The Terror of Class 153 Rail Travel

[Peter Bonner]

Caught the 1518 Castleford to Knottingley today. 2 X 153 both clean with fairly new seats. Ideal for this sort of journey far better than a Pacer Anyday.
The one the other way passed at Glasshoughton was 2 X 158 which is a bit over the top for the time of day.

Definitely over the top to have 2 158s on that service. How many other services were cancelled or short formed by Northern as a result? Inability to diagram correct units to booked services is one of the big failings of Northern.

 

[dk1]

Definitely over the top to have 2 158s on that service. How many other services were cancelled or short formed by Northern as a result? Inability to diagram correct units to booked services is one of the big failings of Northern.

But did that need to be two ready for its next peak working?

 

[ed1971]

Caught the 1518 Castleford to Knottingley today. 2 X 153 both clean with fairly new seats. Ideal for this sort of journey far better than a Pacer Anyday.
The one the other way passed at Glasshoughton was 2 X 158 which is a bit over the top for the time of day.

I find that the 153s have no legroom, so have to leave my legs sticking out. The 142s with original bench seating and the former ATN ones were far better in this respect. The 153s don't have very good sound deadening either and the noise from the Cummins NTA855R is very obtrusive. I have never been a fan of 153s or 155s.

 

[mpthomson]

They're just decorative from when they were 155s. The 156s have the same dividers too. Designed to break the cabin up a bit.

The 153s are fine when they are being used where they should be, and with the thinner seats. The ones refurbished with the Richmond seating are pretty grim, the seat back takes up all the knee room, but the same issue afflicts the 156s with those seats too.

153s are less fine when they substitute for something bigger, but that's same of anything really. A Rolls Royce is the epitome of luxury and comfort, but if you try and fit 27 people in one it'll be awful.

It dates back to when you could smoke on trains, smaller side was the smoking area.

 

[Welly]

Central Trains used to roster single Dogboxes to work the Summer Saturday 1700 from Skegness to Leicester.... usually 500 daytrippers waiting to catch that one home!

 

[Jozhua]

Are any 153's staying in service for much longer? Obviously older stock has stuck around post the 2020 PRM deadline, and 153's were the other fleet that it was decided weren't worth the effort to upgrade. Will they still be running alongside 150/6/8's? Have any been PRM upgraded for matter of fact?

 

[johnnychips]

I never used to see them much around Sheffield and Doncaster but recently they seem to be around a lot more, attached to 158s or singly on the Doncaster to Scunthorpe route.

 

[sw1ller]

Are any 153's staying in service for much longer? Obviously older stock has stuck around post the 2020 PRM deadline, and 153's were the other fleet that it was decided weren't worth the effort to upgrade. Will they still be running alongside 150/6/8's? Have any been PRM upgraded for matter of fact?

Get yourself to wales. You’ll see plenty of them running in pairs or attached to 150’s. Some have been PRMd and they’re likely to be in service for quite some time given that many train crews are being trained up on them.

 

[Jozhua]

Get yourself to wales. You’ll see plenty of them running in pairs or attached to 150’s. Some have been PRMd and they’re likely to be in service for quite some time given that many train crews are being trained up on them.

I'm in the North West so still seeing a lot knocking about as well, I also wonder if EMR will be keeping some of theirs been as they just got them?

Honestly, I don't mind 153's THAT much, if there is enough space to stretch out over both seats. The worst part is when they run in single-car formations, on a trip booked for two cars. (Usually because the other unit broke down)

 

[trebor79]

Honestly, I don't mind 153's THAT much, if there is enough space to stretch out over both seats. The worst part is when they run in single-car formations, on a trip booked for two cars. (Usually because the other unit broke down)

They are pretty awful to be fair. Freezing cold in winter, deafening if you're sat anywhere near the middle and always with that strange foisty musty dirty smell.
If they took out the parcels bay and spread the seats out a bit, and soundproofed the engine and put some decent heating in they might be ok.
But probably easier and cheaper to buy new.

 

[Jozhua]

They are pretty awful to be fair. Freezing cold in winter, deafening if you're sat anywhere near the middle and always with that strange foisty musty dirty smell.
If they took out the parcels bay and spread the seats out a bit, and soundproofed the engine and put some decent heating in they might be ok.
But probably easier and cheaper to buy new.

Yeah, honestly I'm just used to awful trains in the UK now lol. Pacers, 150's, 156's, 153's. I spend the majority of my time in these rusty, rickety DMU's so have just got used to them. Was unable to stand them for quite a while, until I gave in and realised they ain't going anywhere

 

[NoMorePacers]

153s aren't bad really. I've more than tolerated them going from Salford to Leeds and from Sheffield to Liverpool.

 

[Trainfan2019]

I'd rather have a seat on a 153 than no seat at all on the Crewe to Derby route.

I can cope with the interior smell and the engine noise helps to drown out loud people. The windows are a haven for condensation and dripping water though.

I'm curious about the parcels bay though. Where is/was it and when did this service end?

 

[Ashley Hill]

The large origional cab had awful seats and poor legroom too! If you sat on the drivers side your knees rubbed the bottom of the desk. The guards seat was so low you couldn't see out the back window. The small end may have looked small but the drivers desk had more legroom ,and on the guards side you could rest your right leg on the desk and left foot on the door hoop for a very comfortable ride.
Whilst many complain about a single car service don't forget the 121/122s were happily performing such a feat a long time before the 155s were converted. BTW didn't the 155s have disabled toilets? It's so long since I worked one I can't remember,if I remember though it was a job to release somebody trapped in one.

 

[Sprinter107]

I prefer working from the large cab. Hate the small cab. In the small cab, the side cab window isnt aligned with the drivers seat, and there is no desk or flat surface to put anything on. Each to their own of course, what suits one doesnt always suit another, but I absolutely loath the small end. Its noisier too.

 

[Caaardiff]

I prefer working from the large cab. Hate the small cab. In the small cab, the side cab window isnt aligned with the drivers seat, and there is no desk or flat surface to put anything on. Each to their own of course, what suits one doesnt always suit another, but I absolutely loath the small end. Its noisier too.

This must explain why TfW are modifying the cabs on all their most recently received 153s to match the ones already in the fleet

 

[Mogz]

I’m sure they’ll be around for a while as motorised luggage vans on Scotrail.

 

[43055]

I'm in the North West so still seeing a lot knocking about as well, I also wonder if EMR will be keeping some of theirs been as they just got them?

Honestly, I don't mind 153's THAT much, if there is enough space to stretch out over both seats. The worst part is when they run in single-car formations, on a trip booked for two cars. (Usually because the other unit broke down)

EMR are allowed to run 153's as singles between Derby and Crewe, Peterborough and Doncaster and Grimsby and Newark but everything should be two coaches now. I think the aim will the to reduce the fleet over time as the 156's enter service and the 170's arrive as well.

 

[Anonymous10]

In my opinion the 153s can be quite good little trains and great for branch line work in rural areas my county in the summer needs at least a 2 car if not larger and will fill it with tourists in the summer on the winter whole different ball game and the prm 153s are by far the best of their class and compete with 150 for comfort overall give me a 153 over a pacer any day

 

[Anonymous10]

TBH all of the 15x, are getting very long in the tooth. Sat on 153 and 156 today and they just seem ridiculously old fashioned - and I can remember the excitement as a child when they first started, so modern!
The noise levels are appalling. The 75mph top speed is too low for today's railway, as most routes involve at least some running on lines with a higher line speed so capacity is being wasted. There isn't enough legroom. I usually find myself inhaling exhaust fumes, which is totally unacceptable.
They're just dreadful. They were cheap and nasty when introduced, but were arguably appropriate for a system in managed decline.
I think they are completely unsuitable for today's railway. Really the whole lot ought to be scrapped and replaced with modern stock from CAF, Stadler or Bombardier. The industry would do well to work collaboratively and specify 2 or 3 designs to replace them. 1 local commuter type, 1 longer journey regional type. All bimodes for future electrification and to make use of current electrification where it exists.
158s are just about OK, although the EMR examples are a bit scruffy (the winged headrests are particularly uninviting covered in grey crud). They might as well be replaced too as they can't carry on forever.

I know I'm late but where I am I dream of getting the 158 it's a rare treat and one I love

 

[FS-2-11]

I've mentioned this before: ScotRail are missing a trick by not making two or three 153s compliant and using them for the Glasgow Queen Street-Anniesland service. Outside the peaks, even a two-car Sprinter or Turbostar is overkill for that, and I'm sure ScotRail would want to put those units to better use elsewhere. It's the only suburban service out of Queen Street still operated by DMUs and ScotRail would love an excuse to chop it.

 

[Jonny]

I've mentioned this before: ScotRail are missing a trick by not making two or three 153s compliant and using them for the Glasgow Queen Street-Anniesland service. Outside the peaks, even a two-car Sprinter or Turbostar is overkill for that, and I'm sure ScotRail would want to put those units to better use elsewhere. It's the only suburban service out of Queen Street still operated by DMUs and ScotRail would love an excuse to chop it.

I agree given the current state of affairs on infrastructure (the route through Maryhill is apparently not electrified), although electrification for diverted services would be useful on that line.

 

[Skymonster]

EMR devises the perfect solution to replace a 153..

(photo copyright railcam)

 

[AMD]

The 153s will be around for a while with Northern, as they are going onto the Wigan to Blackburn run sometime this year, and Wigan conductors are about to be trained on them

 

[NoMorePacers]

The 153s will be around for a while with Northern, as they are going onto the Wigan to Blackburn run sometime this year, and Wigan conductors are about to be trained on them

I've seen them doing those services already.

 

[AMD]

I've seen them doing those services already.

They've been round to Blackburn this way as I've seen one myself, but they're not currently booked to any of these diagrams, and out of Wigan North Western they are just on the Leeds services, but this will change soonish

 

[ed1971]

The 153s will be around for a while with Northern, as they are going onto the Wigan to Blackburn run sometime this year, and Wigan conductors are about to be trained on them

Presumably, the service will be changed to start from Wigan NW as 153s are not permitted to run into Wigan Wallgate.

 

[Henry Johnson]

I can only say one thing; good riddance to them. I commute regularly on the east suffolk line and my heart used to sink everytime I saw it pull in at ipswich and a massive great crowd around me. I am autistic and don't cope in the centre of a massive crowd, and I remember the stupidity of some of the guards trying to cram people on the train even though it was full to standing.

I got the 1554 today from ipswich to lowestoft and it is such a privilege not to be crammed in the corner of a sardine tin all the way down anymore. They left east anglia a couple of months back. Now we have four coach trains as opposed to just one. Feels much more like a train instead of a bus on rails.

 

[Silver Cobra]

It seems the holiday-makers of Skegness aren't too bothered about travelling in 153s. The last time I visited Skeg back in July last year, travelling back towards Grantham on a service comprised of a 153, 156 and 158 (making a 5-car train), most passengers chose to sit in the 153 and front carriage of the 156, leaving the 158 at the rear almost empty. You can guess where I chose to sit on that journey

 

[Sprinter107]

A bit harsh describing the guard as stupid because they were trying to get as many passengers on as they could, so as to get them to their destination, as especially of the service isnt very frequent. While it isnt the fault of the passenger a 153 has been diagrammed on a service that is not suitable, it's not the fault of the train crew either.