British Rail Class 115

Last updated

British Rail Class 115
13.04.81 London Marylebone Class 115 (12331491743).jpg
A Class 115 at Marylebone in April 1981.
In service1960–1998
Manufacturer BR Derby
Family name First generation
ReplacedSteam locomotives and carriages
Number built41 four-car sets
Number preserved15 cars

9 (DMBS) 4 (TCL)

2 (TS)
Successor Class 165
FormationDMBSTCLTS–DMBS
CapacityDMBS: 78 Second;
TCL 30 First, 40 Second;
TS: 106 Second;
4-car total: 30 First, 302 Second
Operators British Rail
Lines served Chiltern Main Line, London to Aylesbury Line
Specifications
Car length63 ft 6 in (19.35 m)
Width9 ft 3 in (2.82 m)
Maximum speed70 mph (110 km/h)
Weight135 long tons (137 t; 151 short tons) trainset
Prime mover(s) Two 230 hp (172 kW) BUT (Leyland Albion) per DMBS
Power output920 hp (686 kW) per set
Auxiliaries Albion
Safety system(s) AWS, Tripcock
Multiple working Blue Square
Track gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)

The British Rail Class 115 diesel multiple units were 41 high-density sets which operated the outer-suburban services from Marylebone usually to destinations such as High Wycombe, Aylesbury and Banbury which are on the Chiltern Main Line and Great Central Main Line (now the London to Aylesbury Line). Sometimes, these sets used to operate 8- or 12-car-long expresses to Nottingham Victoria in the final years of the GCML. Coincidentally, Class 115 units operated services under Table 115 in the British Rail timetable.

Contents

Construction and service

Based on the basic Derby high density design, the sets are similar to Class 127 but were internally superior as the class had larger windows, better furnishings, lighting and wall surfaces.

Six sets were also built for the Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC) line between Liverpool and Manchester, where in 1960 they replaced steam haulage on the limited stop services via Warrington. These units lasted on the CLC until the mid-1980s when the principal services on that line became locomotive-hauled once again using Class 31 diesels. The CLC units were then transferred to join the identical ones at Marylebone.

Class 115 units also worked from Tyseley in the later years.

The Marylebone sets, which were later transferred to Bletchley but remained on Chiltern Line duties (and finally to Old Oak Common), were declared surplus after the introduction of Class 165s, from 1991 onwards. While at Bletchley and Old Oak Common depots the class found use on the Gospel Oak to Barking line, units being formed as power twins. They were, in turn, replaced on this line by Class 117 power twins, displaced from Paddington suburban duties.

The final class 115 working out of Marylebone was on 29 July 1992. The Tyseley vehicles survived a bit longer, until February 1994.

Some of the class briefly found their way on to the Redhill to Tonbridge Line to replace ageing DEMU sets. The line was electrified in 1993, in order to allow a diversionary route for the Eurostar, and the class 115s were replaced initially with Class 411 EMUs, then ex-Merseyrail Class 508 EMUs in 1998 (after privatisation).

Table of orders and numbers
Lot No.TypeDiagramQtyFleet numbersNotes
30530Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS)5983051651–51680
30531Trailer Open Second (TS)5901559649–59663
30532Trailer Composite with lavatory (TCL)5991559664–59678
30595Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS)5981251849–51860
30596Trailer Open Second (TS)590659713–59718
30597Trailer Composite with lavatory (TCL)599659719–59724
30598Driving Motor Brake Second (DMBS)5984051861–51900
30599Trailer Open Second (TS)5902059725–59744
30600Trailer Composite with lavatory (TCL)5992059745–59764

Accidents and incidents

On 11 December 1981, two four-car Class 115 units were involved in a collision between Gerrards Cross and Seer Green. The driver of an empty stock train, traveling from Marylebone to Princes Risborough, had stopped in the cutting between Gerrards Cross and Seer Green, to clear tree branches that were overhanging and had fallen onto the track, due to very heavy snow fall. Behind the empty stock train, a passenger train travelling from Marylebone to Banbury, was, incorrectly, authorised to pass a signal at danger at Gerrards Cross, entering the same section of track and partially telescoped the stationary train. Four people were killed, including the driver of the passenger train, and five others were seriously injured.

Technical details

A Class 115 at Aylesbury in 1984. 18.09.84 Aylesbury Class 115 (6847433421).jpg
A Class 115 at Aylesbury in 1984.

Preservation

A set preserved on the West Somerset Railway Bishops Lydeard 51880.jpg
A set preserved on the West Somerset Railway

15 vehicles are preserved. DMBS 51677 was scrapped in early 2017. [1]

Set numberVehicle numbersLiveryLocationNotes
DMBSTCLDMBS
-51655--BR GreenPrivate SiteStatic Display
-51669--BR Green Midland Railway - Butterley Stored
-51849--BR Green Midland Railway - Butterley Stored
-518595967851880BR Green West Somerset Railway Operational
-518865976151899BR Green Buckinghamshire Railway Centre Stored
-51887--Blood and Custard West Somerset Railway Under Restoration
--59659(TS)-BR Green Midland Railway - Butterley Stored
--59664-BR Green Midsomer Norton railway station Under Restoration
--59719-BR Green Dartmouth Steam Railway Operational
--59740(TS)-BR lined maroon South Devon Railway Static - in use as Station Buffet at Staverton
-51663-- West Somerset Railway Underframe only spare parts

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marylebone station</span> National Rail terminus and London Underground station

Marylebone station is a Central London railway terminus and connected London Underground station in the Marylebone area of the City of Westminster. On the National Rail network, it is also known as London Marylebone and is the southern terminus of the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham. An accompanying Underground station is on the Bakerloo line, sited between Edgware Road and Baker Street stations in Transport for London's fare zone 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chiltern Railways</span> British train operating company owned by Arriva UK Trains

Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company that has operated the Chiltern Railways franchise since July 1996. Since 2009, it has been a subsidiary of Arriva UK Trains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 121</span> Class of single-car diesel multiple units

The British Rail Class 121 is a single-car double-ended diesel multiple unit. 16 driving motor vehicles were built from 1960, numbered 55020–55035. These were supplemented by ten single-ended trailer vehicles, numbered 56280–56289. They have a top speed of 70 mph (113 km/h), with slam-doors, and vacuum brakes. The driving motor vehicles were nicknamed "Bubble Cars" by some enthusiasts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 116</span>

The British Rail Class 116 diesel multiple units were built by BR Derby from 1957 to 1961. Introduced as part of the British Railways Modernisation Plan in the mid 1950s, as with other first generation DMUs the 116 was intended to replace steam trains and reduce costs across the rail network. Alongside Metro-Cammell, BR Derby had prior experience with DMUs, having developed a Lightweight Unit, and so was awarded a contract for a new design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Derby Lightweight</span>

The British Rail Derby Lightweight diesel multiple units, were the first such trains to be built en-masse for British Railways. The units were built at BR's Derby Works from 1954 to 1955. The units were built in various formations, including 12 power-twin 2-car units, 84 power-trailer 2-car units, four 4-car units, and two single car units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 127</span> British diesel multiple-unit passenger trains

The British Rail Class 127 diesel multiple units were built by BR Derby in 1959. Thirty 4-car units were built, formed of two outer driving motor vehicles, sandwiching two intermediate trailers which were classified class 186. The technical description of such as 4-car unit was DMBS + TSL + TS + DMBS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 165</span> British diesel multiple-unit passenger trains

The British Rail Class 165 Networker Turbo is a fleet of suburban diesel-hydraulic multiple unit passenger trains (DMUs), originally specified by and built for the British Rail Thames and Chiltern Division of Network SouthEast. They were built by BREL York Works between 1990 and 1992. An express version was subsequently built in the form of the Class 166 Networker Turbo Express trains. Both classes are now referred to as "Networker Turbos", a name derived some three years later for the project that resulted in the visually similar Class 365 and Class 465 EMUs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denham Golf Club railway station</span> Railway station in Buckinghamshire, England

Denham Golf Club railway station is a railway station near the villages of Baker's Wood and Denham, Buckinghamshire, England. The station is on the Chiltern Main Line between Denham and Gerrards Cross.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chiltern Main Line</span> British railway line

The Chiltern Main Line is a railway line which links London (Marylebone) and Birmingham on a 112-mile (180 km) route via High Wycombe, Bicester, Banbury, Leamington Spa and Solihull in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aylesbury railway station</span> Railway station in Buckinghamshire, England

Aylesbury railway station is a railway station in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England, on the London–Aylesbury line from London Marylebone via Amersham. It is 38 miles (61 km) from Aylesbury to Marylebone. A branch line from Princes Risborough on the Chiltern Main Line terminates at the station. It was the terminus for London Underground's Metropolitan line until the service was cut back to Amersham in 1961. The station was also known as Aylesbury Town under the management of British Railways from c. 1948 until the 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 118</span>

The British Rail Class 118 diesel multiple units were built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (BRCW) and introduced from 1960. It was a licence-built version of the British Rail Class 116.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 168</span> British diesel multiple-unit passenger train

The Class 168 Clubman is a British diesel-hydraulic multiple unit passenger train used on Chiltern Line services between London Marylebone and the West Midlands. The trains were built by Adtranz at the Derby Litchurch Lane Works in several batches from 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London–Aylesbury line</span> Railway line in the UK

The London–Aylesbury line is a railway line between London Marylebone and Aylesbury, going via the Chiltern Hills; passenger trains are operated by Chiltern Railways. Nearly half of the line is owned by London Underground, approximately 16 miles (26 km) – the total length of the passenger line is about 39 miles (63 km) with a freight continuation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stoke Mandeville railway station</span> Railway station in Buckinghamshire, England

Stoke Mandeville railway station serves the village of Stoke Mandeville, south of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England. The station is on the London - Aylesbury line and is served by Chiltern Railways trains. It is between Wendover and Aylesbury stations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wendover railway station</span> Railway station in Buckinghamshire, England

Wendover railway station serves the town of Wendover in Buckinghamshire, England, and villages including Ellesborough and Wendover Dean. The station is on the London Marylebone – Aylesbury line and is served by Chiltern Railways trains. It is between Great Missenden and Stoke Mandeville stations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Missenden railway station</span> Railway station in Buckinghamshire, England

Great Missenden railway station serves the village of Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire, England and the neighbouring villages of Prestwood, Little Hampden and Little Missenden. The station lies on the London to Aylesbury Line and is served by Chiltern Railways trains. It is between Amersham and Wendover stations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seer Green rail crash</span> 1981 rail crash in England

The Seer Green rail crash occurred on the morning of 11 December 1981 near Seer Green, Buckinghamshire, England between two four-car Class 115 diesel multiple units, killing one driver and three passengers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claydon railway station</span> Disused railway station in Buckinghamshire, England

Claydon railway station is a former railway station on the 'Varsity Line', that served the village of Steeple Claydon in Buckinghamshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 172</span> British diesel multiple-unit class, built by Bombardier Transportation

The British Rail Class 172 is a British diesel multiple unit (DMU) passenger train from the Turbostar family, built by Bombardier Transportation's Derby Litchurch Lane Works for use on inner-suburban passenger services. The class is currently operated by West Midlands Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slam-door train</span>

A slam-door train or slammer is a set of diesel multiple units (DMUs) or electric multiple units (EMUs) that were designed before the introduction of automatic doors on railway carriages in the United Kingdom and other countries, which feature manually operated doors. The name came about because of the characteristic noise made by the passengers slamming the doors closed when the train was about to depart.

References

  1. "BR 51677 Class 115 DMU: Driving Motor Brake Second(scrapped) built 1960".