D&E Files: Class 159/0s.
A pictorial appraisal of the stylish multiple units that transformed travel on the Waterloo-Exeter route.
REPLACEMENT of the traction used on the West of England route between London Waterloo and Exeter via Salisbury and Yeovil became critical in the early 1990s.
The performances of locomotive hauled trains serving the route fell to unacceptable levels, with regular failures causing significant disruption to services, especially over the single-track sections of the route west of Salisbury, despite drafting in additional locomotives from other areas including Class 47/4s and Class 47/7s.
A permanent solution was sought by Network SouthEast management, which considered various options, including new locomotives and stock; electrification or replacement of existing equipment with long distance Inter-city standard diesel multiple units.
In the event, the solution presented itself by Regional Railways, which was taking delivery of its Class 158 fleet at the time. Under construction at Derby since 1989, the Class 158 had entered service and was settling down following issues with cracks in the aluminium bodyshells and issues with the brakes.
An economic downturn prompted Regional Railways to review its need for Class 158s and it decided to curtail its order with BREL Derby, with Network SouthEast taking up the option for the remaining Class 158 vehicles, the number of which correlated with the need for West of England services.
Built as Class 158s
A total of 22 three-car Class 158s were built at BREL Derby to Regional Railways specification, which was deemed to be inadequate for the long distance Waterloo-Exeter route that was seen to have considerable growth potential.
No agreement could be reached with BREL Derby to change the specification of the units. They were dispatched to Babcock Rail at Rosyth for refitting with better seating, the installation of a First Class saloon with comfortable two plus one seating; improved sound-proofing and other modifications after being released from BREL Derby.
Class 159/0s are more powerful than the majority of the Class 158 fleet, equipped with Cummins 400hp engines, one to each car instead of the 350hp engines fitted to all but a handful of Class 158s.
The first Class 159/0 was delivered to Network SouthEast in January 1993, finished in the light grey and white express version of Network SouthEast livery. Despite loyalty to the Class 47s and Class 50s that dominated the
West of England route, enthusiasts could not deny that the Class 159/0 revolutionised services on the route after they had settled into service.
Number sequence and routes
The 22 units are formed as DMCL-MSL-DMSL and numbered as 159001-022. Following the conversion of eight former Regional Railways and Trans-Pennine three-car Class 158s to Class 159 standard, the original 22-strong 400hp fleet was classified
SWT Class 159/0 No. 159001 City of Exeter was reduced to a two-car set when photographed at Eastleigh on November 11, 2003. Several Class 159s were named, including No. 159002 City of Salisbury, No. 159003 Templecombe and No. 159004 Basingstoke and Deane.
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as Class 159/0 and these were not restricted to the main line to Exeter where they would work in six-car formations at busy times. They could also turn up on Reading-Brighton services, be found working between Salisbury and Southampton and the
Salisbury-Romney via Southampton route. Until reorganisation of franchises in the south west of England, workings into deepest Devon and Cornwall were routine, with the Class 159/0 a common sight at locations such as
Aller Junction, Paignton, Plymouth and
Penzance in addition to their core route. Workings to Bristol via Westbury were occasionally observed, as were services through to Weymouth via Yeovil.
A purpose-built depot to maintain the Class 159/0 fleet and subsequent Class 170/3s was constructed at Salisbury and remains the base for all 30 Class 159s today.
Changes to the fleet
From time to time, a Class 159 would be reduced to a two-car set and consequently be allocated to lesser duties, as the loss of the middle car or MSL was enough to cause capacity problems on the busy core route.
Refurbishment and consequent repainting in Stagecoach South West Trains express livery commenced around 2000, which also saw the front gangway doors replaced with a new type without a window. Subsequent livery changes saw the passenger doors repainted orange and internal refurbishment including changes for special needs access.
South West Trains (SWT) was one of the longest-running franchises, being awarded in 1996 and concluding in
2017 with the formation of the South West Railway, which has introduced a new livery of silver and dark grey to the fleet. Those running in Stagecoach colours are rebadged until the new livery can be applied.
Photographs of the Class 159/0 units in Network SouthEast livery are not all that common, possibly due to the loss of interest in the West of England route once locomotive-hauled
trains were withdrawn – Class 159/0s were (understandably) not popular with the traditional railway enthusiast.
In reality, the units only ran under the auspices of Network SouthEast for a few years until the awarding of the South West Trains franchise, which saw the units rebranded until their eventual repainting.
The speed at which things change on the rail network prompts us once again not to ignore the common or mundane – photographs will always be needed for modelling reference, even if it is simply to see how a Network SouthEast Class 159/0 has weathered, particularly on the roof, so the effect may be replicated on the new Bachmann model.