Passengers Waiting for a Train on a Misty Day

158798 is GWR's only genuine three-car Class-158. The other three-car sets were originally two-car sets which subsequently had a driving coach from another unit of the same class coupled on to increase their capacity.

British Rail Class 158 Sprinters were built between 1989 and 1992. A total of 182 Class 158 units were constructed. The majority were built as two-car sets, although some three-car sets were also produced. In the purpose-built three-car Class 158s, the centre car was not equipped with a driving motor. Over time, operators converted two-car sets into three cars and generally the newly created longer trains all had cars with engines underneath. Train enthusiasts sometimes refer to the new creations as ‘mongrel sets’ and make a point of highlighting a set that has remained unaltered such as the one pictured. By the 2020s, many Class 158 operators have either started to replace Class 158s or have completed the programme.

I don’t know anything about trains but in posting this old picture, I thought it might be fun to research the current situation and add a bit of information.