British Rail Class 151


The British Rail Class 151 was a prototype class of Diesel multiple unit built by Metro Cammell. Only two 3-car units were built, entering service in 1985. They were withdrawn in 1989.

Specification

The vehicles were aluminum bodied and each one was equipped with Cummins NT855 diesel engines with hot-shift Twin Disc transmissions and Gmeinder final drives. Their maximum speed was 75 mph and their light weight meant good acceleration.

Problems

The gearboxes would prove to be troublesome, giving jerky shifts and sending violent shocks throughout the train. Problems were never fully rectified until a modified version of the transmission appeared some years later on the Class 154; however interest in the Class 151 or hot-shift gearbox had disappeared by then.

Features

The units had one or two other unusual features including hydraulically driven alternators and cooling fans. The main cooler group and radiators were fitted in a pod on the roof of each vehicle. The bogies were non-standard and this combined with several other unique features led ultimately to their withdrawal in 1989. There were proposals to fit standard Class 150 bogies; however this proved to be impractical.

Withdrawal

The production contract was awarded to the British Rail Engineering Limited built Class 150. After withdrawal the units were stored at Llandudno Junction carriage sheds until they were purchased by Railtest who had planned to convert them into test units. However, for the same reasons which saw their withdrawal from service, Railtest did not go ahead with any conversions and the units were again stored out in the open in the sidings of the Railway Technical Centre, Derby.
In March 2000, they were bought by a company called Endeavour Rail who planned to refurbish both for spot hire to train operating companies. They were transferred to LNWR at Crewe, but again the proposed refurbishment did not happen and the units remained in the open next to the West Coast Main Line where they would remain until scrapped on site in 2004, their condition having rapidly degenerated in part due to vandalism.

Formation