Class 151 trials

During the class 151 DMU's acceptance testing in the summer of 1985 the Twin Disc 1330 gearboxes proved to be rather troublesome. Their 'hot shift' characteristic imparted unacceptable longitudinal shocks to the train and hence to the passengers and made for an uncomfortable journey.

This problem was addressed by the company the first unit spending a few weeks at the test track where the Twin Disc engineers carried out numerous adjustments until an acceptable gear change characteristic was achieved. However it was never really very smooth during the life of the 151's. There were plans to fit a David Brown gearbox to one car but these never materialised.

However a Twin Disc box was fitted to one car of the upgraded 150 002 BREL prototype unit (later known as the Class 154) during its various guises and with a new control software performed quite acceptably. Unfortunately it was too late for both Metro Cammell and Twin Disc as neither the units nor the gearboxes had any further development.

 

151 001 en route to Mickleover

 In March 1985 Metro-Cammell-built DMU 151001 is pictured passing Stenson Jcn being loco-hauled en route to Mickleover

John Tuffs

 The prototype Metro-Cammell Sprinter No: 151001 stands at the Mickleover end of the track in March 1985. The wind tunnel is to the left of the unit.

BR Official

Another view

Author

 151 at Mickleover Unit 151001 rests outside the workshop at Mickleover during its shakedown running at the test track in the spring of 1985. The workshop, which housed the battery railcar etc is behind the unit and the original GNR station can be seen in the left background.

Matt Harrison

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