British Rail Class 151
| British Rail Class 151 Sprinter | |
|---|---|
A class 151 at Derby in 1987 | |
| In service | 1985–1989 |
| Manufacturer | Metro-Cammell |
| Order no. |
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| Built at | Washwood Heath, Birmingham |
| Family name | Sprinter |
| Replaced | BR First-Generation DMUs |
| Constructed | 1985 |
| Entered service | 1985 |
| Scrapped | 2004 |
| Number built | 2 |
| Number scrapped | 2 |
| Formation | 3 cars per unit: DMSL-MS-DMS |
| Diagram |
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| Fleet numbers |
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| Capacity |
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| Operators | Regional Railways |
| Depots | Etches Park (Derby) |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Aluminium |
| Car length |
|
| Width | 2.810 m (9 ft 2.6 in) |
| Height | 3.845 m (12 ft 7.4 in) |
| Floor height | 1.156 m (3 ft 9.5 in) |
| Doors | Double-leaf pocket sliding |
| Wheelbase |
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| Maximum speed | 75 mph (121 km/h) |
| Weight |
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| Prime mover(s) | 3 × Cummins NT855-R5 (one per vehicle) |
| Engine type | Inline-6 4-stroke turbo-diesel |
| Displacement | 14 L (855 cu in) per engine |
| Power output | 638 kW (855 hp) total |
| Transmission | Twin Disc 1330 |
| UIC classification | 2′B′+2′B′+B′2′ |
| Bogies | Metro-Cammell |
| Braking system(s) | Electro-pneumatic |
| Coupling system | BSI |
| Multiple working | Within class, and with Classes 14x and 15x |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
The British Rail Class 151 was a prototype class of diesel multiple unit (DMU) developed and constructed by the British railway equipment manufacturer Metro Cammell. It was designed primarily to serve as a successor to the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs operated by the British Rail (BR).
Development of the Class 151 commenced during 1983 in response to a specification issued by BR calling for a new generation of DMU with which to equip its fleet. Both Metro Cammell and British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL) were selected to produce prototypes of their design submissions. Accordingly, a pair of 3-car units were constructed, which entered trial service with BR during 1985. If it had emerged successful, the Class 151 would have likely become the basis of Sprinter family of DMUs that were produced during the 1980s. However, following a competitive evaluation against the rival Class 150, the type did not secure a production contract, having lost out to its BREL-built rival. Both units were withdrawn during 1989 and, despite multiple vendors planning to restore them for service, they were ultimately scrapped.