British Rail Class 158 Express Sprinter

The BR Class 158 Express Sprinter was a fleet of 182 two- and three-car DMU sets built between 1989 and 1992 by BREL Derby, designed as the top of the Sprinter family and intended for the longer-distance cross-country and inter-regional services that the Class 156 Super Sprinter was not designed to cover. Where the Class 156 had targeted regional routes of moderate length and speed, the Class 158 was built for services requiring 90 mph capability, longer inter-station distances, and a higher standard of passenger comfort — the kind of services that had previously required locomotive-hauled coaching stock or purpose-built express DMUs.

Each power car was fitted with a Cummins NTA855R diesel engine producing 350 hp, giving a two-car set 700 hp and a maximum speed of 90 mph. Later production batches and subsequent refurbishments have seen some sets fitted with Perkins 2006TWH engines. The body was built to a full 23-metre length with a wider profile than the Class 156, giving a more spacious interior with a better seating layout. Air conditioning was specified from new on many sets, a significant step forward from the Class 156's heating-only arrangement.

The 182 sets entered service from 1990 and were distributed across virtually every BR region, working cross-country services from Scotland through the Midlands to the South West. Under privatisation they became one of the most widely distributed DMU classes in Britain, operated by at various times by Trans-Pennine Express, South West Trains, First Great Western, Northern Rail, ScotRail, East Midlands Trains, Wales & Borders, and several others. As of 2026 the Class 158 remains in widespread mainline service, with many sets having undergone major refurbishment programmes that have extended their expected service life well into the 2030s.