Class 151 DMUs

[driver9000]

Hi.

Not sure if this is the right place for this thread, please move it to a more suitable location if not.

Does anyone have any photographs of diagrams detailing the layout of the ilfated class 151 driving cabs? Ive been curious about them for a long while now.

Thank you in advance.

 

[O L Leigh]

Questions about these units pop up from time to time. I still maintain that they were a superior design to the BREL Cl150's that we got lumbered with in the end.

You might be onto a loser with your quest, but good luck.

one TN

 

[Respite]

Oi One TN! 150's are lovely units to drive IMHO! Does everything it says on the box without any fuss. I despised them as a child when they first came out, well they did take peds & coaches of a lot of service's that I used, mainly over to norfolk from the midlands. But seeing things from the actual driving side I find them a good unit, not as good as a 158 but still all the boxes ticked! Two engines, sanders, lovely space between annoying passengers & cab & they go like sh*t through a goose of the mark. Wish I drove 150/1's as leaving the traincrew doors open in the summer results in some execellent air conditioning...........although slightly illegal I believe.

 

[O L Leigh]

Maybe so, but they are dark dingy little boxes with terrible seating. At least the Cl151 appeared to offer it's passengers a lighter and more airy travelling experience.

one TN

 

[Respite]

Screw the passengers, I'm on the unit longer than them!

 

[Coxster]

Not found any cab shots, but this page includes a cut-away drawing of the sides and front. I expect you've already found that though.

On a related note - it's a shame they weren't saved. Quite sad when you see unique bits of history in this condition, before then being gone for good.

 

[O L Leigh]

Screw the passengers, I'm on the unit longer than them!

True. But how do you know that the cabs weren't equally commodious as the saloons or the performance as perky as the Cl150...?

one TN

 

[Respite]

One TN,
True.....But My point was that 150's aint that bad.

Oh & check the thread in general chat (Safety rules for .......) regarding opening doors whilst moving, true for my units, same for yours?

 

[O L Leigh]

Have replied there also. The situation for me varies depending on which of the two classes of unit I'm driving at the time.

As for the Cl150's, I've spent too long as a passenger on Anglia's old Cl150/2's slogging across the Fens to Peterborough to ever be entirely reconciled to these units. I'd rather ride a Scud than one of these BREL buckets (with respect).

one TN

 

[Respite]

You really need to start signing sprinters mate, LOL.

 

[O L Leigh]

That would need a change of location and/or company. For the time being I'm happy to bimble up and down on my leccy units.

Perhaps something for the future.

one TN

 

[Respite]

Hey you can fill my vacancy when I decide to go over to a company with the letters R, D & S in their title.

 

[O L Leigh]

That sounds tempting.

*Fires up MS AutoRoute*

Eek!! That's a monster commute. Don't fancy that for a 5am start.

one TN

 

[Kneedown]

I'm afraid i cant provide any photo's of the 151's, but i did get to drive them quite often when i was a secondman at Derby. At that time they had class 58 style "PBL" joystick brake handle (as did the prototype 150/154 units) although i gather they were later converted to the standard "Westcode" braking system. They were notorious for having weak compressors, so bad that the "low main air" governor would apply the brakes at the most inconvenient of locations. I remember standing on Eggington level crossing for 20mins one day waiting for the air to build up again! The sliding cab doors also came open of their own accord at speed, and the passenger seats were small and basic. They did, however have a motorised destination blind which meant you didn't pull your back muscles reaching up to manually wind it on. Shame that device never caught on!
There were whisperings a while ago that Notts city council wanted to put them back into service on the Robin Hood line, but sadly this was not to be.

 

[O L Leigh]

Interesting stuff. I'm sure that, if they'd been ordered for production, they would have sorted the main compressor and cab door issues.

As for the passenger seating, didn't the Cl150 prototypes appear with bus-style bench seats also...?

one TN

 

[Kneedown]

Forgot to say that apparently it was due to severe chassis corrosion that they didn't return to service.
In their heyday, they could normally be found on the Sinfin - Derby -Matlock service, although they did venture further afield to Crewe and on occasion to Lincoln.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Interesting stuff. I'm sure that, if they'd been ordered for production, they would have sorted the main compressor and cab door issues.

As for the passenger seating, didn't the Cl150 prototypes appear with bus-style bench seats also...?

one TN

No, they had normal seats, although some at each end were arranged in a bench fashion, and in their own compartment.
For all the 151's faults it would be nice to see them running around still, a little variety makes the job more interesting!

 

[O L Leigh]

Really? I thought that they employed the same monocoque construction as most modern stock, but were built primarily from stainless steel.

If the descendents of the BR PEP EMU's managed to survive in service with all the bi-metallic corrosion problems caused by their construction, I'm a little surprised to hear that it was corrosion that did for the Cl151's. My understanding was that the units were wildly non-standard compared to the other DMU classes in operation and that returning them to operational status was uneconomic.

**EDIT**

Ref Cl150 seating: I'm almost certain that I've seen a picture of the interior of one of the Cl150 prototype interiors showing low-backed bench seating. It was in an Ian Allan book on 2nd gen DMU's published back in the 1980's that I had some years ago.

one TN

 

[Kneedown]

Really? I thought that they employed the same monocoque construction as most modern stock, but were built primarily from stainless steel.

If the descendents of the BR PEP EMU's managed to survive in service with all the bi-metallic corrosion problems caused by their construction, I'm a little surprised to hear that it was corrosion that did for the Cl151's. My understanding was that the units were wildly non-standard compared to the other DMU classes in operation and that returning them to operational status was uneconomic.

**EDIT**

Ref Cl150 seating: I'm almost certain that I've seen a picture of the interior of one of the Cl150 prototype interiors showing low-backed bench seating. It was in an Ian Allan book on 2nd gen DMU's published back in the 1980's that I had some years ago.

one TN

The bench style seats were quite low backed, but the upholstery was similar to that in the main saloon. When you said bus style seats i thought you meant leyland national/142 style. My apologies if i got the wrong end of the stick.

As regards the corrosion issue, i'm afraid i'm not so technically au fait with the type of construction of the 151's, but corrosion was the reason we all heard for Notts Council abandining plans for them. As they havn't tried to source any other dedicated traction maybe they just changed their minds.

 

[Respite]

They did, however have a motorised destination blind which meant you didn't pull your back muscles reaching up to manually wind it on.

Now I like the sound of that!

 

[driver9000]

All the replies are making interesting reading, good to know there are a few on here that worked with the 151s. It was always a shame to see them going mouldy at Crewe.

How does the joystic style brake handle work? Ive only ever worked with full brake handles.

 

[Kneedown]

All the replies are making interesting reading, good to know there are a few on here that worked with the 151s. It was always a shame to see them going mouldy at Crewe.

How does the joystic style brake handle work? Ive only ever worked with full brake handles.

Basically, there are only 3 positions, the normal centre position is "Lap" or "Hold" to you and me. A push forward will provide an initial brake application of just over 4 bar in the brake pipe, and further pushes forward will reduce the pressure further to whatever you desire as it is variable. The desired brake pressure will be held by releasing the handle which will spring back to "Lap". To release the brakes you merely pull back on the handle. Again, this is variable, so quite simply its push to brake, pull back to release, and let go to hold pressure.
On the prototype 150's/154 there was also a fourth "Emergency" position past the "Apply" position. 58's and 60's never had this fourth position as they just had an emergency brake plunger on the desk. I'm afraid i can't remember whether the 151's had this fourth position or not.

I recall from my 58 training that the term "PBL" brake stems from the French company who designed it, "Pousson Bouton Locomotive" (Forgive spelling!)

Hope this helps,
Regards,
K'down.

 

[driver9000]

Thanks kneedown!

I assume then that if you make further applications of the brake by pushing forward, then when you pull it back to release it returns the brakes to fully released or can you 'click' the controller to release in stages?

 

[Nym]

Come on, no-one can say the 150 doors are any good! even the 156 Doors are nicer than them, I always feel like I'm going to fall out the 150s! Well thats BREL cheapness for ya

 

[Kneedown]

Thanks kneedown!

No prob's

I assume then that if you make further applications of the brake by pushing forward, then when you pull it back to release it returns the brakes to fully released or can you 'click' the controller to release in stages?

You can bring it off gradually, it's variable so you can set it to wherever you want. Was great when loading in collieries (58's and 60's, not 151's!) where as the train weight gradually increased, on a downhill gradient, you could vary the brake pressure with ease to keep it at the half mph or 1mph loading speed. You had a lot more work to do if on a 56, or even a pair of 20's where you couldn't vary the brake pressure with as much precision, and so were constantly "giving it a bit more, a bit less, a bit more..." and so forth.
Having said that i'd sooner have had a 56 above all else. They sounded better! :razz: