Sprinters

[RichmondCommu]

G'day everyone,

Can anyone remember which of the Sprinter classes carried the Sprinter logo when new? By the time the Sprinters were introduced I'd largely lost interest in railways but I seem to remember the class 156's carrying the logo.

Any contributions would be most welcome!

Kind regards,

Richmond Commuter!

 

[Ash Bridge]

Class 150's and 153's certainly did.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Most did (except 158s) but some 150/1s were delivered in Provincial rather than Sprinter livery. I don't know when the cut-off was.

 

[jayiscupid]

Class 150's and 153's certainly did.

The 155's and 150's (in later provincial livery) all received the Sprinter logo with the running man. The 156's received the running man logo and the Super Sprinter branding.

The 155's were converted into 153's and all were repainted into the Regional Railways livery.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The 155's and 150's (in later provincial livery) all received the Sprinter logo with the running man. The 156's received the running man logo and the Super Sprinter branding.

The 155's were converted into 153's and all were repainted into the Regional Railways livery.

Slight correction, some 156s had standard "Sprinter" branding rather than "Super Sprinter". Also, the 7 WYPTE 155s were of course delivered in Metro red and cream livery so weren't Sprinter branded. I think the two 150 prototypes were delivered in Sprinter livery with branding though it was slightly different to the livery used later on the 150/2s.

 

[yorksrob]

Most did (except 158s) but some 150/1s were delivered in Provincial rather than Sprinter livery. I don't know when the cut-off was.

They should have stuck with provincial livery. Much more attractive IMO.

 

[MatthewRead]

They should have stuck with provincial livery. Much more attractive IMO.

When did they get rid of the provincial livery may I ask?

 

[yorksrob]

When did they get rid of the provincial livery may I ask?

Not really sure. I didn't stray very far from NSE land in those days. However, the RR livery has always struck me as being very easy on the eyes.

 

[berwicksfinest]

Some of the latter 150/1 were delivered in provincial with sprinter logos as stated
All of the 150/2 were delivered with sprinter logos
Class 153 did not carry sprinter logos at all they were converted and delivered with Regional Railway branding
Class 155 the provincial ones carried Sprinter Logos when delivered but WYPTE were delivered in red without them
Class 156 the first 42 were delivered with Sprinter branding but from 443 onwards this changed to Super Sprinter
Class 158 never carried Sprinter branding these were delivered with Express branding

Also the prototype 150/1 carried Sprinter logos and provincial livery when the were converted briefly to Class 154s

 

[sprinterguy]

When did they get rid of the provincial livery may I ask?

Provincial Services rebranded as Regional Railways in 1991. The new Regional Railways identity adapted the Provincial livery that was applied to the 150/2s, 155s and 156s from new, adding the fleximark and serif font insignia.

A small number of 150/1s were also repainted in the later variant of the Provincial livery, with the "Sprinter" insignia and running man logo, from their original scheme.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Class 158 never carried Sprinter branding these were delivered with Express branding

158815 - 872 were delivered after the change from Provincial to Regional Railways, and carried Regional Railways insignia below the blue lining bands, instead of the "EXPRESS" branding located in a break in the bands.

 

[theblackwatch]

Some of the latter 150/1 were delivered in provincial with sprinter logos as stated

I agree with all your other statements but not this one - I'm sure all the 150/1s came out in the original livery as per the model of 150135 earlier in this thread, but 150141-150 (I think!) later received the Provincial Services colours with 'Sprinter' branding.

 

[sprinterguy]

I agree with all your other statements but not this one - I'm sure all the 150/1s came out in the original livery as per the model of 150135 earlier in this thread, but 150141-150 (I think!) later received the Provincial Services colours with 'Sprinter' branding.

Yep, I agree with this account of events.

 

[berwicksfinest]

I agree with all your other statements but not this one - I'm sure all the 150/1s came out in the original livery as per the model of 150135 earlier in this thread, but 150141-150 (I think!) later received the Provincial Services colours with 'Sprinter' branding.

my apologies yes that is correct

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Wasn't it only 150002 that was temporarily converted to a 154 as part of the 158 development?

I remember travelling on 150001 one summer in (I think) 1989, as a 7-year-old(!), from Porthmadog to Dovey Junction with my family. Obviously my memory is somewhat vague but I remember that the unit had a variety of different seating types inside, presumably as a trial. I remember this as my older brother and I liked to walk through trains as we travelled... I'm sure we annoyed the hell out of other passengers, with hindsight!

 

[OuterDistant]

Yes, there was only the one class 154 - initially numbered 154001, BR (sensibly) chose to renumber it to 154002.

Looking at my copy of Locomotives and Coaching Stock 1989, I've got 154002 underlined, having gone all the way from Blythe Bridge to Longton on it that year!

 

[Sapphire Blue]

Yes, there was only the one class 154 - initially numbered 154001, BR (sensibly) chose to renumber it to 154002.

Looking at my copy of Locomotives and Coaching Stock 1989, I've got 154002 underlined, having gone all the way from Blythe Bridge to Longton on it that year!

At the risk of seeming ridiculously thick, what was wrong with the number 154001 which made the change sensible?

 

[OuterDistant]

They would have been easily confused - both were effectively unique variations of the prototype 150, with numbers ending in "001", so I can envisage operating staff getting them mixed up.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Must admit, looking at a few pictures of 001/002, it's a shame they were so cheap and built 2-car rather than 3-car for the production fleet. We are now regretting it years later now rail is becoming a growth industry once again.

(A thought - if we end up scrapping any Mk3-based EMUs, is it feasible to insert a trailer car?)

 

[Ash Bridge]

Must admit, looking at a few pictures of 001/002, it's a shame they were so cheap and built 2-car rather than 3-car for the production fleet. We are now regretting it years later now rail is becoming a growth industry once again.

(A thought - if we end up scrapping any Mk3-based EMUs, is it feasible to insert a trailer car?)

I think a 150 would perhaps be somewhat underpowered with a trailer inserted Neil?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think a 150 would perhaps be somewhat underpowered with a trailer inserted Neil?

Yes, I suppose that might be the killer.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Are the two original Sprinters still in operation?

 

[Ash Bridge]

Are the two original Sprinters still in operation?

Both with GWR currently.

 

[PHILIPE]

Both with GWR currently.

They work the Reading to Basingstokes.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Many thanks to the both of you for that. They are the only units that I have any affection for as they both started life on the Matlock branch which was my local line when I was growing up.

For what its worth they were a huge improvement on the class 120's that they replaced.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Many thanks to the both of you for that. They are the only units that I have any affection for as they both started life on the Matlock branch which was my local line when I was growing up.

For what its worth they were a huge improvement on the class 120's that they replaced.

I used to love the 120's and also the 119 cross country units, then again by the mid eighties they would be getting rather past their sell by date undoubtedly.

 

[RichmondCommu]

I used to love the 120's and also the 119 cross country units, then again by the mid eighties they would be getting rather past their sell by date undoubtedly.

My school pals and I used to travel by class 120 to reach Crewe. On the way there all we could think of were one or two loco's at Cockshute Sidings and perhaps a couple more at the various industrial sidings and then of course there was the Mecca!

Even in the 1970's the journey home (all one and a half hours of it!) on a class 120 was not something that we looked forward to! Each to their own though

 

[BestWestern]

Was there any specific reason for the /0 and /1 fleets being built without end gangways, but the /2 fleet having them? Was it a design improvement, or was it always the intention to have subclasses differently equipped?

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I agree with all your other statements but not this one - I'm sure all the 150/1s came out in the original livery as per the model of 150135 earlier in this thread, but 150141-150 (I think!) later received the Provincial Services colours with 'Sprinter' branding.

Some 150s were used as part of a '3 car hybrid' formation trial around the West Midlands and Northwest. Apparently 150140-150145 and 150147-150150 were repainted to match the livery carried by the 150/2 vehicles. In Birmingham the idea stuck, in Manchester the units were reformed into 2 car units.

 

[40129]

IIRC the hybrids were then numbered as /0s

 

[sprinterguy]

IIRC the hybrids were then numbered as /0s

The hybrid Centro-based sets were renumbered as 150/0s (matching the two 3-car prototype 150/0s which operated in the same area), but the North West based units never were: During the 1993/94 period, GMPTE sets 150133 - 142 were formed as 3-car hybrid sets. The North West units were reduced back to standard 2-car sets by the time of the North West Trains refurbishment in 1999/2000.