Description
The bitesize Super Sprinter known to enthusiasts as the “Dogbox” joins the Rail Tags Fleet as our first ever railcar, in partnership with the Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway!
Originally built as two carriage Class 155 units for Regional Railways by Leyland Bus, the Class 153 is a railcar which was converted for use on rural branch lines to replace the Class 121 and 122 `Bubble Car` units of the late 50s and 1960s.
Conversion work was undertaken by British Rail in Kilmarnock, Scotland between 1991 & 1992 which yielded x70 Class 153 units from x35 Class 155s for use in different parts of the country. Out of the original 42 units built, only x7 remain in their original Class 155 unmodified configuration.
Works saw the retrofit of a narrow drivers cab in the B-end of the vehicle which housed luggage racks with a reduction in the size of the vestibule area.
In the current day, the Class 153 still sees regular work with Transport For Wales and ScotRail on rural branch lines and as “active travel” carriages boosting capacity on existing formations, the fleet is compatible with Class 150, 155, 156, 158, 159, 170 and 172s. (Historically used with Class 142s, 143s and 144s prior to their withdrawal)
There are also several preserved examples of the Class 153 fleet with notable examples being 153 374, now Caffi Super Sprinter Café at the Llaneli and Mynydd Mawr Railwa and, 153 308 + 371 at the Grand Central Railway which is primarily used to train staff for East Midlands Railway and Cross Country.
Three Class 153s are also retained by Network Rail to monitor infrastructure.
Our unit, 153 374 started life as 155 324 before being split into both 153 374 and 153 324 in 1992 and primarily operated for Regional Railways in the Devon & Cornwall area up until the 2010s where the unit was transferred to East Midlands Trains.
374 was withdrawn from revenue service in 2020 and sent to storage at Ely Papworth which is the primary home of Angel Trains’ Rolling Stock before being acquired by Transport For Wales as a spares donor for their 153 fleet.
After all valuable parts were stripped from the unit, the bodyshell was donated to the Llaneli and Mynydd Mawr Railway in a very impressive example of upcycling where it now sits on the site of Cynheidre Colliery as a local community café
Our metal came from the side of the unit that was cut away to allow an entrance to be fitted to the café and further upcycled into tags as a bespoke souvenir for visitors to the railway to take home.
(Class 153 374 Rail Tags are evenly stocked between us and Caffi Super Sprinter Café on the LMMR)
