NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY: THE TRAINS

Rheilffordd arfordir Gogledd Cymru Trenau

CLASS 158


Last update September 2008

Trains index  |  North Wales Coast Railway home page
Arriva Trains Wales Class 158 fleet
with livery details
158 818 = 52818 57818 Arriva blue
158 819 = 52818 57818 W & B silver
158 820 = 52820 57820 Arriva blue
158 821 = 52821 57821 W & B silver
158 822 = 52822 57822 W & B silver
158 823 = 52823 57823 Arriva Blue
158 824 = 52824 57824 W & B silver
158 825 = 52825 57825 W & B silver
158 826 = 52826 57826 W & B silver
158 827 = 52827 57827 W & B silver
158 828 = 52828 57828 Arriva Blue
158 829 = 52829 57829 Arriva Blue
158 830 = 52830 57830 W & B silver
158 831 = 52831 57831 W & B silver
158 832 = 52832 57832 W & B silver
158 833 = 52833 57833 W & B silver
158 834 = 52834 57834 W & B silver
158 835 = 52835 57835 W & B silver 
158 836 = 52836 57836 W & B silver
158 837 = 52837 57837 Arriva Blue
158 838 = 52838 57838 W & B silver
158 839 = 52839 57839 W & B silver
158 840 = 52840 57840 Arriva Blue
158 841 = 52841 57841 W & B silver
 The Class 158 diesel railcars were built from 1989 to 1992 at Derby Works, being the final development of the British Rail 'Sprinter' design, and among very last trains to be built for the Nationalised railway.

They exit in both 2-car and 3-car versions;
most are fitted with Cummins engines, but a batch of 2-car sets has Perkins engines;  all Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) units are of this latter type. Originally the ATW fleet was larger, but some have been transferred away to other companies from 2006 since all the Class 175 fleet became available for ATW use, leaving 24 sets in ATW service.

Most of them still carry the 'silver with blue doors' colours of the previous operator of the franchise, Wales and Borders Trains, with a just a few so far painted into Arriva's corporate colours. Several units carried all-over advertising at one time, for Ginsters' food products or the Western Mail newspaper, but all these vinyls have now been removed. None now carry names.

In 2008, 158s work all services on the Cambrian lines west of Shrewsbury, and share Manchester - Cardiff and Holyhead - Cardiff routes with 175s. They also appear on the Cardiff - Gloucester route and one or two other services. General maintenance is carried out at a purpose-built new depot at Macynlleth on the Cambrian lines.

158s have air-conditioning equipment, but this is very often out of use, leaving a small number of opening windows to provide ventilation.

The Cambrian lines use Radio Electric Token Block signalling: this requires special on-train equipment, which can be moved between units as required.
Technical data (ATW units)

Engine: Each vehicle has a Perkins diesel 2006-TWH of 350hp at 2100 rpm, driving one bogie.
Transmission: Hydraulic, Voith T211r
Maximum speed: 90 mph (145 km/h)
Body structure: welded aluminium
Length: 22.57 metres each car
Will work in multiple with: Class 142-144, 150, 153, 155, 156, some Class 170.
Weight of each coach: between 37.5 - 38.5 tonnes.
Toilets: one per car
Doors: Bi-parting swing plug type
Couplers: BSI automatic between sets, semi-permanent bar within sets.
Brakes: Disc, electro-pneumatic operation


Compiled by Charlie Hulme. Comments welcome