Class 158 front ends

[ash39]

One of those questions I've always wanted to know the answer to and never got round to investigating. Very geeky question so please indulge me...

I might be wrong on the dates and companies, but around 1996-1997 I believe Central Trains and TransPennine Express were the first to 'mess' with the front end of their Class 158's and introduce a yellow number panel in place of the original black one. As an aside, I remember as a young kid thinking the TPE ones were completely new trains at first, I can't think of another train that looks so different just through placement of yellow and black paint!

The 'problem', is invariably these ended up going missing and leaving the black panel underneath. Sometimes the number would be on the opposite side, sometimes the number would become white on a black background - presumably these were just left under the yellow panels for when they eventually fall off.

The obvious follow on quesiton is what happens to all the panels, did they just end up laying in the six foot for track workers to find at the next posession? How were they attached in the depots in the first place?

A couple of photos as an example, taken four years apart, of 52861 from Northerns 158861 (also noteworthy as being the newest Class 158 vehicle, as it was built to replace the same-numbered vehicle which was damaged in an accident at Hazel Grove in 1992).

158861 Copmanthorpe 01/02/2015 by Flash 3939, on Flickr

158861 Silverdale 30/03/2019 by Flash 3939, on Flickr

 

[43096]

Isn’t it just yellow vinyl over part of the windscreen. Unit has probably had a replacement windscreen at some point.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Aren't they just stickers on the window?

 

[ash39]

From memory I always thoguht they looked 'thicker' like a section of metal, and I'd have expected a slight colour mismatch with the paint of the rest of the front end, but you may be right?

 

[m79900]

And the Scottish units have weird oblong covers around the light cluster, and some have a different designed front valance with a more obvious snow plough.

 

[CR165022]

It definitely looks like a separate panel, the black panel looks to be inside the cab, with the white numbers applied on the glass, whereas the yellow panels are on the outside. However I have also seen units where that outer yellow panel has since been painted black, differing from units that never had it to begin with.

 

[edwin_m]

It could be some kind of vinyl on the glass?

Whatever it is, the glass continues down to about the level of the white handrail, so if the glass needed replacing then it would be removed and maybe not reinstated whether it's a vinyl or a separate panel in front of the glass. It's likely that over a period of years a fair number of units will have had windscreens replaced.

 

[ash39]

It definitely looks like a separate panel, the black panel looks to be inside the cab, with the white numbers applied on the glass, whereas the yellow panels are on the outside. However I have also seen units where that outer yellow panel has since been painted black, differing from units that never had it to begin with.

Interesting, although it could be that the third black one is also a full sticker with a black background as opposed to white stick on letters straight onto the glass?

It could be some kind of vinyl on the glass?

Whatever it is, the glass continues down to about the level of the white handrail, so if the glass needed replacing then it would be removed and maybe not reinstated whether it's a vinyl or a separate panel in front of the glass. It's likely that over a period of years a fair number of units will have had windscreens replaced.

This did cross my mind but based on the vast number of units with mismatched panels around the 1999-2000 period, it would surely have outnumbered the amount of damaged/replaced windscreens.

 

[CR165022]

Interesting, although it could be that the third black one is also a full sticker with a black background as opposed to white stick on letters straight onto the glass?

Yes that's what I was referring to with my 2nd point, one's that have black outer panels instead of just numbers on glass

 

[Leyland Bus]

I'd say they are vinyl on top, sticking metal to glass would be unusual, vinyl is easier and cheaper for a start.

 

[sprinterguy]

I always gained the impression, on Transpennine and Central Trains units, that the yellow panels were a vinyl sticker, as they used to develop ragged top edges with the black showing through as per my photo of 158760 below. Similarly the yellow side edges to the headlight covers were sometimes missing, presumably if one had been replaced due to damage.

 

[frankmoh]

159006 passes Masters Crossing near Fairwood Junction, 19th March 2026, from tomcurtisrailgallery.weebly.com

I'd always thought that 159s had "something different" about their front ends until I realised that it's just black light surrounds instead of yellow. Granted the yellow front on this unit is closer to brown, but the distinction is far smaller than I thought.

 

[Russel]

I always gained the impression, on Transpennine and Central Trains units, that the yellow panels were a vinyl sticker, as they used to develop ragged top edges with the black showing through as per my photo of 158760 below. Similarly the yellow side edges to the headlight covers were sometimes missing, presumably if one had been replaced due to damage.
View attachment 206097

To add to this, TPE and Central also painted the top half of the cab black rather than the usual yellow, which I've always thought looked awful.

 

[capital12]

I’ve never got why anyone thought it was a good idea to paint all the window frames yellow either - looks bl**dy awful!

The ScotRail 156s also suffer from this and look awful too!

I always thought the South West Trains front looked the best, which was kind of carried on by SWR (as seen in post above) - albeit the red has been replaced by the dark grey which doesn’t look as good in my opinion.

 

[150249]

I wonder if anyone actually prefers the look of the yellow surrounds. I've always thought the SWR and EMR units look significantly better, especially the purple units.

 

[Towers]

I wonder if anyone actually prefers the look of the yellow surrounds. I've always thought the SWR and EMR units look significantly better, especially the purple units.

Certainly the yellow cab front and dark skirt valance is, IMHO, the best look! Don’t mind any of them though really, handsome trains the 158s, with the exception of the awful ‘bug eye’ lights & surrounds that Scotrail decided to fit for whatever reason!