Ugliest Train in the UK?

[xcooler123]

I’m with those that have said the Fell locomotive. Hideous.View attachment 44895 Photo (not mine) of 10100 - A face only a mother could love. Could bite an apple through a tennis racket as they say.

View attachment 44896
Photo (not mine) of 10100. What an absolute munter...

Thanks for that, my eyes are now bleeding...

From modern stock, I don't think 700/707 are bad. Not going to win any style awards but not a monstrosity either. Class 385 on the other hand...

 

[Mikey C]

Another vote for the early 455s like the 455/8s. No attempt whatsover to style them, the front is a complete mess

 

[ChrisEL]

Definitely the 380s for me - it looks like someone has written a sentence, and rather than putting a full stop at the end they've accidentally put a slash\ Either that, or one of those birds with ridiculously large beaks.

 

[Macwomble]

385 wins the vote by a country mile IMO.

The new/improved version (if that's what's coming) surely can't be any worse.

 

[fowler9]

175's, 345's and 460's. Hideous.

 

[superkev]

385 wins the vote by a country mile IMO.

The new/improved version (if that's what's coming) surely can't be any worse.

Here here. Perhaps the 385's prove the old saying that if it doesn't look right it won't work too well.
Perhaps someone should start a thread on the best looking current new trains. Class 800 for me.
K

 

[pdeaves]

The 385 looks to me like a modern development of the 309.

'Ugly' is very much in the eye of the beholder and as pointed out, how it is painted makes a difference, too. For example, the 158 in hybrid Northern Spirit/First TPE livery (https://photos.smugmug.com/Rail/DMU/158/i-zd8cQKV/0/c4e51f30/L/158976 Bolton Percy 170106g-L.jpg) or hybrid Northern Spirit/Central Trains/East Midlands Trains livery (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Hugh_llewelyn_158_777_(6383363021).jpg) were plain ugly but the train design looks better in other colours (in my opinion, of course).

 

[physics34]

175's, 345's and 460's. Hideous.

agree 345s looks like slugs., probably the headlight clusters being the problem.

 

[physics34]

Another vote for the early 455s like the 455/8s. No attempt whatsover to style them, the front is a complete mess

ive always thought they look alright. The refurb didnt help very much and the more rounded 455/7s and 9s are probably a touch better. 313s etc are worse.

 

[LOL The Irony]

PEP's, any 317, any mk3 based unit with a black cab window mask and chrome window surrounds (ugh), the Adtranz 168's, Mersyrail 777's (escape door not in the middle and those stupid things stuck to the side), the snug in the 345, the new front end on the 195's and 331's (lights look wrong, the windscreen wiper doesn't tuck away to one side so looks rediculous and the unit number is in the wrong place) and any Hitachi unit.

 

[GusB]

PEP's, any 317, any mk3 based unit with a black cab window mask and chrome window surrounds (ugh), the Adtranz 168's, Mersyrail 777's (escape door not in the midfle

As posted upthread, this is all very subjective and beauty is very much in the eye of the beerholder, but I think the black cab window surrounds make some units look better. Classes 313-315 also benefit from having the yellow extended onto the bodyside. I did a Google image search for Scotrail 314, and the ends look so much better when they were in Strathclyde livery. IMHO, of course

EDIT: With regard to the 385, I do agree that it's not the prettiest unit around; perhaps its appearance would be improved if the corridor connection sloped back, in the same way as those on the 380 (which I do like).

 

[najaB]

the Cumbernauld Shopping Centre

Isn't that ugly. It looks unfinished, if anything.

 

[backontrack]

Class 70, no contest. It's up there with the Ssangyong Rodius and the Cumbernauld Shopping Centre as one of the ugliest things ever created by humanity.

Isn't that ugly. It looks unfinished, if anything.

I like the Cumbernauld Shopping Centre, if only because it looks like it's about to take off at any moment.

Another one for the Fell locomotive, nothing even comes close to that monstrosity!

It's on the way to being a duck-bill Shinkansen...

 

[RichJF]

For me, class 70 easily. I'll get hate for this, but the Class 58. Looks like an American loco but with British cabs on either end.

Multiple units, the reformed 458/5's. A mismatch of coaches & the ugliest front end ever (not my pic).

 

[backontrack]

For me, class 70 easily. I'll get hate for this, but the Class 58. Looks like an American loco but with British cabs on either end.

Multiple units, the reformed 458/5's. A mismatch of coaches & the ugliest front end ever (not my pic).View attachment 44915

I rather like that, but I do miss the Class 460.

 

[47271]

I like the Cumbernauld Shopping Centre, if only because it looks like it's about to take off at any moment.

More like it's a spaceship that's just landed from Planet Cr*p.

Anyway, back on topic, thanks to others for a reminder on the Class 458. For current designs I put that second to the Class 70.

Other than it can't actually function safely as a passenger train quite yet, I'm not as offended by the 385 as many.

 

[gingerheid]

I wouldn't say there is an inherently ugly train... the problem can be liveries.

Therefore the ugliest train was anything wearing First's "Dynamic Vomit" livery!

 

[SteveyBee131]

I think its all about the livery application. The liveries starting to appear with little or no yellow ends just don't look right- 68s for example don't look too bad, but the ones in TPE yellow-less livery look horrid.

...'Ugly' is very much in the eye of the beholder and as pointed out, how it is painted makes a difference, too. For example, the 158 in hybrid Northern Spirit/First TPE livery (https://photos.smugmug.com/Rail/DMU/158/i-zd8cQKV/0/c4e51f30/L/158976 Bolton Percy 170106g-L.jpg) or hybrid Northern Spirit/Central Trains/East Midlands Trains livery (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Hugh_llewelyn_158_777_(6383363021).jpg) were plain ugly but the train design looks better in other colours (in my opinion, of course).

Agreed. The original Northern Spirit Transpennine livery was I thought quite nice, but the hybrid liveries completely ruined it!

 

[222ben]

Passenger: Class 142
Freight: Class 70
Both things of unparalleled ugliness

 

[NickBucks]

Sorry.Class 20. EE's designer on annual holidays at the time.

 

[Mikey C]

The Class 456 is pretty ugly too, the pleasant front of the 321 ruined by the cables attached to it!

 

[class387]

Multiple units, the reformed 458/5's. A mismatch of coaches & the ugliest front end ever (not my pic).View attachment 44915

I like how you managed to choose a picture of one of few units without a mismatch of coaches.

I agree though - the 458/5 looks awful. Never liked the original 458s either.

 

[js1000]

Class 319.

No question for me, it's the emergency escape door that is not supposed to look like a door but actually does that I can't stand. Any train that has an actual door (aside from carriage doors with gangway connectors) on the front of it cannot look aesthetically pleasing.

Honourable mentions to the miserable Pacers, grumpy-looking 321 and 360.

 

[satisnek]

First generation Kent Coast electrics (4 CEP/4 BEP)? Literally a Mk1 coach end with windows cut in it...

 

[RichJF]

I like how you managed to choose a picture of one of few units without a mismatch of coaches.

I agree though - the 458/5 looks awful. Never liked the original 458s either.

Found one!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Must admit I'm amazed they didn't do the obvious solution with those of painting a black window band onto the non-ribbon-glazed units. So easy to do and would completely hide the issue to those not specifically looking for it.

 

[Bletchleyite]

For me, class 70 easily. I'll get hate for this, but the Class 58. Looks like an American loco but with British cabs on either end.

Multiple units, the reformed 458/5's. A mismatch of coaches & the ugliest front end ever (not my pic).View attachment 44915

The front end of those just looks (deliberately) like a gangwayed Desiro.

It's ungangwayed Desiros which to me look odd due to the shape of the lower body. I also find the Turbostar's slightly "cute" nose looks like it isn't taking anything seriously and is a bit of a toy train.

Disagree over PEP derivatives, they're quite a timeless design that still doesn't look dated.

Talking of PEPs, the Class 140 looks like a scaled down toy PEP from a Hornby set. Whereas production Pacers look like a 1980s-modern take on a heritage DMU with the three windows.

 

[xcooler123]

The front end of those just looks (deliberately) like a gangwayed Desiro.

It's ungangwayed Desiros which to me look odd due to the shape of the lower body. I also find the Turbostar's slightly "cute" nose looks like it isn't taking anything seriously and is a bit of a toy train.

Disagree over PEP derivatives, they're quite a timeless design that still doesn't look dated.

Talking of PEPs, the Class 140 looks like a scaled down toy PEP from a Hornby set. Whereas production Pacers look like a 1980s-modern take on a heritage DMU with the three windows.

Talking of toy trains, I don't think anyone has mentioned the Class 139??

 

[43096]

The front end of those just looks (deliberately) like a gangwayed Desiro.

It's ungangwayed Desiros which to me look odd due to the shape of the lower body. I also find the Turbostar's slightly "cute" nose looks like it isn't taking anything seriously and is a bit of a toy train.

Disagree over PEP derivatives, they're quite a timeless design that still doesn't look dated.

Talking of PEPs, the Class 140 looks like a scaled down toy PEP from a Hornby set. Whereas production Pacers look like a 1980s-modern take on a heritage DMU with the three windows.

Agreed on the ungangwayed Desiros. They look like a rushed job that weren't properly thought out. Siemens are generally pretty good at doing front end design: the Class 350/450 Desiros are about as good as you'll get with a gangway; the Taurus is to me a classic design and the Vectron has more personality about it than the TRAXX.

PEP derivatives also have aged pretty well. I still think they look reasonably modern.

 

[physics34]

The front end of those just looks (deliberately) like a gangwayed Desiro.

It's ungangwayed Desiros which to me look odd due to the shape of the lower body. I also find the Turbostar's slightly "cute" nose looks like it isn't taking anything seriously and is a bit of a toy train.

Disagree over PEP derivatives, they're quite a timeless design that still doesn't look dated.

Talking of PEPs, the Class 140 looks like a scaled down toy PEP from a Hornby set. Whereas production Pacers look like a 1980s-modern take on a heritage DMU with the three windows.

agree think the 360s are one of the worse