British Rail Class 156

The BR Class 156 Super Sprinter was a fleet of 114 two-car DMU sets built between 1987 and 1989 by Metro-Cammell of Birmingham, representing that manufacturer's production contribution to the Sprinter family. Where the Class 150 (BREL York) and Class 155 (BREL Derby/Leyland) had been the products of the nationalised BR workshops, the Class 156 came from an independent manufacturer and brought Metro-Cammell's long experience in building passenger rolling stock to the Sprinter design. The result was a well-regarded, robust, and comfortable second-generation DMU that has proved one of the most enduring types in the British regional fleet.

Each power car was fitted with a Cummins NT855R5 diesel engine producing 285 hp, driving through a Self-Changing Gears hydraulic transmission. The two-car set's combined 570 hp gave a maximum speed of 75 mph, consistent with the wider Sprinter family. Metro-Cammell specified a full-width cab with a particularly well-regarded forward visibility arrangement, and the interior offered a comfortable and spacious passenger environment with a mix of seating layouts. The body was built to a high standard with attention to finish that was noted favourably in contemporary assessments.

The 114 sets entered service from 1987 and were rapidly distributed across regional services in the North of England, Scotland, and East Anglia, working cross-country and inter-regional routes where their comfort and reliability made them popular with both operators and passengers. Under privatisation the class was distributed among Northern Rail, ScotRail, and Greater Anglia, and as of 2026 a significant proportion of the fleet remains in active service — a testament to the quality of the Metro-Cammell build. Some sets have undergone interior refurbishment and are expected to remain in service for several more years.