Diesel multiple-units (DMU) - Great Britain: books (2/4)
Illustrated books on the history, types and technology of British diesel multiple-units (DMU) and rail buses (2/4).
Class 142 - The Bus That Became a Train
The British Rail Class 142 Pacer was an attempt to produce a cost-effective train to replace the worn-out and elderly first-generation BR Diesel Multiple Unit fleet that had been introduced in the late 1950s. The Class 142 concept was a marriage of proven bus technology, traditional railway chassis and powertrain by utilising modular Leyland National Bus Bodies mounted on a substantial steel underframe and powered by conventional underfloor diesel engines.
They came at a time when the network was lacking in investment, and when first introduced from 1985 onwards, they presented a fresh, bright and clean image, breathing new life into many suburban and rural services. Unfortunately, soon after introduction, there were serious reliability problems, which necessitated much re-engineering and design issues. However, the British Rail Class 142 Pacer became a familiar sight across the network. With the remaining ninety-four trains now all past their thirtieth birthday, the fleet is due to be retired by 2020.
Author:
Martyn Hilbert
Specs:
96 pages, 23.5 x 16.5 x 0.8 cm / 9.25 x 6.5 x 0.31 in, paperback
Since their introduction in 1984, the Class 150 series of 'Sprinter' diesel multiple units have plied their trade across the UK - from Cornwall to Scotland and many places in between - replacing large numbers of aging 1950s-built rolling stock. The backbone of many regional and rural services in the UK, the 'Sprinters' are a common sight on the modern railway network.
Lifelong railway enthusiast and photographer Andrew Cole takes a look at the 135-strong fleet and the routes they operate in a series of rare and unpublished images, covering a broad geographical area.
Author:
Andrew Cole
Specs:
96 pages, 23 x 16.5 x 0.8 cm / 9.1 x 6.5 x 0.31 in, paperback
The Class 156 (Super Sprinter) is a Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) ordered by British Rail and built between 1987 and 1989 by Metro-Cammell to replace the aging first-generation 'Heritage' DMUs. A total of 114 of these units were produced at the Washwood Heath works in Birmingham and have enjoyed wide and varied careers across the UK, from Scotland to East Anglia and South Wales.
Here, author Rich Mackin utilises his wide-ranging collection of photographs to celebrate a unit still seen on the railways today. Featuring members of the class in a variety of locations, this is an essential pictorial tribute to one of the great mainstays of the last thirty years of traction in Britain.
Author:
Rich Mackin
Specs:
96 pages, 23.5 x 16.5 x 1 cm / 9.25 x 6.5 x 0.39 in, paperback
In the early 1990s, British Rail introduced the 182-strong Class 158 fleet, followed by the 22-strong Class 159s. These units heralded a new era in long-distance travel at the time, replacing 1950s-designed locomotive-hauled coaches on long secondary and inter-city routes With all 204 units still in service today, this title aims to examine their varied operations, from Scotland to the south-west, from Wales to East Anglia, where they can still be found all across our rail network.
With unpublished photographs celebrating Class 158 and Class 159 DMUs, this book examines their varied operations, from Scotland to the south-west and Wales to East Anglia.
Author:
Andrew Cole
Specs:
96 pages, 23.5 x 16.5 x 0.8 cm / 9.25 x 6.5 x 0.31 in, paperback
