British Rail MPV

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Railtrack MPV, nos. DR98917+DR98967, at Doncaster Works on 27th July 2003. These purpose-built departmental vehicles were built to replace older trains converted from former passenger vehicles.
Railtrack MPV, nos. DR98917+DR98967, at Doncaster Works on 27th July 2003. These purpose-built departmental vehicles were built to replace older trains converted from former passenger vehicles.

The Multiple-purpose Vehicle or MPV is a purpose-built departmental derivative of a diesel multiple unit. Twenty-five two-car units were ordered by Railtrack to enable it to replace its motley collection of ageing departmental vehicles, many of which were converted from redundant passenger stock.

The vehicles were built in Germany by Windhoff[1]. The design is based on the Windhoff "CargoSprinter" units that are operated by Deutsche Bahn (Germany) and CRT-Group (Australia).

The concept of the design is that each vehicle has a driving cab and an under floor engine/transmission with Multiple unit (MU) control. The majority of each vehicle is a flat load bed that can carry combinations of 10 ft and 20 ft modules that are secured using the locking system for ISO standard containers. Modules can be changed as required to suit current requirements.

When first built there were problems with the vehicles being 'out of gauge' when running empty.

There are five distinct types of MPV unit that represent the development of the concept for use in the UK.

Number Range Description Owner Comments
DR98901-902 + DR98951-952 Prototypes Network Rail Work in semi-permanently coupled pairs, e.g. DR98907+DR98957.
DR98903-925 + DR98953-974 Production units Newtork Rail
DR98926-932 + DR98976-982 Production units Network Rail
DR98001-014 Overhead-Line MPV Network Rail Painted in White livery. Used on West Coast Main Line.
DR97011-014 Overhead-Line MPV Network Rail Painted in Blue livery. Used on Channel Tunnel Rail Link.

The use of mountings in common with shipping containers quickly led to suggestions that "Freight Multiple Units" could be introduced. So far (2005) the MPV units have been used for freight trials by coupling standard freight wagons between the pairs of units. Temporary MU control cables run along the wagons to connect the two MPVs which are acting as locomotives working 'Push-Pull' style as they only carry water tanks for ballast and no pay-load.

Freight trials through 2005 were used to transport timber from Aberystwyth and indications are that were successful enough to lead to dedicated Freight Multiple Units being built.

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British Rail diesel multiple units
Diesel locomotives - Electric locomotives - Miscellaneous locomotives
Diesel multiple units (DMUs and DEMUs) - Electric multiple units (EMUs) - Departmental multiple units
First-generation diesel units
Classes: 100 - 101 - 102 - 103 - 104 - 105 - 106 - 107 - 108 - 109 - 110 - 111 - 112 - 113 - 114 - 115  
116 - 117 - 118 - 119 - 120 - 121 - 122 - 123 - 124 - 125 - 126 - 127 - 128 - 129 - 130 - 131
Original TOPS: 140 - 141 - 142 - 143 - 144 - 145 - 147 - 148 - 149 - 150 - 160 - 161 - 162 - 163 - 164 - 166  
167 - 168 - 169 - 171 - 172 - 173 - 175 - 176 - 177 - 178 - 179 - 180 - 182 - 183 - 185 - 186  
188 - 189
Pre-TOPS: British United Traction - Derby Lightweight - Metro-Cammell - Railbus
GWR Railcars - LMS Railcars
Second-generation diesel units
Classes: 140 - 141 - 142 - 143 - 144 - 150 - 151 - 153 - 154 - 155 - 156 - 157 - 158 - 159 - 165 - 166
168 - 170 - 171 - 175 - 180 - 185
Diesel-electric units
Classes: 201 - 202 - 203 - 204 - 205 - 206 - 207 - 210 - 220 - 221 - 222 - 251 - 252 - 253 - 254 - 255
  SR designation: 3D - 3H - 3R - 3T - 4L - 6B - 6L - 6S
Departmental units
Classes: 901 - 930 - 950 - 951 - 960 - APT-E - MPV


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