#4814· BR Class 153

British Rail Class 153

🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by Andrew Barclay Sons & Co.· from 1991· British single-carriage diesel railcars

3 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. Arriva Trains Class 153 No 153321 (14866507237): Peter Broster· CC BY 2.0
2. Class 153 BREL-Leyland Super-Sprinter DMU 153374, Severn Beach 31.3.1994 Scans932 (10708380626): Gillett's Crossing from Bristol, United Kingdom· CC BY 2.0
3. Wessex Trains Class 153 DMU 153377 2006-01-05: Thryduulf· CC BY-SA 4.0

what is it?

The British Rail Class 153 Super Sprinter are a type of diesel-hydraulic railcars, which were converted from two-coach Class 155 diesel multiple units in the early 1990s. The class was intended for service on rural branch lines, either where passenger numbers do not justify longer trains or to boost the capacity on services with high passenger volume.

who runs it

Network Rail ScotRail Trains (2022-)Transport for Wales Rail Abellio ScotRail (2015-2022)Anglia Railways Arriva Rail North Arriva Trains Northern Arriva Trains Wales Central Trains East Midlands Railway East Midlands Trains First North Western Great Western Railway Greater Anglia

base stats

speed 121 km/htop speed
seats 75passengers
built 70made in total

Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.

fun facts

First built 35 years ago, in 1991.
23.2 m long: about 5 cars parked nose to tail.
Still in service after 35 years.

multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.

spec sheet

built: 1991
in service from: 1991
status: in service
number built: 70
kind: multiple unit
traction: diesel
origin: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
builders: Andrew Barclay Sons & Co., Leyland Bus
operators: Network Rail, ScotRail Trains (2022-), Transport for Wales Rail, Abellio ScotRail (2015-2022), Anglia Railways, Arriva Rail North, Arriva Trains Northern, Arriva Trains Wales, Central Trains, East Midlands Railway, East Midlands Trains, First North Western, Great Western Railway, Greater Anglia
top speed: 121 km/h
power: —
formation: Single vehicle: DMSL, Driver's cab, Motor car, Standard class saloon, Lavatory
length: 23.2 m
capacity: 75 passengers
Dutch name: BR Class 153

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

family

Sources: Wikidata Q3303693, Wikipedia: British Rail Class 153 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.