Turbostar

Turbostar is the name given to a series of diesel multiple units (DMU) built by Bombardier Transportation (previously ADtranz) at their Litchurch Lane Works in Derby, England. The Turbostar was the first new train type to be introduced after the privatisation of British Rail, and is the most common type of diesel multiple unit (its electrical variant, the Electrostar, is the most common electric multiple unit). The first units were ordered by Chiltern Railways in 1996 and were designated Class 168 (also known as "Clubman"). Since then the family has grown with the addition of the Class 170, Class 171, and (in development) the Class 172.

Much of the design is derived from the Networker Turbos Class 165 and Class 166 trains built by BREL

Description

Turbostars have been acquired for use by several train operating companies, each with different specifications. One of the more noticeable differences with later units compared to earlier ones, is the larger headlights now specified for safety reasons.

Units are numbered 168xxx, 170xxx, 171xxx or 172xxx, where xxx is the serial number of the unit. Individual carriages are numbered 50xxx and 79xxx for driving motor cars, and 56xxx and 54xxx for centre cars.

Turbostars use an MTU 6R 183TD engine.

Working in multiple

One factor in the popularity of this type of unit is that the Class 170 variant of Turbostars, unlike all other types built since privatisation, are fully capable of working in multiple with older types from the 15X "Sprinter" series of units, giving them much more flexibility, although there are issues with so-called "sandwich" formations, formed either 170-15X-170 or 15X-170-15X, which does cause problems with empty stock movements where up to 4 units of various types coupled together is common. A possible side effect of this is that Turbostars performance is also in line with the 2nd generation 15X units, in fact being somewhat behind a 150 or 156 on "short hop" workings, and behind a 158 on longer distance workings unless there is enough 100mph running to take advantage of the 10mph higher speed of the Class 170.

Turbostar variants

References

External links

* [http://www.semgonline.com/gallery/class170_01.html Detailed description of the Turbostars]