Class 155: Opinions

[Kurolus Rex]

Hi there!

With there only being a couple of 155s left now, i rarely hear anything about them.

What do you think of the 155s? How do they compare to other Sprinter stock?

Thanks in advance!

 

[GrahamD83]

There are 7 left, all with Northern and all have been refurbished. They mostly operate around York.

 

[507021]

They're alright, I prefer the 156s and 158s though.

 

[sprinterguy]

They're crap compared to their direct comparator, the class 156. They had a lot of criticism levelled at them from new due to the windows being too high (Hardly ideal in a regional train design), and their refurb with Chapman seats left them with no room to put your legs.

 

[coradiafan2000]

Have never actually been on one. I'm not often in the area they operate as it is, and when I am around I'm lucky to even see one. I would assume they're practically the same as 153s seeing as they're essentially two coach versions of them, which from a passenger's point of view I'd rank above a 150, but below a 156 or certainly a 158.

 

[supervc-10]

Well, really the other way around, the 153 is half a 155!

Given how unpleasant the 153s can been, the only advantage I see a 155 having is that they don't have that awkward little cab for the driver to suffer in half the time. Assuming the loading isn't too bad that is.

 

[Failed Unit]

They're crap compared to their direct comparator, the class 156. They had a lot of criticism levelled at them from new due to the windows being too high (Hardly ideal in a regional train design), and their refurb with Chapman seats left them with no room to put your legs.

Did they ever have leg room? I never travelled on them as 155s but understand minimal changes were made to the interior following conversation. Always preferred the legroom of a 156.

as for keeping them going I suspect they will be stood down once more 156 / 158s come on the market. Correct me if I am wrong it is the same engine / transmission as a 156. But one the 153s go it really will be a micro fleet.

 

[superkev]

There are 7 left, all with Northern and all have been refurbished. They mostly operate around York.

6 of the 7 have been refrurbished at Brodies with 155 346 only PRMed. Due to rampant rust took around 15months each. Should have been scrapped.
Truly awfull things, noisy, high cills and seating designed by someone with no legs.
K

 

[Failed Unit]

Well, really the other way around, the 153 is half a 155!

Given how unpleasant the 153s can been, the only advantage I see a 155 having is that they don't have that awkward little cab for the driver to suffer in half the time. Assuming the loading isn't too bad that is.

I think the drivers prefer the new cab. I am sure one will be on soon enough. But one I knew who worked for CT always said he prefers the new (small) cab to the original.

 

[coradiafan2000]

Well, really the other way around, the 153 is half a 155!

Given how unpleasant the 153s can been, the only advantage I see a 155 having is that they don't have that awkward little cab for the driver to suffer in half the time. Assuming the loading isn't too bad that is.

I've been on enough 153s to know what they're like, but I haven't been on them anywhere near as much as the other sprinter variations. Are they really as bad as people say? I'd still take a 153 (or a 155 to keep it relevant) over a 150 any day.

 

[Failed Unit]

6 of the 7 have been refrurbished at Brodies with 155 346 only PRMed. Due to rampant rust took around 15months each. Should have been scrapped.
Truly awfull things, noisy, high cills and seating designed by someone with no legs.
K

Have you any links to it. Be interesting to see how they have done it. The toilet access in particular.

 

[py_megapixel]

6 of the 7 have been refrurbished at Brodies with 155 346 only PRMed. Due to rampant rust took around 15months each. Should have been scrapped.
Truly awfull things, noisy, high cills and seating designed by someone with no legs.
K

That's slightly bizarre. So looking out of the windows requires you to be tall enough to see over the high window sills, except the seating is unsuitable for tall people who's long legs will not fit under the seat in front?

 

[Peter Bonner]

Refurbished 155s all seem to be without Wifi.

Since May 2019 they have been working most Hull to Scarboro services

 

[py_megapixel]

Refurbished 155s all seem to be without Wifi.

WiFi is only fitted to the Civities at the moment as PRM mods are the priority for the older stock. All retained stock is due to receive WiFi and power sockets once the mods are complete, as well as (IIRC) other little bits like replacing the initially fitted flat cloth moquette and new door controls and lighting for the first few 323s that went for mods.

 

[YorksDMU]

They are average, but but not quite as bad as the 153’s. I was on two of them on Thursday when I travelled to Scarborough from Beverley. 155342 and 155347. I actually managed to have a short nap on them.
But, as stated, the windows are too high up, and at this time of year, can be very draughty if left open. Hopefully 158’s will eventually replace them.
Some are in service today on the Scarborough to
Hull and Sheffield diagrams which is, admittedly, quite a distance to go on one.

 

[43096]

6 of the 7 have been refrurbished at Brodies with 155 346 only PRMed. Due to rampant rust took around 15months each.

Nothing like that: first one took 14 months or so, after that they were quicker: second one around 6 months and 3 to 4 months each after that. Nothing quite like a bit of hyperbole when trying to make a point.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The lighting on Northern's refurbs is awful. In particular there is what is effectively a harsh daylight white floodlight on the bulkhead at one end, shining directly in passengers' faces.

 

[Neptune]

The small cab of a 153 has more legroom than the original large end which is why they are preferred.

155346 was refurbished in the original style like 158752 and 150275 (plain blue seats, textured white end walls, blue handrails etc....). It is also the only one not fitted with LED end lights. This will be rectified at some stage I’m sure.

 

[XC victim]

I must admit I loved the class 155 when it was introduced. I thought it was vastly superior to the class 156. However they haven’t aged very well and now although I still like them I must admit they are a bit cramped and lacking in leg room (which doesn’t really affect me, but for anyone taller it probably makes for an uncomfortable ride). The class 156 has probably lasted better. I have fond memories of them and miss them on West Yorkshire services. The 155’s may have a few faults but they are infinitely better than the class 150’s I now seem to often endure instead.

 

[sprinterguy]

Did they ever have leg room? I never travelled on them as 155s but understand minimal changes were made to the interior following conversation.

You're probably right. I only ever experienced 156s in their widespread Ashbourne seated days, rather than 155s, but the impression I've garnered is that the latter were always quite naff in that regard.

 

[323 Class]

155345 interior.

 

[Kurolus Rex]

Thanks for the replies!

By the sounds of it, the general consenus appears to be that they were an evolutionary class. A step in the direction of a longer distance Sprinter but not yet perfect.

Is there a reason why the windows are so high?

 

[Llama]

To drive, they're slow. Not quite as bad as a 153 but consistently slower than every other class using the same drivetrain.

Cab desk is ok, although the drivers seat is slightly offset from the desk - this is apparently down to the drivers seat being aligned to the windscreen rather than the desk. Since the ~2007 refurb when additional cab heaters were installed they are great units in winter. The droplight windows are usually ridiculously stiff to open, and I think the guards (certainly Leeds guards) like the units because they have an additional door control panel on each side in the middle of the train.

 

[MDB1images]

Wasn't chuffed to see the CF ones replace loco hauled and remember them being painfully slow starting, that said it allowed some bizarre workings to exist (07:25 Lostock to Cardiff being an odd one).
Remember the NL ones trundling around the Calder Valley in WYPTE livery.
Took forever to get warm on winter's mornings and always sticky in Summer. Alwaysseemed to be reliable and rarely failed.
Preferred a Class 158 to work on especially on busy commuter trains.

 

[YorksDMU]

Thanks for the replies!

By the sounds of it, the general consenus appears to be that they were an evolutionary class. A step in the direction of a longer distance Sprinter but not yet perfect.

Is there a reason why the windows are so high?

The windows are so high since they use the same Leyland bus panels as the class 142’s.

 

[Class195]

Hi there!

With there only being a couple of 155s left now, i rarely hear anything about them.

What do you think of the 155s? How do they compare to other Sprinter stock?

Thanks in advance!

Prefer a 155 to a 150. Hope they remain with Northern.

 

[Fisherman80]

In my opinion they are terrible. Have used them regularly since I was a teenager in the 90s and used to dread having to travel on one from Bradford to Blackpool.
Interestingly though,they did manage to travel from Manchester to Cardiff quicker in the late 80s compared to the 158s/175s of today.
I may be wrong here,but out of the entire sprinter family,dont they have the worst power to weight ratio,along with the 153s?

 

[satisnek]

They were great when new - drivers used to thrash them south of Stourbridge Junction trying to achieve 90!

The small cab of a 153 has more legroom than the original large end which is why they are preferred.

That's a new one on me, have they been modified at some point?

 

[Kurolus Rex]

The windows are so high since they use the same Leyland bus panels as the class 142’s.

Ah, that would explain it.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Bletchleyite]

You're probably right. I only ever experienced 156s in their widespread Ashbourne seated days, rather than 155s, but the impression I've garnered is that the latter were always quite naff in that regard.

The seating layout was not changed at conversion from Ashbourne to the newer type of seating - there are a load of above-floor equipment boxes which would make this awkward, a bit like the 150s which have all retained their original layout.