7. Class 155 Sprinter Training

I'm sure many of us can fondly list products that made Cumbria famous. The pencil originated from Keswick, nuclear submarines are synonymous with Barrow. However, whilst this might excite fans of graphite or have seaman thumbing their copy of Jane's Fighting Ships, there can't be many rail enthusiasts getting nostalgic about Workington's contribution to the modern day railway; the Leyland built class 155 Sprinter.
So bad were these units that a short time after introduction, they were taken out of service en masse as the door open button acted akin to a pinball flipper, causing any of the units doors to open or close at an alarming velocity.
This video marks the return of the units into traffic, with the promise of 'thorough improvements'.
Continuity thoroughness was obviously not overtly important in the production of the video. The early stages show the unit approaching Newport on the Up Main, before rolling into the station in the down direction on the relief.
The as yet unidentified driver (we have a team of detectives on the case) appears to be the one who could have his pick at the BRSA disco, resplendent as he is with permed highlights and white socks. He is joined by the keyboard player from Sparks as his guard, his disguise of oversized shades not fooling our keen eye.
The revised door procedures are then explained in the now defunct, but shortly to be relived, Cardiff Central Riverside platforms. The door mods that have taken place appear to centre on an exterior handle being cut into the outer shell, along with a budget lock, to make it easier to manually close and lock the door when it fails. An 'appropriate label' is then applied to the door to signify it is out of use. The fact that this is an official training video does still not merit proper signage, and some handwritten scrawl is deemed to suffice. Everyday scenarios of an RO2 leaving a swag bag obstructing the door, or two 1970s television show CID officers getting trapped amid the thrust of an overtly manly handshake.
Action returns to the red star bay at Newport where there is then a vague nod to the rule-book as various scenarios regarding raising the TIS are given, for which the unit must be failed unless it is an unmanned station, or if any of the crew are on a promise back home.
By now, the station backdrop of class 37s on MGRs or 116 DMUs has been replaced by a lurking class 156 DMU, which is later used in the coupling demonstration. I'm sure the passengers on the Norwich -- Liverpool that day were all to happy to have their normal unit substituted by a Ped and two previously condemned Mark 1s.
A very sparse Canton Depot is the scene as the programme moves on to coupling procedures. The interior of the carriage shed showing signs of the prolonged employment of Jacko's uncle (private joke applicable only to Station Contracts Managers) as it appears devoid of anything not made of wrought iron or concrete.
At the depot, various attachments and detachments are made to the aforementioned class 156, before the video concludes with the type of music that only exists in 1980s training videos.
As we know, these fixes cured the ills of the class 155s once and for all, and have gone on to give sterling service in their complete form, along the way gaining the affection of passengers and enthusiasts alike.

[@autieab]

2:25 I always love the way David Dore says "Illuminated" in these videos. He somehow always manages to insert a Y in there between the I and the LL

[@NintendoSonic101]

That conductor looks like 90s swag

[@shmotten]

+W. Productions It's in the 80s

[@johnnyboy3949]

Let me put it this way, you wouldn't hire that conductor as a baby sitter.

[@bucephalus00]

I play this just for the intro music

[@Shunterinred]

Suspicious unattended package blocking the doors. *conductor just throws it onto the train* these days you’d have anti terrorism, armed police, the area within a hundred miles would be evacuated and everything would get delayed 😉

[@WorldofLewisManUtdVlogs]

Ben Spiers - Your right without a doubt

[@class1507]

this happend in my area

[@JackJackProductions]

Had 2 unattended bags on a train yesterday, all that happened was the bags handed to station staff at the next stop

[@andrewrcmadwilkinson6999]

@@JackJackProductions YOU DIDNT GO AND CHAT EM UP😂

[@JackJackProductions]

@@andrewrcmadwilkinson6999 no

[@notboris8217]

I finally found the sodding intro song; Space - Final Signal

[@JohanLeEpic]

Thanks

[@nivlick]

Shazam helps.

[@fetchstixRHD]

Doing the lord's work 🙏

[@richardsargent1643]

The driver now works for Great Western based at Swansea.

[@5mnz7fg]

The driver ( min 1:04 ) is quite handsome. ^^

[@garethwilliam-philips4222]

The conductor is Howard Morgan

[@newwelshorder6554]

the guard in this video is my father Howard Morgan

[@alexishamer6427]

Until around perhaps 🤔 1988 the 35 of the 2 car class 155s were converted into the 70 1 single car class 153s. Class 155s honestly has been in the south west England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 in 1992. Finished in the Westcountry region in 1992 and went to the north east England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿. Updated on Wednesday 28th December 2022 there are 7 x 2 car class 155s used for Northern Rail wearing the 2nd Northern Rail livery. Class 155s are comfortable trains are all standard accommodation only and conveys a toilet 🚻. Back in the 1980s class 153s went to various regions used for Regional Railways are in Wales, south west England, northern England, east Anglia and finally the midlands. In 2022 class 153s are used for ScotRail and Transport For Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿. Fantastic trains 🚊. 😆

[@fouloleron2002]

Driver appears to be Aled Jones.

[@benlowe3630]

love this train

[@Bergerboy1000]

i like these videos

[@chusan01]

Fascinating. Love the drivers's white socks!

[@NClass468]

Love tat hand

[@FiveElms]

I think the conductors name is 'Jimmy the Perv'!

[@Arrivatrainswalesfan]

Loving the Pro vids

[@theflyingpostman555]

The music at the start is Space - "Final Signal". watch?v=_XETSmGi85U

[@rockandroll626]

1:07 it looks like he's pleasuring himself

[@speccylimone3684]

Let's not forget the 155s had to be turned into a whole new class of Train lmao

[@niceviewoverthere4463]

Thirty years ago! Yet these noisy contraptions have been given a coat of paint and a posh toilet and presented as new on northern rail. Oh well. Suppose they don't have to reprint the conductor's manual.

[@PottersVideos2]

Wasn't this procedure changed to require both a Close Doors AND Right Away signal from the platform staff on trains with CDL?

[@leightonolsson4846]

Ahh the 'Sprinter' class... Irony 80s style

[@UKTransportVideos82]

Good

[@vincitveritas3872]

When I worked on Preston station an old lady fell on the track off platform 6. All trains were stopped between Leyland and Fylde junction for 45 mins. Rather than block two lines they blocked all.

[@Tracks_And_Chill]

The woman could moved or walked, and before the drivers were told it may have been to late to stop the train. It’s better to be safe then sorry . It’s only a 45 minute delay.

[@RichardWilson1984]

Let's find the scruffiest/dodgy looking guard we can find

[@MrOregona230]

Hi thanks for your reply. I didn't realise that the cabs only cover half the front of the train, I'm used to ones like the Pendolino.

[@Danse_Macabre_125]

That's how it is in everything with a front gangway

[@pwareham61]

What a gormless Get

[@McSynth]

Did Aled say "I'll try for power now dad ? " Worrying. 6'11"

[@droge192]

Lol! It did sound like that!

[@JimLem]

"I'll try for power now, guard."

[@lydz25]

So that you can walk thru the train when two trains or more are connected together!

[@1madaboutguitar]

03:36 Nice strut lol

[@lewisthegamer123]

I do miss the old skins :(

[@psic881]

How silly! ''He must now observe that all doors are closed, from the outside, with his driver's door open. pmsl

[@milkandduckrailway323]

*ALL*

[@Ad-gn8pl]

12:00 did he just kick the door open??

[@davidmeale9572]

No "lamp test ' buttons on the panels ?

[@thetrainsrock]

only 35 of the 42 155s have been converted to 153s

[@deaustin4018]

so like, after I finish watching this training video, I can go out and drive the train?

[@ILikeTransport]

No

[@nathanw9770]

Yes

[@GBRailer]

The only 155's left are based at Neville hill and funded by WYPTE, I had many fun hours driving them on one engine between Bradford interchange and Halifax lol

[@marcusvictor217]

Ps

[@xaiano794]

fun? driving a 155?

[@darylyatestransportblogs]

Both the 153s 155307 became are no longer in service.

[@nikerailfanningttm9046]

lol, at 4:09, you can barely see "door", imagine what people were thinking when they didn't look close enough: "sorry, this is temporarily out of order", like what, the wheelchair ramp? lol

[@sarkybugger5009]

White socks? Dad? :oD

[@1madaboutguitar]

Ha Ha, that killed me...

[@MrMatavelhas]

that conductor... LOL

[@ronmccullock1407]

Leyland Bus built these at Workington

[@whatuwantmate6688]

What's the song in the intro

[@shmotten]

Space - Final Signal

[@Trek001]

Sandstorm by Darude

[@squidward3773]

Thanks, finally some music to hang myself to! XO

[@CosgroveNotts]

White socks Aled lol

[@MetCamm]

Sprinter was the brand name given by BR not Leyland.

[@TerryClarkAccordioncrazy]

They might have fixed the doors but they never did solve the overflowing toilets.

[@andrewrcmadwilkinson6999]

10.53 THAT LOOK FROM THE DRIVER WOULD SCARE TYSON FURY

[@MrOregona230]

What's the point of trains having a door at the front?

[@KPTHR3]

MrOregona230 When multiple of the same or similar units are coupled they can allow for passengers to pass between the trains, acting as if they are separate coaches. They also act as emergency exits if the train derails/stops in a tight tunnel.

[@milkandduckrailway323]

*LONDON UNDERGROUND*

[@EnchantGaming2003]

If the unit is coupled with another, passengers can walk between the units without alighting. The gangways can also act as Emergency Exits in the event of an emergency in an location that isn’t a station, E.g in a tunnel or on a viaduct.

[@marcus883]

"These unit's" how very posh one sounds

[@D.music85]

5:18 Lol

[@jayhay6497]

Sorry? He was appropriately dressed and correctly wearing his hat?!?!? This was a training video.

[@johitch5837]

This Train is Basicly a 153 But it has Carriges like a 156

[@HDTransport]

153 used to be 155

[@ILikeTransport]

It is the 153 but before they were converted to single car units

[@Danse_Macabre_125]

These were split up into 153s. Technically you can still make 153s into 155s, just not permanently (couple them so the original ends face out)

[@CosgroveNotts]

Scruffy bugger

[@U2ATOMIC]

Long live the Class 155 (now 153's)

[@Sam-bz1hr]

155's still exist

[@StuAnderson90]

aww its shame their is only 7 class 155 left in country left to northern.. :(

[@EinkOLED]

East anglia still use one in Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. A single unit

[@jayzo]

You're joking! They've got rid of them all! (except the one) What have they been replaced with?

[@StuAnderson90]

afxinfinitee Well they haven't been "got rid of" as such they were cut into single car units class 153.. Hence one end i think B end is smaller in the cab area because it was where the units would of been together. It was put together quickly to solve a shortage in the early-mid 90's. It was easier to make a cab then making a whole new train. But drivers will tell you one end is difficult to drive because of the fact its so small you barely move your legs at all

[@jayzo]

Buddy Theman While I can understand doing one or two 153s for quiet routes, surely doing all but one of them is a bit silly.

[@StuAnderson90]

afxinfinitee you have to look it at it logically... at that time BR was only allowed to spend the money it earned and also because it takes up to 2 years plus to even concieve an idea of a new design of a train plus the time i took to actually build... The problem was much worse then you anticipated. Basically not enough funds in the kitty coupled with the fact the older stock was wearing down and becoming more an issue this was BR's "Quick Fix" for rural branch lines. But the same issue remains today with 153, 142, 150's all now becoming 20-30 years older we are now suffering the same issues as BR did back in those days. The goverment has recently told Train operating companies they are NOT allowed to buy any new trains for 2 years so the same issue remains in 21st centuary. I hope i have been helpful :)

[@MrMatavelhas]

BTW the driver is left handed...

[@ILikeTransport]

What's your problem?

[@MrMatavelhas]

@@ILikeTransport i can't remember, 6 years have gone by!

[@ILikeTransport]

@@MrMatavelhas ok 😂

[@1madaboutguitar]

Didn't you just contradict yourself?

[@topmaneldo]

Christ no wonder the trains never run on time with all that faffing about :)

[@billsmith3195]

What does Christ have to do with it?

[@cyborgbadger1015]

@Bill Smith Evidently nothing, otherwise all the trains would run like clockwork.

[@davidmeale9572]

Guard needs a haircut and wear his hat properly.

[@mdftrains5564]

Yes the driver was handsome nice backside I bet he had a nice lunchbox in his trousers

[@whangie1]

MDF TRAINS Mmm yes I would luv to have some gay fun with him!

[@scampers6609]

wtf

[@MrWhite-pn7ui]

2 car consist? Is this a joke?

[@tobysummers471]

It isn't a joke as originally the class 155 units were a 2 car consist until most of these units were converted into class 153 ie a cab and toilet added. All but I believe 7 of the units are class 155 and the rest 153.

[@tobysummers471]

The converted 155s now 153s were also known as super bubble cars to replace the first generation dmus at the time.

[@agent_605]

Welcome to the area outside of the South East

[@GWRProductions-kg9pt]

they were never called super bubblecars

[@ILikeTransport]

@@GWRProductions-kg9pt it was a rarely known nickname, I heard it once

[@warrencumming2267]

Illlluuuoooooominate lol

[@maxwellwynne-shepherd7852]

UR CHANNEL NAME HAS A SWEAR WORD IN IT! RENAME IT NOW BEFORE I REPORT YOU!