Worst maintained train interior?

[ScotGG]

I read this article earlier which highlights the very grotty state of Networkers at Southeastern, even post "refurb" which has apparently done little beyond a disabled toilet and new door buttons.

http://www.fromthemurkydepths.co.uk/2017/12/27/the-continuing-decline-of-southeastern-trains/

The article is kind on South Eastern as I think they really should've been giving things the heating grills a clean once in a decade as well as scrub flooring under seats and try to keep windows scratch free.

It got me thinking what is the worst maintained in the UK? I don't mean poor standards of regular cleaning but chronic neglect like scratches, etchings, bent and worn panels, threadbare seats etc lasting for years in some cases.

South Eastern Networkers are not nice places to be (even the 376s are getting tired). 313s with GN can't go soon enough, Pacers across the north though some aren't bad, and some 150/1s I've been on are very tired.

317s and 321s were as well but the ongoing refurb helps and others are being withdrawn.

Age doesn't seem to have much to do with it. 30-40 year SW trains always look good to me after a decade old refurb and regular cleaning, as do refurbed Southern units and stock like Merseyrail 508s and Tyne and Wear Metro stock.

The Bakerloo Line looks better now too with its refurb.

 

[cactustwirly]

Definitely Northern!

 

[TheAdelante]

I can’t bear 465s. Neither can anyone else I know.

 

[SEClass375]

With the 465s (and 466s), I feel that an opportunity that was missed was when they refurbished some of them for mainline running (/9s) is that they should of done them all however without adding 1st class

 

[sd0733]

I'd say hands down it has to be the 350/1 fleet.. A refurb can't come soon enough.
No other interior offers a carpet which has turned from cream to brown filth and seats which have turned from blue to brown due to being so worn out.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

From what I've seen and travelled on, Networkers win the prize for me. Second was the interiors of the GTR 319s....

Trains on the former South Western Division (before and after SWT) always looked the best IMO

 

[DanNCL]

I was once on a 142 that had a couple of seats missing; I think that's got to be the worst maintained interior that I've ever seen!

 

[SEClass375]

I was once on a 142 that had a couple of seats missing; I think that's got to be the worst maintained interior that I've ever seen!

At least there is a space for people with long legs

 

[AlanFry1]

I.M.O the Class 313s can be quite poorly maintained, 450s are quite grubby, but nothing beats the Piccadilly line! Dirty.

 

[AlanFry1]

I was once on a 142 that had a couple of seats missing; I think that's got to be the worst maintained interior that I've ever seen!

The leg room passengers on 707 can only wish for!

 

[Clansman]

At least there is a space for people with long legs

Fixed that for you.

 

[SEClass375]

I fail to see why southeastern cannot be bother with the units they use for metro services because the Electrostar's and Javelins have always been kept in good shape in the inside.

 

[Bromley boy]

With the 465s (and 466s), I feel that an opportunity that was missed was when they refurbished some of them for mainline running (/9s) is that they should of done them all however without adding 1st class

From what I've seen and travelled on, Networkers win the prize for me. Second was the interiors of the GTR 319s....

Trains on the former South Western Division (before and after SWT) always looked the best IMO

Some of the 319s were in an absolutely shocking state before they went, I reckon edging the networkers for awfulness. I have no idea what condition they are in up north. From photos the livery is still the same as when they departed.

The networkers are a disgrace. They are actually very decent trains and it's a pity they've been allowed to decline to such an extent, especially when compared to SWR 455s which are some 10 years older.

If the rumours are true and the 465s go in the next franchise I doubt they'll be getting any better, sadly.

 

[TheAdelante]

I fail to see why southeastern cannot be bother with the units they use for metro services because the Electrostar's and Javelins have always been kept in good shape in the inside.

I have lost count of the number of times my brother and I have done the transfer from Waterloo East to Charing Cross by 465/466 and there’s been puddles of urine on the floor.....

EDIT:

I used to see people sit on 319 seats and the seat would automatically slip off! It never happened to me because I always refused to sit down on them.

 

[MatthewRead]

The elctrostars with astro seating have to be the worst interiors ever!

 

[Bromley boy]

I have lost count of the number of times my brother and I have done the transfer from Waterloo East to Charing Cross by 465/466 and there’s been puddles of urine on the floor.....

Let's not exaggerate now.

I spend rather more time on them than you do and I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen urine on the floor .

 

[Bromley boy]

As a curve ball, I think they need to be keeping rather more on top of the 700s.

I've been surprised how shabby some of these have looked recently given the oldest examples are less than two years old.

 

[TheAdelante]

Let's not exaggerate now.

I spend rather more time on them than you do and I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen urine on the floor .

Hi,

I never exaggerate.

Literally every 465 I have travelled on has had puddles of urine on the floor. OK, so some of them were small but it’s still urine!

What do you mean you spend more time on 465s than me by the way? You don’t know that!

 

[387star]

These trains went away for a 'refurbishment' that lasted for years along with a gradually changing external livery well documented on the 'southernelectrics' website however that dealt with re-tractioning . They are now going away for PRM work.

However the bulk of the flooring has not been touched in almost Thirty years! I find that truely remarkable.

Regarding 319s there was a small sub-class of 319/0s that had the as built interiors along with Edward Pond's murals till they were finally retired only a few months ago!

http://www.nsers.org/edward-pond.html

http://extra.southernelectric.org.uk/features/liveries/465liv/index.html

 

[47271]

Networkers of one sort of another are a definite theme here.

Yes, I've been on a couple of Southeastern ones in the past month or so that were very tired, but a pleasant cleaner came by at Cannon Street as the train I joined turned round so I give them 5/10.

I have to say that the most rancid, motheaten and neglected interior I've experienced in the past five years has been on a 365 between Kings Cross and Cambridge. If someone had told me that I was sitting on the original upholstery I would've believed them. It looked like no litter had been collected in three or four days and the floor was running with goodness knows what. I'd paid an extortionate price for a morning peak service into the bargain, I can't think of a worse contrast between the amount demanded and the state of the train.

On that basis £5 to ride a Northern Pacer for 20 minutes doesn't seem that bad.

A collapsed seat Haymarket 158 - their fans on here will know exactly what I mean - still takes some beating. There's still a few of them out there, masochists catch them while you can. Lol.

 

[Clansman]

A collapsed seat Haymarket 158 - their fans on here will know exactly what I mean - still takes some beating. There's still a few of them out there, masochists catch them while you can. Lol.

Don't get me started on them. They are a modern day version of the Spanish Donkey.

 

[TheAdelante]

Ooh, I know.

When SWT first received the 456s from Southern they used them on the Ascot to Guildford line and geez were those things nasty...

 

[Wivenswold]

Times are a changing. Greater Anglia would have been mentioned a few years back.

 

[Kettledrum]

Amazed no-one has mentioned any XC trains. long routes and chronic over-crowding means any cleaning at a terminus is infrequent, and any on-board cleaners (if there are any) can't get through the train to do any cleaning. If you have the misfortune to get on a XC service in the middle of the day, it's likely to be full of litter and very dirty.

 

[Master29]

Times are a changing. Greater Anglia would have been mentioned a few years back.

I don`t even think it would have been that long ago really, although you`re right. They were a disgrace. I think XC voyagers could do with a freshen up for sure, but the HST`s are okay.

 

[LowLevel]

I think the worst trains I've travelled on were the early EMT ex FGW and ATW 153s and 158s. Those units were destroyed. You sat on the seat frames cushions were that far gone and especially on the 153s fitted with 158 seats could hardly see out of the windows. I think EMT pretty much deserve an award for making a standard fleet out of such rubbish (though some 153s do suffer from having 150 spec suburban Chapman seats missing arm rests and seat back tables). The ex Central green pauper units that went to Wales and Borders, then ATW and back to Central or Northern in 2007 having had no cosmetic attention in about 9 years were totally shot.

 

[Starmill]

I used to see people sit on 319 seats and the seat would automatically slip off! It never happened to me because I always refused to sit down on them.

Why not try sitting on one seat at a time, rather than 319?

 

[TheAdelante]

Why not try sitting on one seat at a time, rather than 319?

My aching sides...

 

[Starmill]

Literally every 465 I have travelled on has had puddles of urine on the floor. OK, so some of them were small but it’s still urine!

So your claim is that someone decided to use part of the train as a toilet, rather than using the actual onboard toilet, but only a little bit?

 

[TheAdelante]

So your claim is that someone decided to use part of the train as a toilet, rather than using the actual onboard toilet, but only a little bit?

Hi.
My brother used to have to travel between Charing X and Waterloo East about four times a week and often I ended up doing it with him - a large proportion of the 465s did have unpleasant smelling yellow puddles on them.