Porterbrook Class 150 gifted to Mid Hants Railway.

[ExRes]

Is 150231 still at Derby , If so when is it expected to leave ?

RTT schedule showing for 23rd December, RailAdventure operated 0858 5Q15 Derby Litchurch Lane to Alton

 

[ls2270]

For anyone interested, the Mid Hants is now offering half day driving experiences (combined with being a guard and signaller) on the Class 150. First advertised date is 17th April 2026. Not for the financially challenged however, at a whopping £650 and that’s sharing with two other participants!

 

[UP13]

I saw the email. I was interested until I saw the price...

 

[ls2270]

I saw the email. I was interested until I saw the price...

Me too! If you crossed off the last zero I might be interested.

 

[nanstallon]

For anyone interested, the Mid Hants is now offering half day driving experiences (combined with being a guard and signaller) on the Class 150. First advertised date is 17th April 2026. Not for the financially challenged however, at a whopping £650 and that’s sharing with two other participants!

Sure that isn't the price to buy the 150 unit?

 

[duffield]

For a 150? I could imagine maybe £200, £650 seems very excessive. However, if they can sell the places, more power to them. I guess they'll reduce it if it doesn't sell.

 

[nanstallon]

For a 150? I could imagine maybe £200, £650 seems very excessive. However, if they can sell the places, more power to them. I guess they'll reduce it if it doesn't sell.

If I had already booked at £650, then the price reduced to £250, I'd feel a little peeved!

 

[Invincible]

Sure that isn't the price to buy the 150 unit?

Guess there will be a dedicated fund to help support and maintain the 150?
Running an early morning train service should also bring in some cash?.

Class 150 'Sprinter' Unit No. 150231 - Watercress Line

This year marks an exciting milestone for The Watercress Line as we welcome the first second-generation Sprinter Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) into preservation:

watercressline.co.uk

Then the emphasis will be on fundraising for the 1125 "thumper" unit?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Dec 2025 ==

RTT schedule showing for 23rd December, RailAdventure operated 0858 5Q15 Derby Litchurch Lane to Alton

Passing though Reading and Woking

Realtime Trains | 5Q15 0858 Derby Litchurch Lane to Alton | 23/12/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q15 0858 departure from Derby Litchurch Lane to Alton on 23/12/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Leyland Bus]

Guess there will be a dedicated fund to help support and maintain the 150?
Running an early morning train service should also bring in some cash?.

Class 150 'Sprinter' Unit No. 150231 - Watercress Line

This year marks an exciting milestone for The Watercress Line as we welcome the first second-generation Sprinter Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) into preservation:

watercressline.co.uk

Then the emphasis will be on fundraising for the 1125 "thumper" unit?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Dec 2025 ==


Passing though Reading and Woking

Realtime Trains | 5Q15 0858 Derby Litchurch Lane to Alton | 23/12/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q15 0858 departure from Derby Litchurch Lane to Alton on 23/12/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Interestingly, the link on Watercress Lines website to the Sprinters own website takes me to shutterfly.com a seemingly US based card and calendar retailer

 

[fgwrich]

Guess there will be a dedicated fund to help support and maintain the 150?
Running an early morning train service should also bring in some cash?.

Class 150 'Sprinter' Unit No. 150231 - Watercress Line

This year marks an exciting milestone for The Watercress Line as we welcome the first second-generation Sprinter Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) into preservation:

watercressline.co.uk

Then the emphasis will be on fundraising for the 1125 "thumper" unit?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Dec 2025 ==


Passing though Reading and Woking

Realtime Trains | 5Q15 0858 Derby Litchurch Lane to Alton | 23/12/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q15 0858 departure from Derby Litchurch Lane to Alton on 23/12/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

It certainly seems to be Sprinting its way to the south, 56 early at Washwood Heath.

 

[43096]

Sure that isn't the price to buy the 150 unit?

It isn't (it was likely lower as it was donated) but the ongoing upkeep is another thing entirely. Buying is the easy bit.

 

[brad465]

Sorry if I’ve missed it on here, has the unit been moved yet?

I'm guessing it was this? (It's definitely been photographed today doing the move)

Realtime Trains | 5Q15 0858 Derby Litchurch Lane to Alton | 23/12/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q15 0858 departure from Derby Litchurch Lane to Alton on 23/12/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Bessie]

Yes, it moved down to the Watercress line today and they are already advertising Class 150 driver experiences next year on their website.

 

[centraltrains]

Class 150s were my happy local train memory growing up as a kid, they look beautiful to me... that nice take-me-back happy memory. I use to purposely try and time my trips to University on the 150 Hereford diagram where possible for the happy throw back. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all.

The memories of leaning my head on the side/window and the absolutely massive vibration through my skull and teeth while stopped at a station... The engine acceleration sound is pure monstrous energy gold.

 

[Iskra]

I’m not overly enamoured with the class, as I get subjected to the Northern ones fairly often. However, I must say that looks stunning.

I doubt it will happen but I’d love a 90’s event, possibly with the 150, KWVR 144, Wensleydale 143, Wensleydale RES 47 etc…

 

[Ashley Hill]

I’m not overly enamoured with the class, as I get subjected to the Northern ones fairly often.

Perhaps it’s the old generational thing. I get excited by metcams because I worked on them, whilst others get gooey about GWR railcars etc.
Those who grew up only knowing sprinters probably dislike 170s.

 

[Iskra]

Perhaps it’s the old generational thing. I get excited by metcams because I worked on them, whilst others get gooey about GWR railcars etc.
Those who grew up only knowing sprinters probably dislike 170s.

It’s the internal crampedness, terrible seating layout and non-existent legroom of the Northern examples that gets me. I like (and even enjoy) all the other Sprinter classes as they are very much the era of my youth. 170’s are nice units.

 

[Ashley Hill]

170’s are nice units.

Can’t stand 170s.

 

[Thornaby 37]

Youtube short of 150231 passing Worcester on its way to the Mid Hants Railway

 

[Justin Smith]

Class 150s were my happy local train memory growing up as a kid, they look beautiful to me... that nice take-me-back happy memory. I use to purposely try and time my trips to University on the 150 Hereford diagram where possible for the happy throw back. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all.

The memories of leaning my head on the side/window and the absolutely massive vibration through my skull and teeth while stopped at a station... The engine acceleration sound is pure monstrous energy gold.

Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder, but the big problem with the Class 150s if one cannot actually look at much out of them....

 

[Invincible]

Interestingly, the link on Watercress Lines website to the Sprinters own website takes me to shutterfly.com a seemingly US based card and calendar retailer

Guess the webpage will be sorted soon? The Facebook group is up, but not open and requires a request to join, which is strange as it does not need to be a closed group?

Running a new early morning 150 train service from Alton, it will not matter to much if the views from windows are restricted, or it's a bit cramped inside, as later journeys in the day visited can be made on MK1 coaches?
It will also be the nearest possible experience to a 455 ride for many who remember 455s in the region.

 

[nanstallon]

The 150s with corridor connections don't win any prizes in my beauty competition, but when (in the South West) we received a lot of the ones without the corridor connection I really liked them. Sadly they went away and we havejust the ugly ones

 

[Mat17]

It’ll have to be digital unless they can get the rollers and blind box for them. I don’t think any 150s have the roller mechanism left anymore. As for updating the system, it’ll depend on if anyone has access to the TrainFX software, or if they are willing to reprogram it.

Could a 153 blind be used? The ex-Northern ones all had manual blinds.

 

[Invincible]

There is now a 150 Club "to support the unit’s refurbishment and maintenance"

https://watercressline.beaconforms.com/form/33945634

"Members of the Club (who have donated a total of £150) will each be invited to have a cab experience on the Class 150 on The Watercress Line."
Doesn't say driving?

 

[Rover]

I saw them brand new in 1984, they ran from York Works to Chesterfield and back on test, I saw many of them and I remember thinking at the time that one day one will be preserved, and that day has arrived, the downside is that I'm now 40 years older!

 

[martin butler]

Everywhere is strapped for money, so of course the MHR will try to make as much as it can from having the only 150 unit in preservation,
It's no longer cost effective to steam a loco to operate a two-steam timetable, and the railway isn't exactly flush with engines in ticket now,
so it looks like it could be the 150, and either a steam loco, or one of the resident diesels,

I wonder is part of the problem also lack serviceable stock to maintain an Alton Rake? if that isn't the case, why not operate with one of the lines resident diesels? or is the 150 a stop gap, to run early and late season services to enable the workshops more time to maintain the coaching stock ?

 

[fgwrich]

Whether people like it or not, the Mid Hants has done well to capitalise on the donation from Porterbrook and released a (sped up) video of its journey down from Derby, with comments from MD Richard Bentley, Tim Dunn, Rebecca Dalley and George Streather.

And I agree with the sentiments mentioned in the video, not only does it allow the line to operate a lower cost service whilst the Thumper is undergoing restoration, it will also attract a younger generation of enthusiasts to the line, something which (while many will still scoff at given 150s use elsewhere) will be needed in the future as generations become older and knowledge and experience is lost.

 

[Amlag]

Praps the highly solvent Porterbrook ROSCO could gift /loan some cl 150 DMUs to gWR/gBR to help out on Devon and Cornwall local services, where hardly a day goes by without passengers suffering disruption and delay due cancellation of services and short forms through far too regular instances of unit failures.

 

[cats_five]

Whether people like it or not, the Mid Hants has done well to capitalise on the donation from Porterbrook and released a (sped up) video of its journey down from Derby, with comments from MD Richard Bentley, Tim Dunn, Rebecca Dalley and George Streather.

And I agree with the sentiments mentioned in the video, not only does it allow the line to operate a lower cost service whilst the Thumper is undergoing restoration, it will also attract a younger generation of enthusiasts to the line, something which (while many will still scoff at given 150s use elsewhere) will be needed in the future as generations become older and knowledge and experience is lost.

Excellent video, and I thought I spotted the smokebox of a steam engine near Didcot.

 

[156444]

Excellent video, and I thought I spotted the smokebox of a steam engine near Didcot.

Yes, it was 4144. The driver of 4144 gave a little fanfare on the whistle as the 150 pulled away from the signal stop.