The Class 153 ‘Super Sprinters’ are single-car diesel multiple units converted from the two-car Class 155 DMUs. Leyland Bus constructed the Class 155 DMUs at its Workington factory between 1987 and 1988. After this class entered service, there was a requirement to replace ageing railcars on rural lines. It was decided that the Class 155 units would be converted to a new class, the 153, which was completed by Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock between 1991 and 1992. They produced 70 units in total. Powered by a 285hp Cummins NT855-R5 Diesel, working through a Voith Hydraulic transmission, the maximum speed of a Class 153 is 75mph, making it perfectly suited for small cross-country services.