Hornby Class 155

[TravisM]

I’ve been offered a R2108 Class 155 Sprinter in very good condition, runs well and at a good price.  I was wondering how comparable the model comes close to Hornby’s Class 153 or would it be the same as comparing Hornby’s ex Lima Class 156 to a Realtrack version?

 

Any sensible advice regarding the model would be useful.

[adb968008]

R2108 has the Dapol era pancake motor in it.

probably not the hobbies finest hour.

you’ll probably find its a weak puller, possibly poor pickups.

 

if its cheap its ok, but don't expect the smoother running of the 153. The Lima era class 156 was much better than the 155 ever since introduced in the 1990’s, the Hornby motor in the 156 isnt too bad.

 

I had thought of putting a class 153 chassis into the older 155.
 

Edited March 26, 2020 by adb968008

[cravensdmufan]

58 minutes ago, jools1959 said:

I’ve been offered a R2108 Class 155 Sprinter in very good condition, runs well and at a good price.  I was wondering how comparable the model comes close to Hornby’s Class 153 or would it be the same as comparing Hornby’s ex Lima Class 156 to a Realtrack version?

 

Any sensible advice regarding the model would be useful.

I think this model started off as a Dapol product (can't be 100% sure - others will advise).

 

But looking at photos it wouldn't look good next to a Hornby 153 - there's no comparison really.  I would say even worse than Lima 156 (which I think is still pretty good for it's day actually except IMO now overpriced by Hornby).

 

https://www.hattons.co.uk/489159/hornby_r2108_po10_class_155_super_sprinter_2_car_dmu_in_west_yorkshire_pte_livery_pre_owned_dcc_/stockdetail.aspx

 

Strangely it looks slightly better in the WYPTE Metro livery than it did in Regional Railways!:

 

https://www.hattons.co.uk/83213/hornby_r2162b_ln_01_b_r_sprinter_class_155_57317_52317_pre_owned_like_new/stockdetail.aspx

 

Edited March 26, 2020 by cravensdmufan
Additional wording

[newbryford]

Many years ago, I converted a Dapol 155 to a pair of 153s (one powered, one un-powered)

There's a thread on here somewhere converting a pair of Hornby 153s into a 155.

 

As above, the motor bogies can be a bit hit and miss. I had a good (Dapol) one, but the identical bogie in the blob they called a 150 was woeful.

 

 

 

[adb968008]

For me it was a surprise to see not one, but 2 class 155’s the other week i’d forgotten WYPTE hadnt converted theirs.. it was nearly 30 years since I last saw class. 155’s, though back then they were in Bolton, Preston and Manchester in Regional Railways colours.

[cravensdmufan]

3 hours ago, newbryford said:

the blob they called a 150 was woeful.

 

 

 

Ha! Yes, I actually bought one of those 150s back in the day. Must have had a mad moment; IMO one of the worst models ever produced! It barely ever got on the layout!

 

I found it a couple of years ago buried away and almost forgotten about so I put it on the 'bay starting at 99p. Amazingly made just over £60! 

[rembrow]

There are lots of weaknesses with this model, which uses Dapol tooling that Hornby bought.

1. As already said the motor is the old weak Dapol motor.

2. The glazing is not flush.

3. The underframe has moulded detail that is very shallow (engine, battery, air cylinders etc)

4. The unpowered coach has the same chassis as the powered coach, which means there is a hole for a motor bogie and no passenger seats at one end.

I did detail a Dapol Regional Railways version some years ago. I cut out each window from the glazing moulding to make the windows more flush, I added depth to the underfloor components with plasticard and evergreen for air tanks and cylinders, I replaced the power bogie with one for a Hornby Class 101 (Now fitted to Class 153). I filled in the floor whole in the unpowered coach and added seats.

Since I did this conversion, Hornby released the Class 153. It's possible that the Class 153 powered chassis can be fitted to the Class 155, certainly I've used Class 153 chassis spares (freely available) to replace the moulded detail on the Class 156 chassis.

 

 

[adb968008]

I can put it differently...

 

I think it unlikely we will see a new class 155 model produced, given theres only 7 of them, which have lead a fairly long mundane life in Yorkshire.

 

When originally built they were supposed to be on par as, albeit a slower speed, long distance 158 and ran a range of long distance journeys, such as Portsmouth to Cardiff, to Manchester, to Leeds, to Carlilse & Transpenine, Caldervalley but it only lasted 3 quite troubled years.

 

They were a Class 17 waiting to happen,  I remember riding on one where the doors opened in Farnworth tunnel at speed on one occasion. Still it contributed to North West loco hauled being in existence.

 

 

Edited March 27, 2020 by adb968008

[gc4946]

27 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

I can put it differently...

 

I think it unlikely we will see a new class 155 model produced, given theres only 7 of them, which have lead a fairly long mundane life in Yorkshire.

 

When originally built they were supposed to be on par as, albeit a slower speed, long distance 158 and ran a range of long distance journeys, such as Portsmouth to Cardiff, to Manchester, to Leeds, to Carlilse & Transpenine, Caldervalley but it only lasted 3 quite troubled years.

 

They were a Class 17 waiting to happen,  I remember riding on one where the doors opened in Farnworth tunnel at speed on one occasion. Still it contributed to North West loco hauled being in existence.

 

 

BR Provincial's 155s were grounded for a time in late 1988 and early 1989 due to door faults, especially opening whilst in motion. I remember 156s substituted (and travelled on them) on Portsmouth Harbour-Cardiff services. They gradually returned to service from Spring 1989. 

I owned a Dapol 155 at one time but it looked poor even against a Lima 156 so quickly disposed of it. My NSE/Southern Region collection has a 156 instead, although restricted in its geographical spread and timescale.

Edited March 27, 2020 by gc4946

[Guest Half-full]

I've bashed a Hornby 153 chassis into a 155 shell,  Bit of jiggery pokery but it works. 

 

Overall it isnt a terrible model, original motor is pretty woeful, glazing could be better (and can be made better with work) no lights, no cab interior

 

I reckon lights could be fitted using units from a 153, not where I've got to yet.  Once we are able to move about again I'll post pics (its in a box in storage at my brothers house - should really get the boxes from him, been in my house for 2 years now!)

[Hilux5972]

Putting it plainly, chalk and cheese. 

[SouthernMafia]

Best chance of seeing a new 155 (of which I would welcome) from Hornby is if another manufacturer announces it first....seems to be a common trait at the moment...

[adb968008]

22 hours ago, SouthernMafia said:

Best chance of seeing a new 155 (of which I would welcome) from Hornby is if another manufacturer announces it first....seems to be a common trait at the moment...

If someones got spare cash for a modern i age DMU i’d prefer a class 175 or a 180... kind of the same rationale to build as the 155, except more successful in execution than the class 155.

[mdvle]

On 27/03/2020 at 06:14, adb968008 said:

I think it unlikely we will see a new class 155 model produced, given theres only 7 of them, which have lead a fairly long mundane life in Yorkshire.

 

When originally built they were supposed to be on par as, albeit a slower speed, long distance 158 and ran a range of long distance journeys, such as Portsmouth to Cardiff, to Manchester, to Leeds, to Carlilse & Transpenine, Caldervalley but it only lasted 3 quite troubled years.

 

They also put in time in Devon (and I assume Cornwall) when new, which is why I would like a couple.

 

I do however agree with you that we are unlikely to see them unless someone gets ambitious and decides to tool up a modern 153 and treats the 155 as an extra to the tooling.

[TravisM]

18 minutes ago, mdvle said:

I do however agree with you that we are unlikely to see them unless someone gets ambitious and decides to tool up a modern 153 and treats the 155 as an extra to the tooling.

Well, I’ve got a sort of Class 155 as I’ve got two EMT Class 153’s semipermanently coupled together with DCC in both and sound in one.  I didn’t see the need of installing sound in both.

[newbryford]

2 hours ago, jools1959 said:

Well, I’ve got a sort of Class 155 as I’ve got two EMT Class 153’s semipermanently coupled together with DCC in both and sound in one.  I didn’t see the need of installing sound in both.

 

A bit like these at 8:08. Sound in one. wired through to speaker in second car. Motor drive removed from second car.

 

 

I had a similar arrangement for a Northern 153 paired with a LM 153 to represent the one that was hired for a few months to Northern,

 

OT - there are even pics of it with another exile on Northern use on my local line.

 

[No Decorum]

Handsome! Lights properly sorted too.

[QuoitsPlayer]

I'm thinking it would be relatively easy to convert 2 153s back into a 155? 

[adb968008]

3 hours ago, QuoitsPlayer said:

I'm thinking it would be relatively easy to convert 2 153s back into a 155? 

For a moment there I had a flashback to the kit that was made to convert a Dapol class 150 into a 00 gauge Class 150...

it was sold as such too.. as there was a detailing pack also available... gives you an idea how bad a model it was.

[russ p]

4 hours ago, QuoitsPlayer said:

I'm thinking it would be relatively easy to convert 2 153s back into a 155? 

 

There were some windows removed when they became 153s

[newbryford]

18 hours ago, russ p said:

 

There were some windows removed when they became 153s

 

Trying to think back when I did my Dapol 155-153 conversion way back when.

As well as blanking windows, the exhaust was added through roof.

Obviously a new cab and associated windows.

The new cab is flush whereas the original corridor end is recessed slightly (as per the original cab).

 

Edited April 1, 2020 by newbryford

[lyneux]

I've got a 155 on 153 under frames conversion underway at the moment. I'm trying to write it up on the DEMU forum.

 

I spent quite a bit of time trying to work out if I would use the 155 body or the 153 body as the basis for this. This got me looking at the key dimensions. My conclusion was that the Dapol body moulding isn't bad at all. yes it needs work, but the key dimensions are correct. The analysis has also shown up the inadequacy of the Hornby 153 which is too 'squat'. This is very obvious from the attached photo of the two side by side against the prototype:

 

The lights are set too high up on the Hornby 153 and possible a bit too low on the Dapol/Hornby 155!

 

 

Here's a comparison of the gangways of the Hornby 153 with the Bachmann 150/2 to show just how much shorter (about 3mm) they are (they should be the same height).

 

 

 

[richierich]

I’ve drawn a similar conclusion there is something not quite right with the Hornby Class 153. Some level of vertical compression has been applied.