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Most hated rolling stock

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185143

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Which class of train do you hate the most?

Please don't turn this into a pacer/voyager/fgw bashing thread.
 
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ANorthernGuard

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Which class of train do you hate the most?

Please don't turn this into a pacer/voyager/fgw bashing thread.

Pacers, horrible decrepid relics from an age well past and spending a 10 shift working them is hell

 

YorkshireBear

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A dislike of mine is the 144 but because of the seating... (i don't know seating types) but as a unit i dislike the the 508s (merseyrail if i have got that wrong) they leave a lot to be desired and i usually like all EMUs.
 

LE Greys

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With EMUs, the outdated, shabby 313s that FCC still turn out because no better alternative has ever come along.
DMUs, the 158, because it's a nightmarish bodge that isn't quite fast enough for proper express work, doesn't have the acceleration or hill-climbing abilities for long rural lines and doesn't have a suburban door layout.
Locos, 66s, because they look horrible, sound silly and have essentially destroyed the British loco-building industry.
Steam locos, this! <(
 

bronzeonion

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My own personal hate: S stock, Desiros, MK3 based EMU's apart from SWT 455s and 442s, the 'car seat' Pacers and Class 150's with the original internal layout.
 

ATW Alex 101

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Both the 508 and 507. They have the worst seats and are just generally rubbish and poorly built and are way past their time now. What's better is we have them till 2017/18!
 

Muzer

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I find S stock to be comfortable. What is it you don't like about them? Just that they replaced the faster, more "long-distance"-seated A stock or something else?
 

bronzeonion

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I find S stock to be comfortable. What is it you don't like about them? Just that they replaced the faster, more "long-distance"-seated A stock or something else?

They look like the result of a tram and a bendy bus having some 'fun', the doors are just crappy, brake release makes an annoying sound, brakes are crap compared to the A stock which had good brakes (coming from various drivers), build quality leaves alot to be desired. In general they are just a crap train!
 

Ivo

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323s. Nasty vile pieces of [insert expletive of your own choosing here] with about as many flaws as there are people in this country <D

But seeing as the above is predictable, to the point that two people really have predicted it, I'm going to change tack and go with the 165/166/465/466 instead - which even though technically unrelated may as well be diesel/DC 323s anyway...

(Actually, the real reason this is all I've put is that I've injured my left hand and can't type very well with it which is greatly reducing my wpm rate.)
 

causton

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What's wrong with the 313s? I prefer them to the 315s on the Greater Anglia line, they at least have nice seats... they could do with a bit of a clean and a PIS installing but they do the job :D
 

Muzer

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They look like the result of a tram and a bendy bus having some 'fun', the doors are just crappy, brake release makes an annoying sound, brakes are crap compared to the A stock which had good brakes (coming from various drivers), build quality leaves alot to be desired. In general they are just a crap train!
Fair enough - I've only seen it from the "being a passenger on it a few times" perspective. And looks are a matter of taste, of course.
 

HST Power

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I detest the 317s employed by FCC. It infuriates me when I get to KX and I see a 317 waiting for me! From five o'clock onwards, we deserve proper units (such as 365 Networkers, or even 321s). The 317s should be kept on the Hertford and Moorgate services, and the slow services to Welwyn. They just don't cut the mustard for Letchworth, Royston and Cambridge commuters!
 

bronzeonion

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Fair enough - I've only seen it from the "being a passenger on it a few times" perspective. And looks are a matter of taste, of course.

Yeah, I just feel the thing in general goes against LT's older designs and ideas. The older LU stock was designed to look good but not ultra modern or stylish. That resulted in trains that looked neither old or modern. This was down to simple clean lines and basic shapes etc. The S stock might look modern now but wait 15 years and they will look incredibly dated!




 

507 001

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Both the 508 and 507. They have the worst seats and are just generally rubbish and poorly built and are way past their time now. What's better is we have them till 2017/18!

I've got to say, I don't think you could be any more wrong!
Sure the seats are a little hard but they are supportive and generally comfy.
The interiors are generally fantastic and are usually very clean!
They're relatively reliable (especially considering they are now the grand old age of 36!) and really quite quick too.

2017 is far too soon :(
 

Yew

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Pacers, I'm a fan of 158's however.

150's as often the suburban door layout is not suitable for many rural northern routes, not to mention the grotty interiors due to the crap fanchise terms

222's. they are so close to being a proper intercity train, apart from the underfloor engines, that are too large and are noisier than a 158. Not forgetting the claustrophobic airline seats.

91's. their poor acceleration sped up the demise of loco hauled services, not forgetting the DVT. Taking up platform space but taking no passangers. And finally the sig bogies. Giving an okay ride, however the BT4's would have been better.
 

trentside

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The 317s should be kept on the Hertford and Moorgate services, and the slow services to Welwyn. They just don't cut the mustard for Letchworth, Royston and Cambridge commuters!

The 317s can't go down to Moorgate - as they're not dual voltage units. The 313s are also equipped with various things that are needed for them to operate in single track tunnels - I can't remember the specifics, but I'm sure someone else can clarify.

I'm going to vote for the ex-MerseyRail Pacers as the worst current units. The poor seating makes the bad ride quality even worse, especially for someone like myself who suffers from a bad back. I don't mind the ex-ATN or ex-FNW units nearly as much - at least the former are also warm.

Can't agree on the East Midlands Trains HSTs either - very nice IMO!
 

12CSVT

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Class 141 to 144. Bus body on wagon chassis. Not pleasent for travelling.
 

Oswyntail

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I don't think there is anything in use at present that is worthy of hate. But what does really rile me is when stock is used for services it was never intended for. A pacer is fine for a short run, suburban or rural, but not for travelling for over an hour. Inter-urban units such as a 156 are not suitable for long treks in the highlands.
 

AndyLandy

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Any train which hasn't been refurbished recently enough. Northern's 150s are awful for this. It was noticing that some of their 142 were more pleasant that made me realise it's the upkeep of the train that matters, not the stock type.

Any train which isn't suitable for the service it's on. See Oswyntail's post above. 3+2 seating and commuter doors don't provide nearly the same level as comfort as 2+2 seating with end doors and vestibules, but it's entirely appropriate on some routes to have higher capacity and faster loading/unloading times.

After that, it's just a case of having better amenities. I still don't understand why there aren't coffee-buying facilities on more trains, there must be a market for it. I wonder whether it might be practical to put vending machines on trains where it's not practical to have a buffet or trolley service.
 

gimmea50anyday

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Which class of train do you hate the most?

Please don't turn this into a pacer/voyager/fgw bashing thread.

You can't realistically to put up a thread like this and NOT expect a 142 or a voyager to get bashed. Seriously! if you are not going to like the answer don't ask the question. I think it is pretty obvious from similar threads that the 142 is by the far the worst condition, least popular traction in this country. They have served a purpose that there is no doubt, but they have aged past their usefulness. We are stuck with them because there is currently no alternative replacement in production and no one is prepared to stump up the money to replace them. Voyagers? Could have been much better. But they were built for an image, not a purpose. Had the designers listened to the train crew they would be far better, but they didnt! And aircraft engineers were employed to build a train!!!!
 

High Dyke

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I don't think there is anything in use at present that is worthy of hate. But what does really rile me is when stock is used for services it was never intended for. A pacer is fine for a short run, suburban or rural, but not for travelling for over an hour. Inter-urban units such as a 156 are not suitable for long treks in the highlands.
The Mem and I endured a 3 hour Cumbrian Coast trip on an unrefurbished 142 a few years ago... :roll: However when MML had 170s seat space was more confined than in other variants of the class making them uncomfortable for prolonged journies. Pendelinos don't do anything for me, though it's jaded by my only trip on one - i don't like the tilt system. Some of the seating on modern stock is firm and uncomfortable... Then again i was brought up on a diet of decent hauled stock with their springy seats...
 

Qwerty133

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Funnily enough, I'd probably put those down as the best rolling stock on the network!

How, they don't have sockets in standard, the seat armrests don't move and the seats are too low. The coaches keep banging in to each other and they keep jerking when accelerating.
 

yorksrob

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How, they don't have sockets in standard, the seat armrests don't move and the seats are too low. The coaches keep banging in to each other and they keep jerking when accelerating.

The seats are the most comfortable (non-preserved) on the network.

The ride is nice and quiet.

The toilets are a pleasure to defocate in.

That is all.
 
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