British Rail Class 153
Encyclopedia
The British Rail
Class 153 Super Sprinter
is a single car diesel multiple unit
converted from British Rail Class 155
s.
These units were originally built as two-car Class 155 units by British Leyland
from 1987–88, but were converted by Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock
from 1991-92. The layout of the original non-cab ends was different from the original cab end, so the ends are noticeably distinct, and the vehicles are not symmetrical.
Their maximum speed is 75 mph (34 m/s) and suited for working less popular local services such as the London Midland service from Coventry to Nuneaton
and the Heart of Wales Line
. They are fitted with standard BSI auto-couplers and are therefore able to work in tandem with other multiple unit
s fitted with the same coupler, including Class 150, Class 156 and Class 158 units as well as newer units like the Class 170 DMU.
The new or small cab is significantly smaller than the original Leyland cab and encroaches on the door vestibule area, providing cramped conditions for Drivers and Guards. Similar to other Sprinter
Units, such as the classes 150/2, 156 and 158, these units have gangway door connections at either end that allow passengers and staff to walk between units working in multiple. These units also have the benefit of having passenger door control panels at either end of the cars.
Units are numbered in the range 153301-335 and 153351-385. Individual cars are numbered 52301-335 and 57351-385 (originally 57301-335).
and 122
diesel railcars for use on branch lines and other lightly used services
, the Class 153 fleet was divided amongst several different operators.
has a fleet of 8 Class 153s. They are normally used on rural branchlines, such as the Heart of Wales Line
from to and the line from to - but are also used on some mainline services. In December 2005, Arriva employed a Class 153 to "shuttle" along the Butetown Branch Line
between and Cardiff Bay stations
, however, this was later replaced by a Class 121 Bubblecar
.
Following the timetable change on 9 December 2007, Arriva Trains Wales lost three Class 153 units. Two were transferred to East Midlands Trains
with the other going to First Great Western
.
use ten Class 153 DMUs on commuter lines in the West Midlands including Coventry
to Nuneaton
and the Marston Vale Line
between Bedford
and Bletchley.
All ten units were inherited from Central Trains
in their livery. All of the units are being repainted into London Midland city lines livery upon refurbishment at Eastleigh works.
The Class 153s that were used on the Stourbridge Town Branch Line
have recently been replaced by new built lightweight railcars. This was due to take place in December 2008, but the delivery of the new units was delayed, and after several months of bustitution
London Midland reintroduced diesel services from 15 March pending the completion of Class 139 testing. The class 139 received passenger certification from Network Rail in March 2009 and the service finally began three months later.
East Midlands Trains
fleet of Class 153s are used on rural routes in the East Midlands. These are:
East Midlands Trains inherited many different examples of Class 153 units, receiving six from Central Trains
, three from National Express East Anglia and four from storage at Eastleigh depot (formerly in service with First Great Western
). On 9 December 2007, East Midlands Trains has also received two additional Class 153 units from Arriva Trains Wales
and two additional trains from Northern
.
All of the East Midlands Trains
Class 153 units have been repainted into the local lines livery of the company with the exception of three. The three units numbered 153376, 153379 and 153384 still wear the Central trains colours, albeit with East Midlands Trains
branding.
As of July 2010 the first unit from the local fleet for East Midlands Trains
153319 entered Neville Hill depot in Leeds for a C6 refresh programme. This work will include corrosion repair, internal refresh and a cab refurbishment programme.
took over the Wessex Trains
fleet upon the merger of the two franchises. Wessex Trains
had, in turn, inherited its fleet of 13 units from its predecessor, Wales and West
.
Units are used on local services in Cornwall
, Devon
, and around Bristol
. They are also used on Bristol Temple Meads to Weymouth, Southampton
, and Worcester services and Swindon
via Melksham
to Southampton
service.
In mid-2004, Wessex Trains received a further two units from Central Trains
(unit nos. 153329 and 153369) to allow it to lengthen some services.
Following the introduction of a new timetable on 12 December 2006, four units were taken off lease and stored at the former Alsthom works at Eastleigh. They were Nos. 153302, 153308, 153355 and 153374. This decision was criticised at the time by passengers, this was due to an increase in overcrowding on services in the West Country
. After a period in storage these four units were pressed into service with East Midlands Trains
.
On 9 December 2007, First Great Western received an additional Class 153 (number 153361) from Arriva Trains Wales
bringing its total to 12. This unit arrived in the blue with gold star livery of former operator First North Western (still carried by the FGW Class 142s).
From late 2007, a refurbishment programme commenced to refurbish the 153 fleet. The trains have been externally reliveried in the 'Local Lines' livery (an adaptation of the 'Dynamic Lines' livery consisting of names of local places and attractions forming the lines) and the interiors have received the following improvements:
This refurbishment programme was completed by early June 2008.
Due to fire damage on car No.52221 of Class 150/2 unit 150221, 153369 was temporarily joined up with surviving car 57221, and the formation renumbered 153399. This hybrid has now been disbanded as car No. 52221 has been repaired.
For Summer 2011, two LM Class 153s, 153325 & 153333, have been allocated to the South West for strengthening purposes, based at Exeter (EZ) depot
for the duration.
The Northern Rail
franchise started operations in December 2004. They inherited the fleets previously operated by Arriva Trains Northern
and First North Western
, whose routes the new franchise incorporated.
Northern inherited a fleet of eight units from First North Western (FNW), which are used on local services around Manchester
, Chester
and on Lancaster to Barrow-in-Furness
to Carlisle
and Preston to Ormskirk
services. The fleet was repainted in the now obsolete North Western Trains blue and gold livery. Prior to becoming part of Northern, four former FNW units were transferred to the Arriva Trains Wales
franchise, since the lines operated by FNW in Wales were transferred to this new company.
A larger fleet of 12 units were inherited from Arriva Trains Northern
(ATN). They are used on various local services around Leeds
, Doncaster
, and Sheffield
.
In December 2007, two units were taken off lease from Northern and transferred to East Midlands Trains
. Both units, 153319 and 153357 carried Arriva livery.
From late 2007, a re-livery programme has started on Northern's Class 153 trains. All of Northern's Class 153 trains have been repainted into Northern livery. A Class 153 usually works with a Class 158 to make 3-car formations on Leeds-Settle-Carlisle services.
inherited a small fleet of seven units, for local services in Suffolk and Norfolk. Services operated by these units included Ipswich to Cambridge, Peterborough, Felixstowe and Lowestoft, and Norwich to Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth and Cromer. One set was also hired to First Great Eastern for use on the Sudbury branch.
Anglia Railways named its Class 153 fleet after famous local figures:
In 2003, Anglia started to refurbish its fleet, and repaint them in Anglia Railways livery. However, only three (unit nos. 153309/322/335) were completed; In 2004, Anglia became part of the 'One' franchise operated by the National Express Group (which was subsequently renamed National Express East Anglia). inheriting the fleet of seven units, for local services in Suffolk
and Norfolk
. Services operated by these units included Norwich
to Sheringham
and Great Yarmouth
, Norwich
to Lowestoft
, they were also sometimes seen on the Ipswich to Ely Line
.
The Class 153 has been produced in OO scale by Hornby
. The following liveries are/were available; Central Trains, First Northern Star, Northern Rail, Regional Railways, East Midlands Trains, London Midland City and Great Scenic Railways of Wessex and Cornwall (Wessex Trains). These models have been praised for their detail.
More recently, Dapol
have announced a N Scale version.
Making Tracks have a digital model available for the PC Railway simulator Microsoft Train Simulator
.
Just Trains have recently released a digital model for the PC railway simulator Railworks
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
Class 153 Super Sprinter
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...
is a single car diesel multiple unit
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:...
converted from British Rail Class 155
British Rail Class 155
The British Rail Class 155 Super Sprinter is a diesel multiple unit. These DMUs were built by British Leyland at Workington between 1987 and 1988 as part of British Rail's replacement of its ageing diesel fleet which were First-Generation.- History and description :The Class 155 train is made up...
s.
Description
Leyland Motors Ltd
Leyland Motors Limited was a British vehicle manufacturer of lorries, buses and trolleybuses. It gave its name to the British Leyland Motor Corporation formed when it merged with British Motor Holdings, later to become British Leyland after being nationalised...
from 1987–88, but were converted by Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'...
from 1991-92. The layout of the original non-cab ends was different from the original cab end, so the ends are noticeably distinct, and the vehicles are not symmetrical.
Their maximum speed is 75 mph (34 m/s) and suited for working less popular local services such as the London Midland service from Coventry to Nuneaton
Coventry to Nuneaton Line
The Coventry to Nuneaton Line is a short branch line linking Coventry and Nuneaton in the West Midlands of England. All of the lines' Absolute Block Signal Boxes have been replaced, as of May 2009, by a new signalling centre in Saltley, Birmingham, controlling Coventry to Three Spires and Rugby...
and the Heart of Wales Line
Heart of Wales Line
The Heart of Wales Line is a railway line running from Craven Arms in Shropshire to Llanelli in South Wales. It runs, as the name suggests, through some of the heartlands of Wales. It serves a number of rural centres en route, including several once fashionable spa towns, including Llandrindod Wells...
. They are fitted with standard BSI auto-couplers and are therefore able to work in tandem with other multiple unit
Multiple unit
The term multiple unit or MU is used to describe a self-propelled carriages capable of coupling with other units of the same or similar type and still being controlled from one driving cab. The term is commonly used to denote passenger trainsets consisting of more than one carriage...
s fitted with the same coupler, including Class 150, Class 156 and Class 158 units as well as newer units like the Class 170 DMU.
The new or small cab is significantly smaller than the original Leyland cab and encroaches on the door vestibule area, providing cramped conditions for Drivers and Guards. Similar to other Sprinter
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...
Units, such as the classes 150/2, 156 and 158, these units have gangway door connections at either end that allow passengers and staff to walk between units working in multiple. These units also have the benefit of having passenger door control panels at either end of the cars.
Units are numbered in the range 153301-335 and 153351-385. Individual cars are numbered 52301-335 and 57351-385 (originally 57301-335).
British Rail
British Rail needed replacements for its fleet of Class 121British Rail Class 121
Sixteen Class 121 single-car driving motor vehicles were built from 1960, numbered 55020–55035. These were supplemented by ten trailer vehicles, numbered 56280–56289 . They had a top speed of 70 mph, with slam-doors, and vacuum brakes...
and 122
British Rail Class 122
The British Rail Class 122 diesel mechanical multiple units were built by Gloucester RC&W in 1958. Twenty single-car driving motor vehicles, called "Bubble Cars", were built, numbered 55000–55019...
diesel railcars for use on branch lines and other lightly used services
Post Privatisation
Upon privatisation of British RailPrivatisation 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 Class 153 fleet was divided amongst several different operators.
Wales
Arriva Trains WalesArriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches...
has a fleet of 8 Class 153s. They are normally used on rural branchlines, such as the Heart of Wales Line
Heart of Wales Line
The Heart of Wales Line is a railway line running from Craven Arms in Shropshire to Llanelli in South Wales. It runs, as the name suggests, through some of the heartlands of Wales. It serves a number of rural centres en route, including several once fashionable spa towns, including Llandrindod Wells...
from to and the line from to - but are also used on some mainline services. In December 2005, Arriva employed a Class 153 to "shuttle" along the Butetown Branch Line
Butetown Branch Line
The Butetown Branch Line, also known as the Cardiff Bay Line, is a commuter railway line in Cardiff, Wales from Cardiff Bay and Cardiff Queen Street...
between and Cardiff Bay stations
Cardiff Bay railway station
Cardiff Bay railway station , formerly Cardiff Bute Road, is a station serving the Cardiff Bay and Butetown areas of Cardiff. It is the southern terminus of the Butetown Branch Line 1 mile south of ....
, however, this was later replaced by a Class 121 Bubblecar
British Rail Class 121
Sixteen Class 121 single-car driving motor vehicles were built from 1960, numbered 55020–55035. These were supplemented by ten trailer vehicles, numbered 56280–56289 . They had a top speed of 70 mph, with slam-doors, and vacuum brakes...
.
Following the timetable change on 9 December 2007, Arriva Trains Wales lost three Class 153 units. Two were transferred to East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
with the other going to First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
.
Midlands
London MidlandLondon Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
use ten Class 153 DMUs on commuter lines in the West Midlands including Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
to Nuneaton
Nuneaton
Nuneaton is the largest town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth and in the English county of Warwickshire.Nuneaton is most famous for its associations with the 19th century author George Eliot, who was born on a farm on the Arbury Estate just outside Nuneaton in 1819 and lived in the town for...
and the Marston Vale Line
Marston Vale Line
The Marston Vale Line is the railway line from Bletchley to Bedford in England. It is one of two surviving passenger-carrying sections of the "Varsity Line" between Oxford and Cambridge....
between Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
and Bletchley.
All ten units were inherited from Central Trains
Central Trains
Central Trains was one of the original 25 train operating companies to emerge from the break-up of British Rail between 1994 and 1997. The company operated local, urban and secondary express services across central England and Mid Wales.-Overview:...
in their livery. All of the units are being repainted into London Midland city lines livery upon refurbishment at Eastleigh works.
The Class 153s that were used on the Stourbridge Town Branch Line
Stourbridge Town Branch Line
The Stourbridge Town Branch Line is a railway branch line, in Stourbridge, West Midlands, England. It is claimed to be the shortest branch line in Europe, and many miniature railways are certainly longer....
have recently been replaced by new built lightweight railcars. This was due to take place in December 2008, but the delivery of the new units was delayed, and after several months of bustitution
Bustitution
The word bustitution is a neologism sometimes used to describe the practice of replacing a passenger train service with a bus service either on a temporary or permanent basis. The word is a portmanteau of the words "bus" and "substitution"...
London Midland reintroduced diesel services from 15 March pending the completion of Class 139 testing. The class 139 received passenger certification from Network Rail in March 2009 and the service finally began three months later.
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
fleet of Class 153s are used on rural routes in the East Midlands. These are:
- NottinghamNottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
to WorksopWorksopWorksop is the largest town in the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, England on the River Ryton at the northern edge of Sherwood Forest. It is about east-south-east of the City of Sheffield and its population is estimated to be 39,800...
(There is one diagram which uses two units) - NottinghamNottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
to Matlock via DerbyDerbyDerby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407... - NottinghamNottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
to SkegnessSkegnessSkegness is a seaside town and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. Located on the Lincolnshire coast of the North Sea, east of the city of Lincoln it has a total resident population of 18,910....
(Only coupled onto other units or if the or fails then the Class 153 replacement) - LeicesterLeicesterLeicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
to Lincoln Central - PeterboroughPeterboroughPeterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
to Lincoln Central and DoncasterDoncasterDoncaster 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"... - Newark Northgate to CleethorpesCleethorpesCleethorpes is a town and unparished area in North East Lincolnshire, England, situated on the estuary of the Humber. It has a population of 31,853 and is a seaside resort.- History :...
- DerbyDerbyDerby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
to CreweCreweCrewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
via Stoke on Trent
East Midlands Trains inherited many different examples of Class 153 units, receiving six from Central Trains
Central Trains
Central Trains was one of the original 25 train operating companies to emerge from the break-up of British Rail between 1994 and 1997. The company operated local, urban and secondary express services across central England and Mid Wales.-Overview:...
, three from National Express East Anglia and four from storage at Eastleigh depot (formerly in service with First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
). On 9 December 2007, East Midlands Trains has also received two additional Class 153 units from Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches...
and two additional trains from Northern
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
.
All of the East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
Class 153 units have been repainted into the local lines livery of the company with the exception of three. The three units numbered 153376, 153379 and 153384 still wear the Central trains colours, albeit with East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
branding.
As of July 2010 the first unit from the local fleet for East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
153319 entered Neville Hill depot in Leeds for a C6 refresh programme. This work will include corrosion repair, internal refresh and a cab refurbishment programme.
South West England
First Great WesternFirst Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
took over the Wessex Trains
Wessex Trains
Wessex Trains was the primary passenger rail operator in the South West of England. The company operated trains in the region bounded by Penzance, Cardiff, Gloucester, Worcester and Brighton...
fleet upon the merger of the two franchises. Wessex Trains
Wessex Trains
Wessex Trains was the primary passenger rail operator in the South West of England. The company operated trains in the region bounded by Penzance, Cardiff, Gloucester, Worcester and Brighton...
had, in turn, inherited its fleet of 13 units from its predecessor, Wales and West
Wales and West
Wales & West was a British Train Operating Company that ran services from 1997 to 2001, and was one of the original 25 Train Operating Companies that were set up after the UK Rail Industry was privatised...
.
Units are used on local services in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, and around Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
. They are also used on Bristol Temple Meads to Weymouth, Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, and Worcester services and Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
via Melksham
Melksham
Melksham is a medium-sized English town, lying on the River Avon. It lies in the county of Wiltshire.It is situated southeast of the city of Bath, south of Chippenham, west of Devizes and north of Warminster on the A350 national route. The 2001 UK census cited Melksham as having 20,000...
to Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
service.
In mid-2004, Wessex Trains received a further two units from Central Trains
Central Trains
Central Trains was one of the original 25 train operating companies to emerge from the break-up of British Rail between 1994 and 1997. The company operated local, urban and secondary express services across central England and Mid Wales.-Overview:...
(unit nos. 153329 and 153369) to allow it to lengthen some services.
Following the introduction of a new timetable on 12 December 2006, four units were taken off lease and stored at the former Alsthom works at Eastleigh. They were Nos. 153302, 153308, 153355 and 153374. This decision was criticised at the time by passengers, this was due to an increase in overcrowding on services in the West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
. After a period in storage these four units were pressed into service with East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
.
On 9 December 2007, First Great Western received an additional Class 153 (number 153361) from Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches...
bringing its total to 12. This unit arrived in the blue with gold star livery of former operator First North Western (still carried by the FGW Class 142s).
From late 2007, a refurbishment programme commenced to refurbish the 153 fleet. The trains have been externally reliveried in the 'Local Lines' livery (an adaptation of the 'Dynamic Lines' livery consisting of names of local places and attractions forming the lines) and the interiors have received the following improvements:
- Installation of new carpet
- Repainted dado side panels and wall ends
- Refurbished toilet area with new flooring, wall coverings, toilet and sink basin
- Installation of Richmond 'Navigator' high backed seats in the navy blue 'First Great Western' moquette. The earlier Wessex refurbished Class 153s No. 153329, 153369, and the ex-Arriva Trains Wales 153361 feature Chapman seating as per the FGW Class 150s.
- Installation of brighter interior saloon lighting diffusers
This refurbishment programme was completed by early June 2008.
Due to fire damage on car No.52221 of Class 150/2 unit 150221, 153369 was temporarily joined up with surviving car 57221, and the formation renumbered 153399. This hybrid has now been disbanded as car No. 52221 has been repaired.
For Summer 2011, two LM Class 153s, 153325 & 153333, have been allocated to the South West for strengthening purposes, based at Exeter (EZ) depot
Exeter TMD
Exeter TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Exeter, Devon, England, next to the city's main St Davids station. The depot is operated by First Great Western.There are 12 roads, the Traction Maintenance Depot can hold 2 sets of vehicles...
for the duration.
Northern England
The Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
franchise started operations in December 2004. They inherited the fleets previously operated by Arriva Trains Northern
Arriva Trains Northern
Arriva Trains Northern was a train operating company that operated passenger trains in Yorkshire and the North East of England. The company had previously been known as Northern Spirit before being taken over by Arriva....
and First North Western
First North Western
First North Western was a train operating company in the United Kingdom serving North West England. It operated from 1997 to 2004.The company when first privatised was known as North Western Trains and was owned by Great Western Holdings, a partnership between Great Western's management, First...
, whose routes the new franchise incorporated.
Northern inherited a fleet of eight units from First North Western (FNW), which are used on local services around Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
and on Lancaster to Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
to Carlisle
Carlisle railway station
Carlisle railway station, also known as Carlisle Citadel station, is a railway station whichserves the Cumbrian City of Carlisle, England, and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line, lying south of Glasgow Central, and north of London Euston...
and Preston to Ormskirk
Ormskirk
Ormskirk is a market town in West Lancashire, England. It is situated north of Liverpool city centre, northwest of St Helens, southeast of Southport and southwest of Preston.-Geography and administration:...
services. The fleet was repainted in the now obsolete North Western Trains blue and gold livery. Prior to becoming part of Northern, four former FNW units were transferred to the Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches...
franchise, since the lines operated by FNW in Wales were transferred to this new company.
A larger fleet of 12 units were inherited from Arriva Trains Northern
Arriva Trains Northern
Arriva Trains Northern was a train operating company that operated passenger trains in Yorkshire and the North East of England. The company had previously been known as Northern Spirit before being taken over by Arriva....
(ATN). They are used on various local services around Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, 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 Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
.
In December 2007, two units were taken off lease from Northern and transferred to East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
. Both units, 153319 and 153357 carried Arriva livery.
From late 2007, a re-livery programme has started on Northern's Class 153 trains. All of Northern's Class 153 trains have been repainted into Northern livery. A Class 153 usually works with a Class 158 to make 3-car formations on Leeds-Settle-Carlisle services.
East Anglia
Anglia RailwaysAnglia Railways
Anglia Railways was a British train operating company, owned by GB Railways, which between 5 January 1997 and 31 March 2004 operated mainline trains out of London Liverpool Street station and a number of local rail services in East Anglia....
inherited a small fleet of seven units, for local services in Suffolk and Norfolk. Services operated by these units included Ipswich to Cambridge, Peterborough, Felixstowe and Lowestoft, and Norwich to Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth and Cromer. One set was also hired to First Great Eastern for use on the Sudbury branch.
Anglia Railways named its Class 153 fleet after famous local figures:
|
Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to... Michael Palin Michael Edward Palin, CBE FRGS is an English comedian, actor, writer and television presenter best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python and for his travel documentaries.... |
In 2003, Anglia started to refurbish its fleet, and repaint them in Anglia Railways livery. However, only three (unit nos. 153309/322/335) were completed; In 2004, Anglia became part of the 'One' franchise operated by the National Express Group (which was subsequently renamed National Express East Anglia). inheriting the fleet of seven units, for local services in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
and Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. Services operated by these units included Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
to Sheringham
Sheringham
Sheringham is a seaside town in Norfolk, England, west of Cromer.The motto of the town, granted in 1953 to the Sheringham Urban District Council, is Mare Ditat Pinusque Decorat, Latin for "The sea enriches and the pine adorns"....
and Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
, Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
to Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
, they were also sometimes seen on the Ipswich to Ely Line
Ipswich to Ely Line
The Ipswich to Ely Line is a railway line linking East Anglia to the English Midlands via Ely. There is also a branch line to . Passenger services are operated by National Express East Anglia...
.
Fleet
| Class | Operator | No. Built | Year Built | Cars per Set | Unit nos. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 153 | Arriva Trains Wales | 70 | 1991-1992 | 1 | 153303, 153312, 153320, 153323, 153327, 153353, 153362, 153367 | |
| East Midlands Trains | 153302, 153308, 153310-153311, 153313, 153319, 153321, 153326, 153355, 153357, 153374, 153376, 153379, 153381, 153383-153385 | |||||
| London Midland | 153325, 153333-153334, 153354, 153356, 153364-153365, 153371, 153375 | |||||
| National Express East Anglia | 153306, 153309, 153314, 153322, 153335 | |||||
| Northern Rail | 153301, 153304, 153307, 153315-153317, 153324, 153328, 153330-153332, 153351-153352, 153358-153360, 153363, 153366, 153378 | |||||
| First Great Western | 153305, 153318, 153329, 153361, 153368, 153369, 153370, 153372-153373, 153377, 153380, 153382 |
Railway models
When the units were first introduced, Hurst models produced a detailing kit to convert a Dapol model of a 155 into a 153.The Class 153 has been produced in OO scale by Hornby
Hornby Railways
Hornby Railways is the leading brand of model railway in the United Kingdom. Its roots date back to 1901, when founder Frank Hornby received a patent for his Meccano construction toy. The first clockwork train was produced in 1920. In 1938, Hornby launched its first 00 gauge train...
. The following liveries are/were available; Central Trains, First Northern Star, Northern Rail, Regional Railways, East Midlands Trains, London Midland City and Great Scenic Railways of Wessex and Cornwall (Wessex Trains). These models have been praised for their detail.
More recently, Dapol
Dapol
Dapol Ltd is a Welsh model railway manufacturer based in Chirk, Wales. The factory where design and manufacturing take place is just over the border in England.The Dapol trading name is known for its model railway products in N and OO gauges.-History:...
have announced a N Scale version.
Making Tracks have a digital model available for the PC Railway simulator Microsoft Train Simulator
Microsoft Train Simulator
Microsoft Train Simulator is a train simulator for Microsoft Windows, released in July 2001 and developed by UK based Kuju Entertainment, and is available for purchase through Amazon.com.-Gameplay:...
.
Just Trains have recently released a digital model for the PC railway simulator Railworks
RailWorks
RailWorks is a train simulation game. Developed by Rail Simulator Developments. It is a successor to Rail Simulator, and was released online on 12 June 2009 and in stores on 3 July 2009....