Class 153 Gallery

Images of Class 153 Diesel Multiple Units taken in the Taunton Area

29th July 2026 Network Rail TCMU Class 153 Inspection Train No.153379 climbs the grade through Beam Bridge with the 2Q49 11:12 Bristol Kingsland Road to Bristol Kingsland Road via Paignton on Wednesday 29th July 2026. The previous day, the unit had worked a lengthy route from Reading Triangle Sidings to Bristol, reaching as far east as Reigate and Redhill in Surrey. (Photo: S A Ginn)

27th February 2026 Concluding a four-day stint working out of Exeter Riverside New Yard Network Rail TCMU 1 is captured at West Lyng on 27th February 2026. No.153379 was returning north as the 2Q65 11:52 from Exeter Riverside New Yard to Derby RTC. (Photo: S A Ginn)

26th February 2026 Network Rail TCMU 1 (Track Condition Monitoring Unit) is captured at Fordgate working 2Q58 15:08 Alstone Level Crossing to Exeter Riverside New Yard. A third day of operation in the west country saw No.153379 working out of Exeter Riverside to the Cheltenham, Cam & Dursley area, conducting track inspection work. This image, recorded on Thursday, 26th February 2026, captures the unit returning to its temporary four-day Exeter base of operations. (Photo: S A Ginn)

24th February 2026 The Network Track Condition Monitoring Unit (TCMU1) No.153379 passes Whiteball on the 24th February 2026. The Network Rail single-car track inspection unit was operating 2Q35 07:50 Derby RTC - Exeter Riverside. (Photo: Simon Harling)

28th January 2026 Network Rail Inspection Train VIU 3 Class 153 DMU No.153385 passes Norton Fitzwarren on 28th January 2026, working 2Q43 11:15 Bristol Kingsland Road to Yeovil Junction. The unit destination blind displayed ‘Cleethorpes’, but in reality only got as far as Exeter St Davids whereupon arrival, the train was terminated. The remaining schedules were modified, which saw the 2X43 Yeovil Junction to Salisbury being replaced with a revised routing running as 2Z43 14:19 Exeter St Davids to Salisbury via Taunton and Westbury. Duties finally concluded with the evening run south of 2Q44 18:18 Salisbury to Eastleigh East Yard. (Photo: S A Ginn)

28th January 2026 In appalling weather conditions Network Rail Inspection Train VIU 3 Class 153 DMU No.153385 passes Taunton Station with its inspection lights illuminating the trackwork on the 28th January 2026. The Class 153 Video Inspection Unit was operating 2Q43 11:15 Kingsland Road - Yeovil Junction, which was later cancelled at Exeter. (Photo: Matt Powell)

2nd January 2026 Network Rail VIU3 No.153385 passes Norton Fitzwarren on the 2nd January 2026, while operating 2Q64 13:05 Kingsland Road - Plymouth Park Sidings. (Photo: Adam Hiscock)

2nd January 2026 Class 153 Inspection Unit (Video Inspection Unit) VIU 3 No.153385 heads west over Whiteball with the 2Q64 13:05 Bristol Kingsland Road to Plymouth Park Sidings on 2nd January 2026. According to the destination screen, the unit was en route to Manchester Piccadilly! (Photo: S A Ginn)

2nd January 2026 Network Rail Class 153 No.153385 VIU (Visual Inspection Unit) passes Fordgate on the 2nd January 2026, operating 2Q64 13:05 Kingsland Road - Plymouth Park Sidings with a video recording run. The old destination blind shows Manchester Piccadilly. (Photo: Paul Wilkins)

2nd January 2026 Network Rail Class 153 No.153385 passes Silk Mills on the 2nd January 2026, operating 2Q64 13:05 Kingsland Road - Plymouth Park Sidings with a Video Inspection run. (Photo: Phil Izzaard)

17th December 2025 Former passenger unit No.153317 converted as a trial for assessing track adhesion and rail head cleaning, passed through Taunton on the 17th December 2025. The unique unit was operating as 3Q81 12:00 Exeter St Davids - St Philips Marsh, having completed recent tests on Devon branchlines. (Photo: Matt Powell)

25th September 2025 A converted single car Class 153 No.153317 has arrived on the West Somerset Railway, pictured on the 25th September 2025. The unit was convered for Rail Adhesion trials and repainted in 2023 at Bristol Barton Hill Depot. It was originally based on the East Lancashire Railway, and has now been moved to the WSR. The primary purpose of 153317 is to undergo trials to test different railhead treatment products and technologies that can improve adhesion between the train's wheels and the rails. The unit is used to identify and analyze areas of the railhead where adhesion is poor, which can lead to wheel slip and affect train safety and performance. The trials involve collecting data on railhead conditions to assess the effectiveness of treatment solutions and to monitor for degradation or the success of treatment applications. (Photo: Richard Giles)

18th September 2025 Network Rail TCMU1 No.153379 visited Taunton on the 18th September 2025. The Track Inspection Unit was operating 2Q54 10:18 Bristol High Level Sidings - Reading Triangle Sidings. The unit is picuted in Platform 3 at Taunton before changing direction back to Westbury. (Photo: James Berry)

8th August 2025 Having made their first visit to Cornwall the previous day Network Rail Track Condition Monitoring Units returned north on Friday 8th August 2025. No.153379 and No.153384 are pictured passing Norton Fitzwarren 2Q64 09:30 Par - Bristol Kingsland Road. (Photo: Phil Izzard)

7th August 2025 In a rare paired combination giving a nod back to their original Class 155 status as originally built, Network Rail Class 153 Track Condition Monitoring Units (TCMU2 No.153384) and (TCMU1 No.153379) pass Silk Mills on Thursday 7th August 2025 operating 2Q54 12:49 Bristol Kingsland Road - Par Liner Sidings. (Photo: Phil Izzard)

7th August 2025 In their freshly painted condition, newly converted Network Rail Class 153 test units No.153384 (TCMU2) and No.153379 (TCMU1) pass through Taunton. The 'Track Condition Monitoring Units' were operating 2Q54 12:49 Kingsland Road - Par Liner Sidings, passing through Platform 3 at Taunton 89 minutes behind schedule. Both units formerly operated for East Midlands Trains in passenger use have now found a new purpose converted for track monitoring duties with Network Rail. (Photo: Paul Clarke)

21st June 2025 Network Rail Class 153 No.153311 made its first visit to Platform 1 at Taunton on Saturday 21st June 2025. The unit arrived operating 2Q70 14:54 Exeter Riverside - Westbury via Bristol Temple Meads and stabled for a twenty minute period before heading to Westbury. The unit was captured in the evening sunlight at Taunton. (Photo: Tony Christie)

21st June 2025 Network Rail track inspection unit No.153311 visited Taunton on the 21st June 2025. The unit operated 2Q70 14:54 Exeter Riverside - Westbury passing Taunton at 15:33 heading to Bristol Temple Meads where the train changed direction and returned to Taunton where it arrived at 19:54 where it then stabled in Platform 1 for a short period before heading to Westbury. The unit is seen in the evening sunlight at Taunton passing the temporary scaffolding for canopy works. (Photo: Tony Christie)

8th June 2025 Network Rail Track Inspection Unit No.153311 passes Norton Fitzwarren on Sunday 8th June 2025 while operating 2Q10 10:00 Debry RTC - Yeovil Junction track inspection run. (Photo: Adam Hiscock)

8th June 2025 A Network Rail Track Inspection Train passed through Taunton on Sunday 8th June 2025. No.153311 made its first ever visit to Somerset by operating 2Q10 10:00 Derby RTC - Yeovil Junction (via Exeter St Davids). The unit (originally built as a Class 155) has spent the majority of its life transporting passengers for Anglia and East Midlands Trains. Network Rail acquired the vehicle after it came off lease along with four others of the same class to replace its aging Class 150 test unit. No.153311 is pictured passing Silk Mills shortly after passing Taunton Station. (Photo: Brian Garrett)

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