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Best All Round DMU

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Hi,

Just interested in terms of:

- Reliability
- Comfort
- Speed
- Design

What people's opinions are on the best all-round DMU?
 
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Kneedown

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Swindon class 120. Solid build with lovely padded seats and never i failed on one. pleasing design too.

Nothing second gen as they all have their faults. If pushed i'd have to say 150/1
 
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I personally like te 158's (when they work) but have got a few serious issues including dodgy air-con, failing doors, stench of toilet waste, low power and door control panel problems.

But having said that, they are nice to use once in a while when everything is working.
 

HSTEd

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Class 172:

Rapid Acceleration
Low weight
Decent interiors/plug doors
SP differential capable
Through gangways
100mph capable

There is no contest really.
 

HSTEd

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class 180

They are really comfortable and they can easily cruise 100 possibly above

Guzzle fuel at an enormous rate when used on such runs?

And for some reason have improperly secured tables that vibrate at several different engine settings.
 

ainsworth74

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They are really comfortable and they can easily cruise 100 possibly above

As they're 125mph rolling stock that does this speed everyday on the ECML I'd suggest that yes they can indeed cruise at above 100mph!

As for the question posed, another vote for the 17x family of units.
 

150001

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LM 172s and 158s are excellent all round. Good interiors and good performance, plus reliability.
 

Aictos

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What about the 156s then, surely a contender for a multi purpose DMU equally at home on stopping services as well as express services.
 

D6975

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The old Trans Pennine units were pretty good.
Lots of power (for 1st gen)
Very comfy in the second class compartments.
 

Yew

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Assuming 'regional DMU's. I would say either 158's or 170derivitives, although XC's examples are getting very tatty, I imagine when properly cared for try would just pip 158's.

For ICDMU's I have got to say a meridian isn't far off the mark, with different seats I think they would be close to perfect (and maybe sturdier doors)
 

MCR247

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Assuming 'regional DMU's. I would say either 158's or 170derivitives, although XC's examples are getting very tatty, I imagine when properly cared for try would just pip 158's.

For ICDMU's I have got to say a meridian isn't far off the mark, with different seats I think they would be close to perfect (and maybe sturdier doors)

WHAT?!?!

Meridian seats are amazing! :D
 

Flying Snail

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Best all-round DMU: None.

They all have faults in different areas and I would discount the 172s at this point as they are too new to be rated on reliability. They have a new traction package that may be problematic after a few years and based on the early turbostars the interiors are far from guaranteed to stay solid for too long.

I would also have a hard time accepting that any unit with 1/3 2/3 door configuration can rate high enough in comfort stakes, passenger area seperated from entrance vestibules is a big plus.
 

Yew

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MCR, the are comfortable, but a little but claustrophobic in the airline seats, if they where two like gammer seats, but the meridians seat height (or a little lower) then they would be a bit nicer :)
 

trentside

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I've got to put a vote in for the Class 175s. I know they've had reliability issues in the past, but from a passengers perspective I find them comfortable, cool (temperature wise) and smooth to travel on. They also look good, which is a bonus.
 

Aictos

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I disagree, you're going to get noise with all Sprinters, name me one Sprinter that's quiet?

It's at home working the West Highland lines as at home working Regional Express's, indeed the Summer Only Edinburgh to Oban specials do use them and they do the job quite well.
 

150001

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I keep forgetting the 175s! They are excellent to0:D The later 170s with the two style clusters are also very good, just need a quieter engine, and a CAF interior. I was watching a few vids of the new CAF 4000s for NIR and they have the same MTU set up as our LM 172s(with the gear changes). The 172s interior sometimes vibrates with the engine gear changes at first; the CAFS have NO vibration. This supports the fact that Bombardier obviously uses cheaper quality material. Observe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XeXECIW4kI

Although the 172 vibration (on LM) has certainly died down. The 171s are also excellent units which need a mention.
 
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317666

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Class 158 for me. They're comfortable, reasonably fast (90mph) and sound good. My overall favourite DMU is the 150, however they aren't particularly fast and aren't as comfortable as 158s (although they're not bad), so 158 is the best all-round if you ask me.
 

Sir_Clagalot

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has to be a 156!! Ive worked 180s (downright awful, especially with no air con!) 156 and 153, along with 170s. The 170s rattle and squeak far too much, the 153s are getting a bit saggy in the middle (bit like my kid's nappies after a while!).
The 156 just keeps on going, they are simple to operate, and you can get more people on compared to a 2 car 170. They are reasonably comfortable too, I have done Glasgow Queen St to Mallaig and return and I didn't have any backache, unlike spending half an hour on a Mallard style seat on East Coast!!

EDIT: Anyway, aren't Meridians DEMUs?
 
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