Rolling stock › In serviceData updated
Class 185 Desiro
Siemens's diesel Desiro, built in Germany for the TransPennine Express franchise and in service since 2006: a powerful three-car unit for 100 mph over the Pennines, a diesel sister of the Class 350, 360 and 450 electric trains. TransPennine Express runs all 51: on the South route from Liverpool and Manchester to Sheffield and Cleethorpes, and on North route trains to Hull, Scarborough and Saltburn.
Drawing to come
- Type
- Diesel multiple unit
- Builder
- Siemens Transportation Systems, Krefeld-Uerdingen (Germany)
- Built
- 2005–2006
- In service
- since 2006
- Operators
- TransPennine Express
- Formation
- 3 cars, or 6 coupled
- Trains in fleet
- 51
- Fleets
- TransPennine Express: 51
- Top speed
- 100 mph
- Power
- Diesel-hydraulic: a Cummins QSK19-R engine (561 kW) with Voith T312 transmission under each car
- Car height
- 3.71 m
- Car width
- 2.674 m
- Profile
- main-line
- Air-conditioned
- Yes
- Seats per train
- 169
- Total capacity
- 154 standard and 15 first class (in the DMOCLW), plus 12 tip-up seats
- Status
- In service: all 51 with TransPennine Express, leased from Eversholt Rail and maintained by Siemens in Manchester. Part of the fleet is to be replaced by Alstom battery-electric trains by winter 2034.
Car types
| Code | Car | Length | Doors per side |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMOSB | Driving motor open standard with bicycle space (DMOSB) | 23.763 m | 2 double |
| MOSL | Motor open standard with lavatory (MOSL) | 23.75 m | 2 double |
| DMOCLW | Driving motor open composite with lavatory and wheelchair space (DMOCLW) | 23.763 m | 2 double |
Sources
- Trains: Reference List (issue September 2006), Siemens Transportation Systems, September 2006, p. 41 (51 three-car units ordered by HSBC Rail for FirstGroup and Keolis; built at Krefeld-Uerdingen; in service since March 2006; 160 km/h; 169 seats; 3 x 560 kW)
- TransPennine Express DMU starts commissioning trials, Railway Gazette International, 1 September 2005 (car names and seating; car lengths 23,763 and 23,750 mm; set 71,276 mm; height 3,710 mm; width 2,674 mm; floor 1,247 mm; Cummins QSK19-R 561 kW, Voith T312; aluminium bodies; 'two pairs of sliding plug doors')
- Technical Information: Desiro UK DMU Class 185, Siemens Transportation Systems, about 2005 (archived 31 October 2007) (technical data: car and unit length, seats, 160 km/h, 560 kW per car, roof height 3,710 mm, floor 1,247 mm, 12 tip-up seats; car layout plans)
- Class 185, Eversholt Rail, None (51 three-car units leased to TransPennine Trains; entry into service 2006; 100 mph; seats; car lengths; refurbishment)
- Our 185 trains, TransPennine Express, accessed 7 October 2026 (routes; 169 seats (154 standard, 15 first); maintained by Siemens in Manchester)
- 1300 more seats a day and trains across the Pennines every 15 minutes: TransPennine Express introduces new December timetable, TransPennine Express, 14 November 2024 (most Liverpool to Cleethorpes trains run as six cars from December 2024)
- TPE unveils £1bn battery train fleet to transform rail travel across the north, TransPennine Express, 11 September 2026 (new battery-electric trains to replace part of the Class 185 fleet)
- Table 6314: rolling stock vehicles by traction type and operator, Office of Rail and Road, 20 November 2025 (TPE's 153 diesel vehicles, March 2025)
unverified doors: Railway Gazette (2005) says the DMOSB has 'two pairs of sliding plug doors', and Siemens's layout plans show two doorways a side on each car at about the third points; the double-leaf type for the other two cars is assumed from that, width: 2,674 mm (Railway Gazette 2005); Wikipedia gives 2.673 m, car length: 23,763 mm for the end cars and 23,750 mm for the centre car (Railway Gazette, Siemens); Eversholt rounds to 23.7 m and 23.75 m, car names: Siemens and Railway Gazette call them DMOSB, MOSL (MSOL) and DMOCLW; Eversholt's DMCL-MSL-DMS. TPE says the first class seats are in one end car, unladen weight: 168.5 t (Railway Gazette, Siemens data sheet) or 163 t (Siemens reference list 2006); not used, built: 2005-2006 (Siemens reference list); deliveries were due to finish by the end of 2006