Class 156 DMU vs Class 158 DMU - Which Is The Better DMU?

[Anonymous10]

I would disagree about TfW’s interior spec. I think that GWR and SWR’s spec is superior, especially the thick seats

for me i find the head rests and seat shape with padding to be perfect but if we were all the same what a boring world it would be

 

[simon7929]

As traincrew and of average height. The 158s get my vote. Signed many units over the last 31 years. We lost 158s in our area for many years. They have returned since the demise of Pacers. And by god are they a welcome addition. Love it when one turns up on my schedule.

 

[Trainfan2019]

Only Northern left to complete the charging point roll out now? Oh, and SWR.

EMR didn't introduce charging points or wi-fi on 156s or 158s as far as I remember. Notably the 156 and 158 interiors are in better condition than the Meridians though.

 

[JonathanH]

EMR didn't introduce charging points or wi-fi on 156s or 158s as far as I remember. Notably the 156 and 158 interiors are in better condition than the Meridians though.

The USB sockets under the seat on their 158s took me by surprise as well. They are very discreet.

 

[Anonymous10]

As traincrew and of average height. The 158s get my vote. Signed many units over the last 31 years. We lost 158s in our area for many years. They have returned since the demise of Pacers. And by god are they a welcome addition. Love it when one turns up on my schedule.

whats your least favourite unit then

 

[Bevan Price]

Classes 156 and 158 were both good trains when new; I preferred 156s because they did not have aircon.
However, some of the refurbishments have made both classes worse, often reducing the leg room. By traditional standards, they would both be regarded as "old" and due for early replacement. A typical life would have been 20-25 years on "principal" services, followed by another 10 or so years relegated to secondary / "lighter" duties, then "goodbye".

 

[Bletchleyite]

Classes 156 and 158 were both good trains when new; I preferred 156s because they did not have aircon.
However, some of the refurbishments have made both classes worse, often reducing the leg room. By traditional standards, they would both be regarded as "old" and due for early replacement. A typical life would have been 20-25 years on "principal" services, followed by another 10 or so years relegated to secondary / "lighter" duties, then "goodbye".

I'm not aware of any 158 refurbishment that has reduced the legroom, though the amount by which it increased varies a bit, the Northern ones with ironing boards being by far the best in that respect. The original seats are incredibly space inefficient.

 

[LRV3004]

As traincrew and of average height. The 158s get my vote. Signed many units over the last 31 years. We lost 158s in our area for many years. They have returned since the demise of Pacers. And by god are they a welcome addition. Love it when one turns up on my schedule.

And yet you have a 156 as your profile picture?
Genuine joke by the way, no malice intended - but you have to admit the irony is brilliant!!!

 

[_toommm_]

Much prefer the 158s as they sound great, but are the same time quieter than the 156s. I particularly love the Northern 158/7 variant with the original seat (as opposed to the rest of the fleet with the ironing-board style ones).

 

[bramling]

Hello all, I was just wondering if people prefer the class 156 or 158 and if anyone has any interesting comparisons or facts about either of the units, I have only ever been on a 156 but I'd like to go on a 158 soon.

156 certainly from an operational point of view. 158s have plenty of niggles.

 

[Mikey C]

158 easily

I was on an EMR 158 on Saturday, it was comfy, and it felt like a "2021" train.

I took a Northern 156 a couple of weeks ago. It's perfectly ok for shorter routes, but feels like an 1980s train, of the sort that you'd expect to be replaced soon.

 

[Paul_10]

Appearances also helps. I think the 158s look like a new train with a refurbishment and even though the seats really do divide opinion, I don't mind them. 156s you can see with the hopper vent windows look more like a 80s or 90s train, I disagree with the poster about them falling apart, looking at RTT(for northern only admittedly) train faults involving the 156s are very low and are more than capable to run around for another 10 years at least although a fleet replacement plan does need to be planned.

Again going on appearances with the 156s externally I actually think the Northern ones regarding the front ends look the best whereas any units that has a bit of a livery wrapped around the edges of the front end like scotrail makes the units look more dated especially when they carried the 'barbie' livery.

As which is the best, as an enthusiast it would be the 156s and like sitting above the engines but I suspect most passengers would prefer the quieter 158.

 

[AlastairFraser]

And yet you have a 156 as your profile picture?
Genuine joke by the way, no malice intended - but you have to admit the irony is brilliant!!!

Maybe he was trying to share the momentous life occasion of him never having to work one of the bastards again!
Personally, I'll defo take one over a 150, nicer interior.

 

[Strathclyder]

I suspect I will make more enemies with this post than friends, but meh lol

156s clinch it for me overall. 158s may be faster, more modern, are a good deal quieter and look/feel surprisingly modern with the right refurb, but for me personally, the 156s have engrained themselves in my psyche for numerous reasons: I have done significantly more miles in them, have always preferred the liveries the Scottish-based ones have carried over the years, the enthusiast in me prefers the 156s' engine noise, they are warm (a boon in the bitterly cold winter mornings during the period I regularly used 1Y20 to commute to college in Glasgow), the interior of the Barbie-liveried examples I found to be rather comfortable besides, they are bullet-proof reliability-wise (never had one fail on me) and I've always preferred their looks to that of the 158s (don't ask me why, I can't explain it either. It's no doubt tied in with the point about the liveries). On top of all that, the sound of several-dozen 156s idling away to themselves at Glasgow Central High Level is one of those sounds that takes me right back to my childhood, when the place was near enough swarming with them.

Barring the SPT Carmine/Cream & ScotRail (National Express) liveries, a Barbie-liveried 156 will be how I personally best remember them (attached image is my own) after they finally bow out of service here.


(Abellio ScotRail 156493 calling at Singer with 1Y20 from Oban to Glasgow Queen St High Level. This is the only DMU-worked service to call here - 29/05/17)

 

[Towers]

Have any 156 ever conveyed first class?

 

[Ken H]

156. 158 with the slow doors, and a generally claustrophobic feel. 156 was the SuperSprinter!

 

[HSP 2]

True, but I think the 156 has a more powerful engine relative to its weight and it has superior acceleration to the 158.
However, the 158 is definitely more comfortable.

If you've not been on a 158 how can you say that it's definitely more comfortable?

 

[Mikey C]

As which is the best, as an enthusiast it would be the 156s and like sitting above the engines but I suspect most passengers would prefer the quieter 158.

Do enthusiasts, in general, really like sitting above the engine in an 80s DMU, with all the noise and vibration coming through?

I can tolerate it, but it's hardly one of the classic rail experiences, the golden age of steam or an HST taking off

 

[Sprinter107]

158 for me, although I have to admit, when we had 156s, you rarely had trouble with them, they were very reliable. I only ever had problems on a few occasions and strangely always seemed to be 156417. The 158s were more troublesome but I preferred them

 

[TRAX]

Do enthusiasts, in general, really like sitting above the engine in an 80s DMU, with all the noise and vibration coming through?

Yes

 

[Bayum]

I like the ‘throaty’ sound of 156s. Alas, it’s been too long since I had a trip on a 156!

 

[hexagon789]

Do enthusiasts, in general, really like sitting above the engine in an 80s DMU, with all the noise and vibration coming through?

Yes, i freely admit to enjoying some Super Sprinter Cummins thrash

Yes

Seconded

I like the ‘throaty’ sound of 156s. Alas, it’s been too long since I had a trip on a 156!

It is, much as 158s have the superior travelling environment, 156s have the superior engine sound!

 

[Bletchleyite]

It is, much as 158s have the superior travelling environment, 156s have the superior engine sound!

A downside for me of 158s is the horrid whine the engine noise becomes inside. 156s are noisy, but the whine is particularly nasty.

One could certainly say that as a MetCamm product the 156 is a worthy successor to the 101, looking very much like they will be going for over 50 years before all are scrapped.

 

[XC victim]

Strangely enough I was thinking about this the other day.

Class 158s are certainly faster and more comfortable than the class 156, but I do really think the class 156 are very overlooked and are very much the under appreciated workhorses of the network. They really really do the job they were designed for and if the question was which is the most successful class I think it is pretty much a draw with possibly the class 156 edging it.

but obviously the class 158 is the better unit though.

 

[newtownmgr]

As a driver & passenger 158 all day long.
not driven either types since the end of central trains. Definitely don’t miss the 156’s.

 

[hexagon789]

A downside for me of 158s is the horrid whine the engine noise becomes inside. 156s are noisy, but the whine is particularly nasty.

One could certainly say that as a MetCamm product the 156 is a worthy successor to the 101, looking very much like they will be going for over 50 years before all are scrapped.

From previous threads I don't think it's the engine that produces that whine from memory, isn't it the alternator for the electrical power that makes that God-awful sound or similar?

But yes, that's the one real downside of the 158s - that noise.

 

[Bletchleyite]

From previous threads I don't think it's the engine that produces that whine from memory, isn't it the alternator for the electrical power that makes that God-awful sound or similar?

But yes, that's the one real downside of the 158s - that noise.

That and the not-fit-for-purpose aircon, but that's fixable by fitting either the Chiltern system or giving up and fitting passenger controlled opening windows now they're used on more local services than long distance ones.

Nicest 158 ride I remember having was a TPE 3-car in the 90s from Manchester to Liverpool, I was in the middle coach with a failed engine and the emergency windows open, and it was quiet, smooth-riding and well-ventilated.

 

[hexagon789]

That and the not-fit-for-purpose aircon, but that's fixable by fitting either the Chiltern system or giving up and fitting opening windows now they're used on more local services than long distance ones.

Well that's why I didn't mention the air-con, because that is very fixable

 

[SteveM70]

This is all well and good, but what about the 155s?

 

[Bletchleyite]

This is all well and good, but what about the 155s?

I've never really minded 155s, to be honest, they are basically the same as a 156 but with a different body.