Having responded swiftly to mention my favourites in the 4COR family, I've been thinking about the next generation of EMUs. The 4CEP / 4BEP were supposed to be an update of the 4COR / 4RES / 4BUF / 4GRI, but they had something of the post-war utilitarian about them, although based upon the wonderful and flexible Mark 1 carriage concept; the BR Design Panel must have been enjoying a protracted teabreak when the frontal styling was drawn up, with the off-centre headcode panel stuck on the gangway door and the untidy overhanging roof. Then some bright soul (who was this?) came up with the idea of fitting a rounded GRP moulding on the front and we had the streamlined 4BIG / 4CIG; the Phase 1 versions of these looked so sleek in Southern Green as they stormed down the Brighton Line. Then the 4REP / 3TC / 4TC / 4VEP family arrived in ultra-flat BR blue and looked so underwhelming, although the performance of the former was positively electrifying (apologies!). The 8VAB did rather muddy the waters, but I must mention the 309s; although Liverpool Street was rather off my beat, they appeared so handsome and stylised with their original curved windscreens. A 2-car 309 looked as if it were amazingly compact and rapid, and I regret that I never had the pleasure of a journey.
The above might seem to be focused too much upon the aesthetics, but I feel that railways must market themselves upon the sense of the occasion, that the passenger is engaging upon something exciting, and this trick has been missed by most of the modern railway entrepreneurs with the exception of Mr Branson.
