Favourite rolling stock

[Tracked]

DMU: Class 175's, been on a couple and liked them, also 158's now they're on local services and not Cleethorpes-Manchester

EMU: Class 333's, went on a couple the other week for the first time in ages and they're still as good as I remembered, and 444's for the 3rd rail version

DEMU: 222, for smelling the least of toilet of the 3 I'm familiar with ...

 

[Eastcoast43208]

Favourite DMU has to the Class 156, comfy, quick and simple cant go wrong with that.

As for coaching stock it has to be the MK3 coach for me.
Quiet, comfortable, smooth ride and its a tough but simple design.
Cant compare it to anything else really its just a fantastic piece of kit even better when there's a HST Powercar on each end cant go wrong with that

 

[43074]

DMU: I'd say the Class 158s, because they're at home on virtually anything that they do, be it local/regional or express. The Class 170s are a close runner up, but they don't seem looked after by their respective operators.

DEMU: Probably the Class 222 'Meridians' - somehow they feel much more spacious than their Voyager sisters and they look more stylish too.

EMU: Class 365. Great acceleration, excellent seating layout, suited to what they do. It's a pity more weren't built.

If I were to chose a carriage, it would be the Mark 3s, particularly the ones that still have InterCity 70 seats (e.g. EMT, Chiltern, Pretendolino).

 

[Robinson]

DMUs - Class 170 (ScotRail variety). Closely followed by First Hull Trains 180s.

DEMUs - Class 221 (I don't care how many people hate Virgin; I am still a very happy customer and have been for going on 9 years now )

EMUs - Class 318 + 320, although that's mainly for nostalgic reasons (having grown up alongside them).

 

[elarchibaldo]

Class 185. The look, the noise and the power!

 

[LE Greys]

Another vote for 222s as DEMUs (assuming I can't have an HST, EC's Midland set being my current favourite). 365s on the EMU front because they're reliable, comfortable, airy, have decent windows and generally get the job done well. With d.c. EMUs, it has to be the Wessexes, because they still feel like proper main line stock. As for DMUs, 156s get the job done just as well as 365s, I'd happily replace all of Inverness' 158s with their older cousins any day.

 

[SprinterMan]

DEMU - 221s
I think Super Voyagers are great! Especially Virgin Voyagers, as they tilt and have a shop/business class coach (D). XC voyagers just need to be a lot longer and less smelly, then people would love them. Meridians have dreadful seating and 220s are just toned down 221s.

Short Distance DMU - 142s
I have quite a big soft spot for bus seated and Northern Spirit car seated 142s also, as they remind of a childhood holiday to Malta, a country which had the most amazing buses at the time that seemed pretty close to Pacers :P

Long Distance DMU - 158s
By far the best multiple unit built by BR, the ones refurbished with Grammer seats are among the most comfortable units around.

Adam

 

[YorkshireBear]

[*]Class 350: Yes, I do actually have a Desiro in my favourites! Unlike SWT (Who never seem to have enough pennies for the meter, despite the fares they keep bumping up) LM actually seen to know how to operate a Desiro properly, and the fact that they push a couple of theirs to 110mph on occasion is proof of that fact. At times the ride of an "oversped" 350 can be almost as enjoyable as that of a 390! hock:[*]Class

Can i just say SWT Desiro's do not get up to full speed because 3rd rail cannot provide sufficient power, the losses are too great. Plus the limit for 3rd rail is 100mph so they can never do 110mph anyway!!

SO its nothing to do with LM knowing how to operate them....

 

[notadriver]

'Full speed' for a class 444 or 450 SWT Desiros is 100 mph and they reach it where permitted ?

 

[Death]

Third rail or no though, it still seems (To me) like those of us in the SR area are paying a much higher cost per mile to receive a much lower standard of service compared to what I've received on the WCML with both Virgin and LM.

From a not-in-the-industry standpoint: If I was one of the main managers at SWT, one of my "Priority One" projects would be installation of OHL on at least the fast roads initially (To improve InterCity service speed at first, where the benefits will be observed quicker by passengers) with subsequent extension to cover the locals as rapidly as possible afterwards.
This would produce some immediate benefits with the IC Desiros being timetabled to 110mph as soon as the first stage was sorted out, with better acceleration and inter-station speeds for commuter services after the second stage was completed.

All SWT need to do to produce happy passengers is to put their hands into their pockets...

 

[185143]

I love the 175! It's a nice train all round

 

[ValleyLines142]

DMU:
175: Brilliant units. Quiet engines, smooth ride and the seats aren't upright at all.
185: Fast and nippy, great for TPE services.

EMU:
390: Fantastic. Fast. Long. Brilliant. Would dream for these in Cardiff!

My favourite units of all time have to be the Voyagers.

 

[185143]

DMU:
175: Brilliant units. Quiet engines, smooth ride and the seats aren't upright at all.
185: Fast and nippy, great for TPE services.

EMU:
390: Fantastic. Fast. Long. Brilliant. Would dream for these in Cardiff!

My favourite units of all time have to be the Voyagers.

I agree with you completely

 

[8J]

For me, my favourite emu is 507's closely followed by 442's.

Dmu's... Well there is no contest - CL158, particularly with the EMT refurb.

Coaching stock is Mk3's and fav loco is class 86.

 

[185143]

just ridden an atw 158 much better refurb than em's

 

[Sun Chariot]

I'm going to go retro:

DMU : class 119 or 120 - preferably in declassified first, because the seats were sumptuous.

EMU : class 309 and 504. One had superb ride quality, one - ahem - didn't.

DEMU : 210. Design specification overkill. Rode set '002' in the mid-1980s.

 

[Spaceflower]

Depends on the definition.

HST, 91's, 156's, 153's, yeah I'm a child of the eighties.....

 

[D6975]

Plus the limit for 3rd rail is 100mph so they can never do 110mph anyway!!

Tell that to the guys who used to drive the REPS.

 

[90sWereBetter]

I've decided that Pacers get too much hate, so I'm gonna start liking them.

Of course, this opinion may change if I ever get a chance to ride one of them...

Being stuck out on a limb in Lowestoft really isn't helpful...

 

[RyanB]

DMU: Class 170 - good machines, if a little noisy when they're really trying to shift.

EMU: Class 323 - although I have never ridden one, the sound of the traction motors when they start off is just marvellous!

DEMU: Class 221 - rode one down from Dundee back to Edinburgh on a cold October's night after a gig, and that is my only experience of one, so I can't really say much else.

 

[Qwerty133]

Depends on the definition.

153's.

This is the favourite rolling stock not least favourite rolling stock.

 

[172212]

DMUs:

• Sprinter: first train I travelled on as an enthusiast, very reminiscent to a Dennis Dart bus, in my opinion.
• Super Sprinter: now that all sprinters in the West Midlands have gone separate ways (bar 3), these are the closest trains to sprinters available.
• Express Sprinter: I have the benefit of travelling on these refurbished units as they call at my local station, great for long distances with gateways and seating/luggage racks built for long commutes, probably best train DMU wise

EMUs

• 323s: strangely adorable trains in appearance, very nice AC engine sound, quite humorous at times, can pick up quite a bit of speed, during long station gaps, ideal for shorter/local journeys
• 350s: in some ways, the opposite to the 323s, quite a professional, strong look about these trains, seating suited towards longer journeys, very fast trains, (as you've probably heard about LMs 12 car speed tests) quite and cosy inside

Close Favourites

• Turbostars: grown on me since the departure of sprinters, taken over as my everyday trains, good for mid-long distance journeys, nice engine sound, comfortable seats, PA system, used on various route patterns - interesting for enthusiasts

 

[GatwickDepress]

I'm going to go retro:

DMU : class 119 or 120 - preferably in declassified first, because the seats were sumptuous.

EMU : class 309 and 504. One had superb ride quality, one - ahem - didn't.

DEMU : 210. Design specification overkill. Rode set '002' in the mid-1980s.

As usual, Wikipedia covers every available angle by helpfully telling me that "A Class 210 DEMU appears in the music video of the 1984 hit Smalltown Boy by Bronski Beat".