156/9 subclass.
Northern England
Following privatisation, both Arriva Trains Northern and First North Western-operated units and implemented their own refurbishment programmes. The two fleets were united when Northern Rail took over both franchises in 2004.
Within the Northern region, Class 156s are concentrated in the North West and also the North East, but are uncommon now in Yorkshire and Humberside, where Class 158s and other unit types are used instead.
In 2011, fourteen units were fitted with GPS as a trial for Northern Rail, being tested on the Esk Valley line. In 2011, four were transferred to East Midlands Trains.
In January 2015, Northern Rail began to hire units to First TransPennine Express to operate to services. Northern Rail's fleet of 42 units passed to Arriva Rail North when the then-new franchise started on 1 April 2016. They began to operate Manchester Airport to and to services from this date, which were also transferred into the franchise.
An additional five units transferred to Northern from Abellio ScotRail in late-2018. On 1 March 2020, the Northern units were transferred to a new operator, Northern Trains.