The 158 Experience 1991

Regional Railways, British Railways Board, Class 158, DMU

[@westlondontransportwildlif5810]

Some of the best trains ever made. 30 years on and they are still just as good as they were when they were new. I'd rather have a 158 than a 195.

[@Monty13Transport]

Same

[@xaiano794]

the 195's are better to drive in my opinion, the driver's seats on the 158's are garbage, but i'll admit that IF the AC is working on a 158, they are more pleasant for passnegers. The 195's have a far lower set down time though as they were designed more for speedy boarding and alighting than for comfort, hence the large empty areas around the doors

[@ephphatha230]

The 195s are much quieter and more pleasant

[@FarmYard-Trains]

I've only been on a 158 (or 159 I don't know for certain, it was SWR) - they were incredible

[@seany8787]

I’m a driver. I love how smooth these ride and how smooth I can get them to start / stop compared to newer stock.

[@HesterClapp]

The 158 is proof that rural areas can have nice trains

[@mr.atomic2970]

More modern and futuristic than 95% of the trains after the privatisation.

[@oliverstemp9132]

Back when we were proud of our railway

[@kellypaws]

Where did it go so wrong?

[@TheArkamedBat]

The railway was good until privatisation No having to lease trains,most trains the same,other stuff

[@interstat2222]

@@TheArkamedBat I don’t agree that it was privatisation. It was deliberately under invested in under BR because Thatcher hated railways. I think it’s a combination of things, not helped by not having British companies build our trains anymore and a general lack of pride or care for our own industries and a different throwaway society with endless subcontractors now.

[@typhoon2827]

And our country...

[@TheMusicalElitist]

@@typhoon2827 oh do shut up

[@allansmith4447]

Good sets when we had them at Manchester Piccadilly from my point of view as a Driver.

[@SPTSuperSprinter156]

As a passenger I found them rather less comfortable than expected (a 170 felt far superior), I was quite underwhelmed. The interior is ok but the comfort isn't much above a 156, which given 156s are agricultural heaps of junk isn't saying much. That said I had no idea 158s were as old as this.

[@michaelkemp8506]

they where better then the class 153/156 that where on greater Anglia

[@nkt1]

@@SPTSuperSprinter156 The 158 beats the 170 hands down for journeys to and from Inverness in cold weather, due to having proper vestibules.

[@1ns4ne1d10t]

If these go I'll miss the American Lorry truck sound on the outside and the interior hydraulic arm groaning on the inside like a lorry crane lifting its hydraulic arm.

[@davidprescott7463]

Amazing to think that was 30 years ago! Really makes me feel old, as I remember when they came in. Nice trains but sadly they weren’t allowed to build enough, which lead to many overcrowded journeys in a 2 car unit.

[@christopherhulse8385]

I worked on them, leaked oil underneath like coulinders but were futuristic compared to the old DMUs.

[@interstat2222]

Still one of the nicest DMUs. Much, much nicer than 150s and even the Turbos. Almost like a diesel 442 for comfort and attention to detail I reckon.

[@grassytramtracks]

​@@interstat2222 on Cardiff to Portsmouth, it was such a downgrade when the 166s left the Thames Valley

[@ChangesOneTim]

@@grassytramtracks Hmm, the 166s suburban seat layout and harsher ride (on jointed track anyway) is a disadvantage over the 158s. And they do sound noisier especially in mid-coach.

[@gain0667]

Thailand has got some of these trains as well but they aren't well maintained. Now, only a few routes are served by the 158 (a.k.a. the Sprinter), and the rest are parked in the shed without being useful. That's very sad.

[@CarlSmith-bs4qx]

A time when the railway had less state sponsorship than it does today and also was trying to win business. A far cry from the overpriced 'take it or leave it' service that we have today. In 1993 the average age of the Regional Railways fleet was 8 years, what is the age of that fleet today? Whilst Northern England makes do with 35 year old Sprinters at the moment.

[@kevinmarshall5431]

Ironically, 158s still serve Calder valley commuters as well

[@jasonmoffat679]

@@kevinmarshall5431 I'm not complaining much more comfy than the 195 despite how much I like the 195

[@shaunonlyplaysyt9879]

Cough cough Class 150 cough cough

[@winterdragon1362]

Where I live, nearly all the trains are class 158

[@qui8495]

All the trains where I am are 444/450 and I wish they were 158s

[@daveyr5462]

Same here I love them

[@grassytramtracks]

​@@qui8495desiros are pretty nice to be fair

[@fishjerry3405]

1992年出差英國，每個星期六清晨從Telford坐到Birmingham, 那時搭乘的就是Class 158, 好懷念！

[@benandsophiepatterson-butc4374]

We have the identical 159s down my way, brilliant trains the replacement when it eventually comes will have big shoes to fill

[@Pmjs]

I worked the 47 Push Pulls then these 158s from Edinburgh to Glasgow QSt also Aberdeen.

[@joelang6126]

The PPs were superior in every way.

[@dominicwood3451]

These are very good machines, I live on the south coast and often took a trip on these from Southampton to Cardiff in the 90s and early 2000s, they occasionally ran all the way to Swansea as well. Very comfortable. The only criticism was that they only had 2-or 3 car sets on the route, even though if they had the extra units it could have sold way more seats. Easily one the best uk designs and probably the best thing BR did before it was privatised. Of course they're getting on now age-wise but still an excellent way to travel if it's longer distance by train.

[@dashcam26]

The Alphaline Sprinters. I used this train from Warminster to Bristol

[@grassytramtracks]

I've used these plenty of times on that same route, and always hope to get a 158, but most of the time it's a 166, which has a completely inappropriate layout for the type of journey with 3+2 seats and no tables. GWR tried to do a refurb but the DafT said no.

[@dgattenb]

Cardiff to Portsmouth , went from 7 car MK1 stock to eventually 2 car 158 .. then they added 1 car .. so we had 3 car hybrid thing ... now we have a 4 car Thames turbo 166 monster .... oh well

[@vincitveritas3872]

Dumb decision by bean counters

[@RWL2012]

@@SionsTrainVideos maybe a second 165 was substituting for the 166...? :P

[@RWL2012]

@@SionsTrainVideos "bean counters" are accountants that come up with cost cutting measures to save money, such as reducing train lengths or demanding that a new version of a product is redesigned to use less expensive parts or be less complex.

[@AymanTravelTransport]

And those Turbos aren't that suitable for the long runs given the 2+3 commuter seating layout with smaller tables and lack of armrests

[@SionsTrainVideos]

@@AymanTravelTransport i know 158s are much better i hate 2+3 seating like turbos are

[@pintmarten2403]

I get 158's between Inverness and Glasgow sometimes, Didn't realise they were this old!, They sound cool though.

[@grassytramtracks]

Goes to show what a good design it is that even now it doesn't look well over 30 years old

[@TheChiefBeef666]

Transport for Wales kept this class and they are my means of travel when I go to Pwllheli and Birmingham

[@RWL2012]

they will be withdrawn from TfW in 2022-23 when the 197s replace them, but they will likely go to another operator

[@SionsTrainVideos]

@@RWL2012 yep

[@smudgycat6750]

End of 2023 TFW still have them, they'll be replacing the 153s and 150s first if anything​@@RWL2012

[@xaiano794]

As a 158 driver, I wish I had a hat.

[@ChangesOneTim]

When TOCs properly maintain them(!) 158s are still pretty good trains today and their ride is better than many more recent MU builds. Top prize has always gone to the Waterloo-Exeter 159s, always very well turned-out and a tribute to the guys at Salisbury depot.

[@cjmillsnun]

Agree with that, but even they are starting to slip. Got to love Worst Group.

[@cedriclynch]

The 159 is Network South East's version of the 158 and is mainly used on the Exeter-Salisbury-London Waterloo route. The 159s have a few differences, mainly that they are 3-coach units and there is a first-class area in which not all of the seats line up with the windows. For the first 10 years of their lives they had a smoking area as well.

[@ChangesOneTim]

@@cedriclynch Around a dozen 158s were originally built with a centre car, for trans-pennine journeys, plus the 22 sets in RR's follow-on order which BREL completed just as a recession hit.... At that time, BRB HQ effectively 'instructed' NSE to take these units on, as it was deemed the only affordable way of replacing Wloo-Exe loco-haulage. These units were modified to NSE's spec, including first class as you say plus toilet waste tanks, classed as 159 and branded as SouthWestern Turbo to be consistent with Thames Turbo and Chiltern Turbo branding. The newly-privatised BREL refused to accept terms on BRB's variation order for the mods, which is why Babcock at Rosyth got the job!

[@AdamMcCarthy74]

Handy few quid for Paul Daniels. That's magic!

[@HarpDog558]

Yes!!! Either him or Swiss Tony from The Fast Show! 😂

[@jackdarbey3581]

I love the 158.

[@jonjohnson2844]

I much prefer the 158s to the 195s which seem to be replacing them on the line near me. They may have all gone now, haven’t had a need to catch a train for almost a year, like many people.

[@RWL2012]

all 158s built are still in service; the only Sprinter class that has even started to have a few units off-leased are 153s.

[@grassytramtracks]

I just hope they can go to GWR, the 166s are terrible for Cardiff to Portsmouth, and that route needs more capacity in any case

[@atomicfallout67minis]

And they're still running today in 2024

[@chrismitchell4808]

You still get that late 1980s feel with the middle aged yuppie looking people, and yes I remember these Express trains and they still have these

[@MarkSmith-tp6zc]

Oh they’re an experience all right. A noisy, over crowded and soulless conveyance that make me pine for a mk1 compartment behind a filthy class 33 on load 9 in the winter darkness. Ah them were the days.

[@JohnFryman]

Long live the class 158 sprinter

[@SketchyScot]

An interesting look back in time, very so/so units but do the job. Looks like most of it was filmed on the Edinburgh/Glasgow via Falkirk High line as I believe we (Scotland) got them first(?)

[@ryanairadventuresandmore231]

reminds me of liverpool lime street at the start

[@andrewjames3908]

@@ryanairadventuresandmore231 agree. i think it is. also the conductor announcement is a transpennine service to lime st

[@gwrydd]

@@andrewjames3908 back when transpennine actually ran trains

[@muk8804]

@@ryanairadventuresandmore231 the (in) famous" Liverpool to Norwich" via Sheffield and Nottingham. Like previous commentators have said: was usually a two-car set off peak and always needed to be three and during the peak, was an absolutely rammed 3 when it couldve filled 5. They weren't funded for the future only for the time of their purchase, knowing that sale of BR was about to happen.

[@JBFlytography]

@@ryanairadventuresandmore231that’s Glasgow Queen Street.

[@Sarahbryson321]

Back when Britain was properly British

[@Society_is_Fucked]

Travelled on one of these in 2021 and it's just as good as advertised 30 years on!

[@LOCOMOTIONNUMBER1]

See them flying through Raynes Park station….very nice

[@glynfuller2698]

When these first came out they were nicknamed Scuds as every now and then one would get through to it's destination.

[@ChangesOneTim]

Scuds were/ are 153s, the real accountants' train. When their only engine failed, unless through coolant loss that can be fixed by topping up from the toilet tank, destination is only reached by 'assistance front/rear' or by bus/ taxi!

[@david915915]

What air con? Sweated my butt off on Manchester to Leeds for ages untill the 185s came, comfy when not many people where on train but awful between Huddersfield and Leeds

[@Sam-bz1hr]

And still in service today

[@RWL2012]

well yes, they're only just coming up to designed age.

[@gruggberg6053]

The phones were a suprise lol can’t see where they where on the emr 158’s

[@Cazkumali]

This and the 170s are my favourite dmus maybe the 185s too

[@FannyLerouxTime]

I wonder how many of these still have payphones.

[@fetchstixRHD]

I don't think any do, I'd be surprised if more than a handful of the stations they serve themselves still have payphones!

[@Sam-bz1hr]

None

[@s0ggyflannel493]

@@fetchstixRHD I think pre refurbishment northern ones had them but locked off

[@RWL2012]

They stopped working in 2001 when 1G was turned off.

[@davidprescott7463]

As others have said, none. As I recall the onboard phones only took BT phone cards, which have long been discontinued.

[@ServiusTheBear]

I kinda miss these up in scotland. I dont remember the phones tho.

[@RWL2012]

They stopped working in 2001 when 1G was turned off.

[@ServiusTheBear]

@@RWL2012 Ah shame

[@RWL2012]

@@ServiusTheBear Google search "onboard payphones railuk forums" and go to the first result. 17 post discussion about them :)

[@SPTSuperSprinter156]

are they not used in Scotland at all anymore?

[@ServiusTheBear]

@@SPTSuperSprinter156 Nopes Not anymore.

[@dronespace]

Great video and great train

[@andrewparr63]

That narrator has been bugging me. I know the voice.........its actor Christian Rodska. hes done a lot for radio 4. Off the top of my head, google "uncle morts north country" - he's the narrator.

[@davidpanton3192]

Yep, that's him.

[@joelang6126]

Are you sure it's not actor Maurice Rooves?

[@typhoon2827]

RADA generic northern accent.

[@JamesTilsley1]

The narrator sounds like Harold Wilson

[@alexishamer6427]

Class 158s used to have a public pay phone 📞 containing phone card until around perhaps 🤔 the year 2000. I’ve been on the class 158s. Used to be used for CrossCountry Trains 🚊 and TransPennine Express. Maximum speed is 90 mph. First class accommodation happens to ScotRail only. 159s are the same to 158s are called South Western Railway 🚃 conveys first class accommodation. All 158s and 159s contain a lavatory 🚽🚻. All accommodation is non-smoking 🚭. Various train 🚊 companies have class 158s are East Midlands Railway 🚃, Great Western Railway 🚃, Northern Rail, ScotRail, South Western Railway 🚃 and finally Transport For Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿. By 2030 could the 158s be with a few train operators. 😄👍

[@cjmillsnun]

Yes the phone was removed because it wasn't getting used. It was a big expense to maintain for BT,. Most people just use their mobile now.

[@JeffreyOrnstein]

For its time, the Class 158 was good-looking for a British train (in my opinion). But those very narrow doors look like a wheelchair could hardly fit through. Or someone morbidly obese.

[@jameswalker3611]

158743 was the unit written off in Salisbury wasn’t it…

[@RWL2012]

Wow, I had missed this! Thanks for uploading!

[@SionsTrainVideos]

so did i just before my time cause i was born april 1997

[@RWL2012]

@@SionsTrainVideos I was born in February 1992, but honestly can't remember what trains I went on before 2002 - my first memory of being on a train is actually on a Wales & Borders Trains 158 from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth in August 2002, and I think my Nan *still* has the tickets!

[@Jess_Jenk]

Back when the railway was at it’s best, way before private companies took over and made it to what it is today! Only if we could go back to being British Rail

[@nateayi]

I wonder when these videos would've actually been shown. Where would one have gone to watch this before the internet? Too long to be a news segment or an ad, too short to be a documentary.

[@braddooley7959]

They have them going to Norwich from Liverpool lime Street over a 5hr journey

[@1ns4ne1d10t]

158's always sounded like a pair of Lorry Trucks. Never really thought of these units as a passenger train. A Peter built or a Kenilworth on rails.

[@kyleJohn1997]

Sounds like Lorries? Really? Which ones the Cummins or Perkins?

[@1ns4ne1d10t]

@@kyleJohn1997 Both 158 and 159 units all sound like Lorry trucks. Cummins sounds more like an american Kenilworth on rails. NTA 855 big cam engine

[@SPTSuperSprinter156]

if you like trains that sound like lorries get yourself over to Denmark and have a ride on their rubber nose DMUs before they all go. They use a 12-speed ZF (I think) and go through the gears like a lorry would. Cracking trains as well, though very dated also now.

[@Cazkumali]

The 158/9s WYPTE ones only have the accessible toilet in the 52 car Unlike the 158/0s seen in this Video have two

[@cjmillsnun]

Great trains for passengers apart from their Achilles heel. The air con.

[@smokego4808]

Thanks for sharing pal!

[@nohabnohabsson5700]

What is the name of the Background music in the beginning? If anyone knows.

[@Mishima505]

Is that Maurice Röeves doing the voiceover?

[@dackesjulag]

If only the 158's where that good, try getting on a 2 car 158 on a Friday afternoon on a Liverpool to Norwich service when its rammed to the gunnels. 158's good idea but sadly not long enough..

[@dominicmackrill5953]

dackes julag that’s not a 158 problem is it? It’s a TOC problem.

[@SionsTrainVideos]

at least they couple up in nottingham to liverpool

[@BRI535D]

Any service covering that distance should be minimum 6 cars just like the ones Cross Country don’t provide.Joke in the 21st century with rail passenger use increasing.

[@droge192]

That's not a problem with the 158 specifically. That's just a train operating company failing to project customer numbers correctly / operating too small a unit.

[@BRI535D]

@@droge192 I agree entirely.It beggars belief that a passenger growth strategy seems non existent in the TOC contracts citing Cross Country as the prime example still operating 4/5 car sets that replaced 6 carriage loco hauled stock back in 2003..The 158's I have travelled in are very comfortable.

[@360kravmagaselfprotectionw6]

Cracking trains I'll be gutted when they get with drawn

[@LukeAlfordUKsteam]

Tfw are withdrawing theirs. So are EMR. Northern have hinted at it but scotrail swr and gwr have no plans to yet.

[@thomasoakleyderbyshire9761]

@@LukeAlfordUKsteam i wish they would just keep them. Amazing trains in my opinion i wouldnt change anything about them. EMR are replacing theirs with 170s but i dont like them at all

[@rhysrobertstransportationa1668]

Imagine having a 158 on the Wcml instead of a 390 🤣

[@KaiDiesAgain]

perfect

[@TheArkamedBat]

What about the APT? BRING IT BACK

[@KaiDiesAgain]

@@TheArkamedBat dont. just dont.

[@TheArkamedBat]

@@KaiDiesAgain Bring back the APT,rebrand it to Avanti West Coast and operate it along the Pendolinos (at 125 mph)

[@KaiDiesAgain]

@@TheArkamedBat that'd be really cost ineffective. the pendolinos are fine on their own. theyre supported by the 221s and the 350s, as well as the trains on the specific lines and branches the 390s run through

[@demil3618]

I find these and its variants awfully noisy with a sub-standard acceleration. Parallel to this one the DB equivalent was Bombardier‘s class 644: It accelerated at 1m/sec and only used two engines on a 3-car set.

[@rankedcitizen]

Maybe because the 158s were built in the early 90s while the 644 was built near 2010? Ofc the 644 is going to be more modern and overall just better smh

[@demil3618]

@@rankedcitizen That could be. The 158 is steel, 644/643s are aluminium largely. But I wonder whether 158s have been improved much though.

[@GDGRailway47712]

German loading gauge is also much less restrictive. There wasn't much choice in engines that would fit under a sprinter in the late 80s.

[@Danse_Macabre_125]

Maybe because a bigger, more modern train means more space for (more advanced) engines. And I'm not complaining about 0.8m/s² for a 30 year old DMU

[@demil3618]

Ok, fair point as we shouldn't be comparing different ages here. @@Danse_Macabre_125

[@jasonmoffat679]

Annoyingly northerns newly refurbished 158s probably transferrred from scotrail and gwr have the same seats as the 195 now

[@gaoeykreg]

Cracking trains

[@chriswaring5565]

THE 158 SPRINTERS BELONGING TO NORTHERN RAIL INTERIORS HAS BEEN UP GRADED A LOT BETTER SHAME SOMETIMES THE TOILETS STINK OR DONT FLUSH

[@MrScootmcg]

Comfort and refinement are not something I associate with Scotrail 158s in 2024, as for air conditioning someone must have knicked it. I'm sure they were great in their day but they are very long in the tooth today.

[@Cypher791]

Dislike is from a steam enthusiast ☝️🙄

[@martinprochazka6983]

and from Greta...

[@N00N01]

Rw really only had the 158/9 that can be called classy lol

[@TrenyCwm]

These have been good trains over the years but are not up to modern standards for semi-fast services. The acceleration of these units is very poor.

[@gordonjohnson8432]

its 2 coaches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@RWL2012]

and it has cab end doors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so units can be coupled together to form longer trains!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@gordonjohnson8432]

good unit....175....worse passenger comfort....dont matter

[@billybellend1155]

They screwed up and shouldn’t have bothered with the 158 just used the 159 three car sets instead.

[@thomasoakleyderbyshire9761]

The 159s were conversions from 158s. What dont you like about them

[@JBFlytography]

Scotrail ruined these with the last overhaul. Seats are too close together and if your anything over 5ft5 you’ve nae chance of getting under a table 😂😂

[@grassytramtracks]

Could be worse, Northern put ironing board seats in

[@JBFlytography]

@@grassytramtracks 🥱 🥱

[@mikechick221]

long distence sadly these were done by pacers

[@leonarddobbin2077]

east midlands railway ruined these for me

[@andrewrcmadwilkinson6999]

6.19 SHOULD THE PARTIALLY SIGHTED BE GOING TO THE TOILET BY THEMSELF COULD BE MESSY!

[@James-bp7uc]

AFGHAN: the 158 experience

[@RWL2012]

???

[@James-bp7uc]

@@RWL2012 reference to a video called Afghan: the soviet experience idk thought the titles where similar