'First Generation' DMUs in Thailand

[kevsmiththai]

One of the many pleasures of the Thai rail system is the variety of old and new rolling stock. In the north eastern province of Issan many of the local services are still in the hands of the venerable old Hitachi RHN DMUs.The equivalent of our Derby Lightweights these old buckets still pound out the miles day after day. Many of them bear the scars of collisions with large farm animals water buffalos, cows etc (No fences here !)
Two units are seen rolling into Khon Kaen station past the Rot Tok shed

Various scenes on the North east line in these two videos including Khon Kaen, Nakhon Rachasima and Thanonchira Junction

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3qhRDHOB7Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iR7EIlEJzE

 

[A60K]

Have you still got the 158 clones?

 

[jamesontheroad]

Have you still got the 158 clones?

Not clones! The genuine article, built by BREL!

http://www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/state-railway-of-thailand-class-158-a-like/

They're still in service, but I've never seen one. They have different gangways, only one door per side per carriage, and I believe are going to be refurbished and reformed into longer sets for intercity routes this year or next. I was hoping to see some earlier this year when I visited Thailand, but my journey on the Butterworth (Malaysia) to Bangkok express was somewhat disrupted when a travelling companion was denied entry at the Thai border. I left the train with her and travelled the rest of the way by road via another border crossing and Hat Yai...

 

[northwichcat]

The Thai '158s' are more different to the 158s than the 159s are.

In addition to what James has said the doors aren't electric and swing inwards, oppose to sliding. BREL provided them to Thailand in RR livery.

 

[yorkie]

The Thai '158s' are more different to the 158s than the 159s are.

Yes, because '158' or '159' is just a number, and I'm sure they call them something else in Thailand. 159s are really just 3 car 158s. The fact that many of TPEs 158s went to SWT to be refurbished and reformed into 159s demonstrates that.

 

[northwichcat]

Yes, because '158' or '159' is just a number, and I'm sure they call them something else in Thailand. 159s are really just 3 car 158s. The fact that many of TPEs 158s went to SWT to be refurbished and reformed into 159s demonstrates that.

Well I agree that a 158 cummins is just as similar to a 159 as it is to a 158 perkins.

One thing I forgot to add before was the Thai 158 like units were built for a different width gauge than the standard British one which would actually make them very unlikely to get a British class number.

 

[A60K]

One thing I forgot to add before was the Thai 158 like units were built for a different width gauge than the standard British one which would actually make them very unlikely to get a British class number.

They didn't get a British class number because they weren't for use on the British Rail network - not because they're not standard gauge. IIRC the Vale of Rheidol stock was registered with TOPS numbers in the usual way when it was part of British Rail, despite being narrow gauge.

 

[kevsmiththai]

The Thai 158s are called 'Sprinters' and are metre gauge. Originally delivered in the same colour scheme as our 'Regional railways' livery they went down a parralel production line to ours. Some are in use and some are laid up with U/S Air conditioning units at Bangkok Hua Lamphong.
Some have had full bodyside advertising decals applied over the original livery and some are just filthy!
Interestingly, they proved their worth about 18 months ago when an epidemic of bedbugs meant that SRT had to take the equivalent Daewoo units out of service for fumigating. The Brel built ones, which had leather seats were not affected like the Daewoo fabric covered ones!