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List of British Rail diesel multiple unit classes facts for kids

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This is a list of British Rail diesel multiple unit classes.

Pre-nationalisation designs

Early BR DMUs (79xxx series)

Manufacturer Engines (per motor car) Transmission Type
BUT Railbuses 1 x AEC 125 bhp mechanical railbus
BR Derby 'Lightweight' 2 x Leyland 125 bhp or 2 x AEC 150 bhp mechanical low density
Metro-Cammell 'Lightweight' 2 x AEC 150 bhp mechanical low density
BR Swindon 'Intercity' 2 x AEC 150 bhp mechanical intercity
AC Cars Railbuses 1 x AEC 150 bhp mechanical railbus
Bristol-ECW Railbuses 1 x Gardner 112 bhp mechanical railbus
Park Royal Railbuses 1 x AEC 150 bhp mechanical railbus
Waggon und Maschinenbau Railbuses 1 x Buessing 150 bhp mechanical railbus
Wickham Railbuses 1 x Meadows 105 bhp mechanical railbus

First generation "Heritage" DMUs

TOPS classes

Class Manufacturer Engines (per motor car) Transmission Type Image
Class 100 Gloucester RC&W 2 x AEC 150 bhp mechanical low density BR Class 100.jpg
Class 101 Metro-Cammell 2 x AEC 150 bhp mechanical low density 101692 at Arley.JPG
Class 102 Metro-Cammell 2 x Leyland 150 bhp mechanical low density 101679 at Marple in 1997.jpg
Class 103 Park Royal 2 x AEC 150 bhp mechanical low density [1]
Class 104 Birmingham RC&W 2 x Leyland 150 bhp mechanical low density 50517 and 50455 at Bewdley.JPG
Class 105 Cravens 2 x AEC 150 bhp mechanical low density BR Class 105 E51282 and E56461 Longsight.jpg
Class 106 Cravens 2 x Leyland 150 bhp mechanical low density [2]
Class 107 BR Derby 'Heavyweight' 2 x AEC 150 bhp mechanical low density Class 107 in Largs (April 1984).jpg
Class 108 BR Derby 'Lightweight' 2 x Leyland 150 bhp mechanical low density 56208 and 51935 at Bewdley.JPG
Class 109 Wickham 2 x Leyland 150 bhp mechanical low density BR Class 109 Llangollen.jpg
Class 110 Birmingham RC&W 'Calder Valley' 2 x Rolls Royce 180 bhp mechanical low density BR Class 110 3-car.jpg
Class 111 Metro-Cammell 2 x Rolls Royce 180 bhp mechanical low density British Rail Class 111 at Skipton.jpg
Class 112 Cravens 1 x Rolls Royce 238 bhp mechanical low density No pictures can be found
Class 113 Cravens 1 x Rolls Royce 238 bhp hydraulic low density No pictures can be found
Class 114 BR Derby 'Heavyweight' 2 x Leyland 150 bhp mechanical low density 56006 at Kidderminster.JPG
Class 115 BR Derby 'Suburban' 2 x Albion 230 bhp mechanical high density [3]
Class 116 BR Derby 'Suburban' 2 x Leyland 150 bhp mechanical high density Set T326 (51131 and 51321) at Arley.JPG
Class 117 Pressed Steel 'Suburban' 2 x Leyland 150 bhp mechanical high density Rail-class-117-51402-amoswolfe.jpg
Class 118 Birmingham RC&W 'Suburban' 2 x Leyland 150 bhp mechanical high density Set T326 (51131 and 51321) at Arley.JPG
Class 119 Gloucester RC&W 'Cross-Country' 2 x AEC 150 bhp mechanical cross country British Rail Class 119 DMBC W51073
Class 120 BR Swindon 'Cross-Country' 2 x AEC 150 bhp mechanical cross country Class 120 at Leaton
Class 121 Pressed Steel 'Bubble Car' 2 x AEC 150 bhp mechanical high density 121020 at Bewdley.JPG
Class 122 Gloucester RC&W 'Bubble Car' 2 x AEC 150 bhp mechanical high density 55006 at Bewdley.JPG
Class 123 BR Swindon 'Intercity' 2 x Albion 230 bhp mechanical intercity [4]
Class 124 BR Swindon 'Trans-Pennine' 2 x Albion 230 bhp mechanical intercity [5]
Class 125 BR Derby 'Lea Valley' 2 x Rolls Royce 238 bhp hydraulic high density [6]
Class 126 BR Swindon 'Intercity' 2 x AEC 150 bhp mechanical intercity [7]
Class 127 BR Derby 'Bed-Pan' 2 x Rolls Royce 238 bhp hydraulic high density 55976 at Bewdley.JPG
Class 128 Gloucester RC&W 'Parcels' 2 x Albion 230 bhp mechanical parcels CL128 55993 PBORO.jpg
Class 129 Cravens 'Parcels' 2 x Leyland 150 bhp mechanical parcels [8]
Class 130 Parcels conversion from Class 116 2 x Leyland 150 bhp mechanical parcels No pictures can be found
Class 131 Parcels conversion from Class 122 2 x AEC 150 bhp mechanical parcels [9]

Second generation DMUs

Lightweight Railcars

Class Manufacturer Date Built Number Built Withdrawn Image
Class 139 Parry People Movers 2008 (being built) 2 x single cars Still in use 139001 TS 280608 d.adkins.jpg

Pacers

Class Manufacturer Date Built Number Built Withdrawn Image
Leyland Railbus
Prototypes
BREL-Leyland 1978-84 4 x single cars 19?? LEV1 at Weybourne Station.jpg
Class 140 BREL-Leyland 1980 1 x 2-car set 1981
Class 141 BREL-Leyland 1984 20 x 2-car sets 1999 141108 at Colne Valley Railway.jpg
Class 142 BREL-Leyland 1985-87 96 x 2-car sets still in use

(Due to be scrapped by 2020)

ATW-142002-CardiffCentral-01.jpg
Class 143 Barclay-Alexander 1985-86 25 x 2-car sets still in use

(Due to be scrapped by 2020)

ATW-143605-CardiffCentral-01.jpg
Class 144 BREL-Alexander 1986-87 13 x 2-car and 10 x 3-car sets still in use

(Due to be scrapped by 2020)

Northern-144023-01.jpg

Sprinters

Class Manufacturer Date Built Number Built Withdrawn Image
Class 150 BREL Sprinter 1984-87 135 x 2-car and 2 x 3-car sets still in use 150014 Birmingham MS 2007.jpg
Class 151 Metro-Cammell prototypes 1985 2 x 3-car units 1989
Class 153 BREL-Leyland Super-Sprinter
(rebuilt from Class 155)
1991-92 70 single cars still in use 153atBetws.JPEG
Class 154 BREL Sprinter 1985 3 car unit converted from class 150 Converted back to class 150 154001 Manton.jpg
Class 155 BREL-Leyland Super-Sprinter 1987-88 42 x 2-car sets,
7 still in original form
still in use Northern - 155346
Class 156 Metro-Cammell Super-Sprinter 1987-89 114 x 2-car sets still in use 156419 at Sudbury 1.jpg
Class 157 Proposed Strathclyde PTE Sprinter Never Built
Class 158 BREL Express 1989-92 165 2-car and 17 3-car sets still in use 158952 at Newport.jpg
Class 159 BREL Express 1992-93 22 3-car sets still in use 159005 SWT Bristol Temple Meads 2005-06-28.jpg

Turbos

Networker

Class Manufacturer Date Built Number Built Image
Class 165 BREL Network Turbo 1990-92 48 x 2-car and 28 x 3-car sets 165117 at Royal Oak 13-4-07.jpg
Class 166 BREL Network Express Turbo 1992-93 21 x 3-car sets 166217 at Old Oak Common.jpg

Turbostar

Class Manufacturer Date Built Number Built Image
Class 168 Adtranz/Bombardier Clubman 1998-2006 9 3-car and 10 4-car sets Chiltern train at Kidderminster.jpg
Class 170 Adtranz/Bombardier Turbostar 1998-2005 44 2-car and 89 3-car sets (to date) 170206 at Marks Tey.jpg
Class 171 Adtranz/Bombardier Turbostar 2003-04 9 x 2-car and 6 x 4-car sets 171802 at York Railfest
Class 172 Bombardier Turbostar 2009-2010 24 x 2-car and 15 x 3-car (on order)

Coradias

Class Manufacturer Date Built Number Built Image
Class 175 Alstom Coradia 1000 1999-2001 11 x 2-car and 16 x 3-car sets BR Class 175 at Llandudno Junction.jpg
Class 180 Alstom Coradia 2000-2001 14 x 5-car sets 180114 at Cheltenham Spa.JPG

Desiro

Class Manufacturer Date Built Number Built Image
Class 185 Siemens Desiro UK 2005-06 51 x 3-car sets Tpenewclass185.jpg

Diesel-electric multiple units (DEMUs)

Southern Region DEMUs

Class SR code Built Quantity (sets) Withdrawn Image
Class 201 6S 1957-58 7 x 6-car sets 1986
Class 202 6L 1957-58 9 x 6-car sets 1986-87 [10]
Class 203 6B 1958 7 x 6-car sets 1980s [11]
Class 204 2H/3T 1979 (formed using class 205 and 206 cars) 4 x 3-car sets 1980s Class 204 DEMU.jpg
Class 205 2H/3H 1957-62 4 x 2-car and 29 3-car sets 1992-2004 205032 at London Bridge
Class 206 3R 1964 6 x 3-car sets (formed using class 201 and 416 cars) 1979 Tadpole unit at guildford.jpg
Class 207 3D 1962 19 x 3-car sets 1990-2004 207203 arriving at London Bridge
Class 210 1981 1 x 3-car and 1 x 4-car set 210001 at Reading for a service to Didcot

Voyager-style express DEMUs

Class Manufacturer Date Built Number Built Image
Class 220 Bombardier Voyager 2001-03 34 x 4-car sets CrossCountry Class 220.jpg
Class 221 Bombardier Super Voyager 2001-03 4 x 4-car and 40 x 5-car sets 221113 at Glasgow
Class 222 Bombardier Meridian/Pioneer 2003-04 13 x 4-car, 7 x 5-car and 7 x 8-car sets 222017 EMT livery.jpg

High Speed Trains

Class Manufacturer Information Date Built Number Built (driving motor cars) Withdrawn Image
Class 251/261 Metro-Cammell Blue Pullman 1959-60 10 1973
Class 252 BREL Prototype HST 1972 2 1980s
Class 253/254 BREL HST / InterCity 125 (driving motors reclassified as Class 43 and trailers as Mk.3 hauled stock) 1976-1984 197 still in use
Class 255 BREL Proposed HST sets for use by Virgin Trains on Cross-Country routes 1976-84 Never Built

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List of British Rail diesel multiple unit classes Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.