First constructed in 1997, the Turbostar was the first new class of diesel multiple unit to be introduced on Britain’s Railways after privatisation in the mid-1990s. Over the next 14 years, the Turbostar family became by far the most numerous design of new units in service, and have become a recognisable sight across the country.
Perhaps most familiar as Class 170, there have been several different variants, from the original Class 168 to the final through-gangwayed variant, Class 172, which has a quite different appearance to its earlier siblings. All the units were built in Derby at the famous Litchurch Lane works of Adtranz (later Bombardier).
The Turbostar, by Andrew Cole, is an illustrated review of the lives of these units, from their introduction in the 1990s to the beginning of the 2020s. During that time, Turbostars have seen use from the north of Scotland to the south coast, conveying passengers on many local and long-distance services. A multitude of franchised operators have applied all manner of different liveries to the units.
Contains over 180 photographs, mainly presented in two-per page format with added caption detail. 96 pages.