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Class 210 DEMU

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GrimShady

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Can anyone shed any light on why the Class 210 DEMUs failed to secure production orders?

What was the performance like with regard to Sprinters?
 
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Bletchleyite

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Can anyone shed any light on why the Class 210 DEMUs failed to secure production orders?

Way too expensive, basically. The Pacers were the result - the 150s, which were quite a bit more expensive, came later, I think at the behest of WMPTE who weren't having any of that Leyland rubbish.
 

hexagon789

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Can anyone shed any light on why the Class 210 DEMUs failed to secure production orders?

What was the performance like with regard to Sprinters?

Pretty nippy I believe, with over 1000hp per set they could do 90 quite easily. I did see a log somewhere which I can look up again of you like?
 

pdeaves

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As Bletchleyite says, expensive. They were also, I believe, complex (for the technology of the time), which is effectively a subset of 'expensive'. The power units were above floor level so there was a loss of passenger space compared to under floor designs.
 

edwin_m

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Way too expensive, basically. The Pacers were the result - the 150s, which were quite a bit more expensive, came later, I think at the behest of WMPTE who weren't having any of that Leyland rubbish.
I remember the Modern Railways editorial ending "perhaps the best DMU replacement is another DMU", at the time when the choice seemed to be between 210s or Pacers. The 150 emerged out of that sort of sentiment. The WMPTE connections may also have been to get their local industry a look-in in the form of the Met-Camm class 151, which didn't get beyond a prototype but Met-Camm did get the 156 order a few years later.

One 210 trailer did hang around the RTC yard for many years and was used for experiments in electric auxiliaries in an attempt to develop a train that didn't need an air compressor. Another (maybe the same one?) was used to replace the 455 car that was squashed a few years back by a cement lorry falling off a bridge.
 

hexagon789

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As Bletchleyite says, expensive. They were also, I believe, complex (for the technology of the time), which is effectively a subset of 'expensive'. The power units were above floor level so there was a loss of passenger space compared to under floor designs.

They seemed like an updated Thumper really.
 

big all

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was a 3 car around 750hp and a 4 car a bit more power per coach
from memory looked identical but different makes off engine
often ran as a 7car with the 4 car outlasting the the 3 car in use

i believe one coach was used in a s/western 455 although it could have been something like a 317 ??
 

hexagon789

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was a 3 car around 750hp and a 4 car a bit more power per coach
from memory looked identical but different makes off engine

i believe one coach was used in a s/western 455 although it could have been something like a 317 ??

The 3-car had a 1,140hp engine, was Standard Class only and had no toilets. The 4-car had a 1,125hp engine, and a trailer with First Class and two toilets. Both were gangwayed throughout, had a 90mph top speed, Westcode 3-step disc brakes and a standard EMU-style 4-notch power controller.

The traction motors were rated at 250hp each.
 

eastwestdivide

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I rode on one of the 210s not long after introduction, and deliberately picked the motor coach. My notes from the time say noisy with a lot of vibration.
 

big all

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The 3-car had a 1,140hp engine, was Standard Class only and had no toilets. The 4-car had a 1,125hp engine, and a trailer with First Class and two toilets. Both were gangwayed throughout, had a 90mph top speed, Westcode 3-step disc brakes and a standard EMU-style 4-notch power controller.

The traction motors were rated at 250hp each.

i can remember they where set up to accelerate like an emu perhaps thats why i thought the 3 car was 750hp ish:D

used to see them at reading all the time
 

edwin_m

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In an early version of bi-mode they were set up to multiple with 317s, the idea being that a train could be split at the end of the wires and the diesel portion continue somewhere else. Not sure where they had in mind - perhaps the MML beyond Bedford?
 

lyndhurst25

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I understand that it was a complaint from Jimmy Somerville of Bronski Beat that persuaded BR not to order any more Class 210s. While he complemented BREL on the views from the large windows and tartan seat covers that went well with his shirt, he wasn't too keen on the excessive noise and vibration for the over-floor engines that put him right off his sandwiches. :D

 

Highlandspring

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One thing I’ve wondered in the past about that video is whether they used the 210 for filming because as a prototype it was just sitting around spare or whether BR actively offered it up as a bit of free publicity.
 

PeterC

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I travelled in one once, not in the motor coach, and was struck by the smooth and quiet ride compared with the DMU that I was expecting.
 

gimmea50anyday

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Part of the 210s became the networker prototype 316999 one driving car of which still exists, it was at Coventry, believe its with NSERS now. The other driving trailer was rebuilt as a 455 motor coach replacing the Oxshott pancake, it is possible there is at least one other 210 vehicle still running around in another 455 somewhere
 

gimmea50anyday

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One of the engines used in the 210 project was a smaller 8 cylinder version of the valenta as used in HST power cars, the HST valenta having 12 cylinders of course
 

WesternLancer

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And yet the ended up on the Western Region, which always seemed a little strange to me.
Did they operate much in the way of scheduled services or were the 201 primarily under test as it were? What were their usual routes? I seem to recall seeing one once at Clapham Jct yard / depot area. Later on I saw them regularly parked up outside RTC Derby, seemingly for many years. I did think at the time it was shame a 210 and a 151 never made it to a preserved line when surplus.
 

hexagon789

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Did they operate much in the way of scheduled services or were the 201 primarily under test as it were? What were their usual routes? I seem to recall seeing one once at Clapham Jct yard / depot area. Later on I saw them regularly parked up outside RTC Derby, seemingly for many years. I did think at the time it was shame a 210 and a 151 never made it to a preserved line when surplus.

I know they went around the place a bit, the 4-car certainly made it up to Scotland, but I think they were fairly regular on Paddington-Reading stoppers/Oxford semi-fasts iirc at one point
 

superjohn

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...it is possible there is at least one other 210 vehicle still running around in another 455 somewhere
67400 is in 5912
67301 is in 5913
Both are ex 210002. 67400 used to have several visible differences to other 455 vehicles but after the SWT refurbishment there is very little to tell either of them apart.
 

hexagon789

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Also worked to Newbury and possibly Bedwyn too.

Definitely Newbury and likely Bedwyn as you say.

Edit: on researching it seems the 4-car was used on the Bedwyn shuttle in 1981, by 1985 it was commonly deployed on Oxford semi-fasts (doing 6 return trips) with the 3-car on Paddington-Slough/Reading stoppers.
 

delt1c

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always thought with the Ayr Electrification they would have been ideal, working in Multiple with 318 to Ayr then continuing alone to Stranraer in the same way the 126 did splitting at Ayr
 

randyrippley

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In an early version of bi-mode they were set up to multiple with 317s, the idea being that a train could be split at the end of the wires and the diesel portion continue somewhere else. Not sure where they had in mind - perhaps the MML beyond Bedford?
Royston-Cambridge was one suggestion
 

GrimShady

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Pretty nippy I believe, with over 1000hp per set they could do 90 quite easily. I did see a log somewhere which I can look up again of you like?

That would be most kind, thank you.

I understand that it was a complaint from Jimmy Somerville of Bronski Beat that persuaded BR not to order any more Class 210s. While he complemented BREL on the views from the large windows and tartan seat covers that went well with his shirt, he wasn't too keen on the excessive noise and vibration for the over-floor engines that put him right off his sandwiches. :D


I had totally forgotten about that video! On watching again I thought Jimmy was going to get filled in again when the guys came into the compartment! :lol:
 

BigB

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Amazingly considering that it's the most common complaint with "new" trains, the seats didn't line up with the windows..

Just sayin ;)
 
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