British Rail Class 165 - Definition and Overview

The British Rail Class 165 "Network Turbo" diesel multiple units were built by BREL at York Works from 1990-92. These units are suburban trains, with an express version appearing later in the form of Class 166 "Network Express Turbo" units.

Description

Two batches of units were built for different subdivisions of Network SouthEast (NSE). These are described below.

Class 165/0

Thity-nine Class 165/0 units were built from 1990-91 for the Chiltern subdivisions of NSE, numbered 165001-039. Both 2-car and 3-car variants were built. Units 165001-028 were delivered as 2-car units, and were followed eleven 3-car units 165029-039. These vehicles have a top speed of 75mph.

Each unit was formed of two outer driving motors, with an additional intermediate motor in the 3-car units. The technical description of the formation is DMSL+MS+DMS. Individual carriages are numbered as follows:

• 58801-58833 and 58873-58878 - DMSL
• 55404-55414 - MS
• 58834-58866 and 58867-58872 - DMS

These units were built to replace elderly Class 115 "Heritage" DMUs, which previously operated services on the Chiltern route. Routes operated by the "Network Turbo" units included fast services from London Marylebone to Princes Risborough, Banbury, Leamington Spa, Solihull and Birmingham Snow Hill, and local services from Aylesbury to London and Princes Risbough.

The new Turbo fleet was maintained at a new depot built at Aylesbury.

Class 165/1

Thirty-seven Class 165/1 units were built in 1992 for the Thames Turbo subdivision of NSE, numbered 165101-137. Like the Chiltern units, both 2-car and 3-car variants were built. Units 165101-117 were delivered as 3-car units, followed by the 2-car units 165118-137. They are re-geared for a top speed of 90mph, more suitable for mainline use.

Each unit was formed of two outer driving motors, with an additional intermediate motor in the 3-car units. The technical description of the formation is DMCL+MS+DMS. Individual carriages are numbered as follows:

• 58953-58969 and 58879-58898 - DMCL
• 55415-55431 - MS
• 58916-58932 and 58933-58952 - DMS

These units were built to replace elderly Class 101, 104, 108, 117, 119 and 121 "Heritage" DMUs, and locomotive-hauled trains on services from London Paddington along the Great Western Main Line. Their main destinations included local trains to Reading, Newbury, Bedwyn, Oxford, and Bicester, and services along the branch lines to Windsor and Eton, Henley-on-Thames, Marlow and Greenford.

Current Operations

Following privatisation, the Class 165 fleet was operated by two frachises. Chiltern Railways operated the former Chiltern division, whilst Thames Trains operated the former Thames Turbo division.

Chiltern Railways

Chiltern Railways inherited 34 Class 165/0 units.

Thames Trains / First Great Western Link

Thames Trains inherited the first five Class 165/0 and all the Class 165/1 units. The franchise was won by the Go-Ahead Group, who introduced a new blue, white and green livery. There were two variants of this livery; the Express livery carried by Class 166 units had full-height green swish over the doors, whereas the Class 165 units had smaller green circles over the doors.

In April 2004, operation of the Thames Trains franchise passed to the First Group, who now operate the company as First Great Western Link. The livery remains the same, but FGW Link branding has been applied over the obsolete Thames Trains logo.

In 2004, due to deliveries of new Class 180 "Adelante" units on sister company First Great Western, the five Class 165/0 units transferred to Chiltern Railways. The units were refurbished before entering traffic.

One unit, no. 165115, was withdrawn in 1999 after being destroyed in the Ladbroke Grove rail crash. One driving motor remains as a spare vehicle, the rest having been scrapped.

Fleet Details