Most hated traction

[trainmania100]

Yeah nothing's worse than an MPV
taking away all the decent loco hauled rhtt and sitt acion from my route
I like the unique radiators in the cabs though

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Nobody has mentioned Southeastern's 376's... I thought the networkers were bad until these came along

 

[Spankthemonkey]

Voyagers, just because long distance and inter-city travel in this country deserves so much better....

and southern 313's found on the coastway, horrible ugly and uncomfortable things.

 

[6Gman]

I'm going to be controversial - Pacers aren't part of my day-to-day railway, so when I do get one it's a bit of a novelty to me. So I don't hate them.

In the days when they worked in North Wales, hammering along the sea wall at Mostyn was certainly a "novelty". One of the very, very, very few occasions I've ever felt ill on a train!
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Northern's 150s have a unique ambience. 0-60 in about a fortnight and the interiors look as though they have just been used to carry domestic waste to Runcorn. The ATW 150/2s are really quite pleasant.

Northern's 323s have their merits but would be better if there was some padding between the seat frames and the seat covers.

 

[southern442]

700's

also 800's

I hope they burn

*breathes deeply*

 

[Bletchleyite]

Northern's 323s have their merits but would be better if there was some padding between the seat frames and the seat covers.

I don't overly like any 323s because it seems to be impossible to fit anti-scratch film properly to the windows (anyone know why? It's fitted to many other unit types without this issue), resulting in distortions in the view that make me feel a bit queasy.

 

[Phil.]

Coming from the north I wonder if someone can explain why the 442 is so hated?

Based on a MkIII, air conditioned, plug doors, looks reasonable enough. Does it perform well? is it reliable? What are its running costs?

I would have thought removal of traction motors and excess electrical equipment would render them ideal candidates for converting into loco hauled sets, either diesel or electric.

Before anyone suggests it, I am not a troll, I am genuinely interested.

Neither am I a spotter so ideas like, "they are the wrong colour" or "they all look the same so there is no variety" go completely over my head.

"....why is the 442 so hated"?
It's collective consciousness. The fact is that for their intended purpose which was to replace the time expired trains on the Waterloo to Southampton/Bournemouth/Weymouth line they were perfect. As you've stated, the passengers on that line were delivered of air conditioned 100 mph stock with comfort levels far surpassing the mark one derived trains. When privatisation hit the new operators didn't like their camshaft controlled equipment and replaced them with more modern stock to the detriment of passenger comfort.
The 442s were christened Plastic Pigs - but no-one knows why.

 

[AM9]

700's

also 800's

I hope they burn

*breathes deeply*

How bizarre, hating something that you haven't even travelled on.

 

[southern442]

How bizarre, hating something that you haven't even travelled on.

Definitely a valid argument, but personally I can't see my opinion changing when I do get to travel on them.
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"....why is the 442 so hated"?
It's collective consciousness. The fact is that for their intended purpose which was to replace the time expired trains on the Waterloo to Southampton/Bournemouth/Weymouth line they were perfect. As you've stated, the passengers on that line were delivered of air conditioned 100 mph stock with comfort levels far surpassing the mark one derived trains. When privatisation hit the new operators didn't like their camshaft controlled equipment and replaced them with more modern stock to the detriment of passenger comfort.
The 442s were christened Plastic Pigs - but no-one knows why.

I love the 442's (as one might be able to conclude) but I can perfectly understand those who hate them-especially after spending a good few years on this site

 

[Railengineer]

"....why is the 442 so hated"?

Have you ever had to work on one???????

The 442s were christened Plastic Pigs - but no-one knows why.

'Cos when you look at them directly from the front they look like a piggy...plus most of the front is made of plastic!
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How bizarre, hating something that you haven't even travelled on.

Stuck in the past

 

[greaterwest]

I have a great dislike for 377/387s, and 380s. Can't stand the seats on the Electrostars and the 380 has the worst lighting. GX 442s aren't that comfortable but the ride is nonetheless very smooth.
Voyagers vibrate too much and should not run under the wires (London - Scotland!!!)

I like AW, GW and SW 158s. Can't speak for the SR/NT ones but the former are very comfortable. Likewise the GW class 153.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think all the 158s with the "tombstone" seating are quite nice, though the EMT ones are a little tightly packed.

 

[arabianights]

No one's mentioned the Parry People Mover / Class 139?

Took quite a diversion one time I was heading between norf and sarf to travel on it with a (normal) friend - most unbelievably terrible ride, far worse than a pacer even. I had been considering buying some Parry shares for a wee punt up until then on AIM... after experiencing the actual product in action I could see there was zero future in it.

 

[RichmondCommu]

flying scotsman - one big con of a rebuild...should have painted, plinthed and stood next to Lion....

Why not put it next to a Zebra instead? I love Zebras.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

I might as well throw my hat in and say that I dislike some of the Northern 150s are in need of a refurb or, at least, an upgrade of the heaters. Mind you, the 158s based on routes in and out of Hull are not much better as they always seem to have the toilet InOp.

Gimmie a pacer any day of the week - those little buggers are hard working and get me there in comfort

 

[furnessvale]

Have you ever had to work on one???????

Obviously not. I take it they are not good in that respect.

Would the same be true if they were stripped of electric traction and made into loco hauled push/pull sets?

 

[Ash Bridge]

I might as well throw my hat in and say that I dislike some of the Northern 150s

I agree with you, some of the 150/1's are in a terrible internal state around these parts, give me a lightly loaded 142 (Ex Merseyrail seated versions excepted though ) anytime over one of those noisy filthy grotty heaps, at least with the 142 there is a decent view through the windows from most of the seats.

 

[Phil.]

Have you ever had to work on one???????


You don't run trains for staff, you run them for passengers.
'Cos when you look at them directly from the front they look like a piggy...plus most of the front is made of plastic!
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You've got me there. I can't see anything porcine about them. Nothing wrong with GRP, if it's good enough for RNLI lifeboats........

Stuck in the past

..........

 

[RichJF]

Class 319/0's; the original build. A lot newer than some other stock but have been run into the ground on the TL route. Decrepit old units.

Class 465's: Cramped, dirty, smelly, poor temperature control, poor top speed on longer routes.

 

[DarloRich]

flying scotsman - one big con of a rebuild...should have painted, plinthed and stood next to Lion....

well this suggest you are in the minority:

http://www.flyingscotsman.org.uk/events/scotsman-on-the-tracks/

2 events with tickets remaining! The Scotsman to Edinburgh is now also sold out.

 

[delt1c]

Cravens 105, eyes red with fumes from the engines and heaters, teeth loose from the engine vibration, a**e sore due to bouncing about of the bogies, legs cold from all the drafts.
A Pacer is luxury compared to them.
Next comes 116, 117 & 118 used on services of 2 hours plus. Modern stock may have its problems but luxury compared with the past
Now where are those rose tinted specs

 

[urpert]

142s/144s without question. Throw in 66. Aesthetically I really dislike 323s for some reason, not entirely sure why!

Not really a fan of Voyagers either.

323s have always looked like cheap knockoff Networkers to me (with a few pennies saved here and there, eg with manual gangway doors). They do make a fun noise though.
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Class 319/0's; the original build. A lot newer than some other stock but have been run into the ground on the TL route. Decrepit old units.

Class 465's: Cramped, dirty, smelly, poor temperature control, poor top speed on longer routes.

As a daily traveller on both of these, i firmly endorse all of the above.

 

[AJM580]

1. Voyagers
2. 153's

 

[3141]

Cravens 105

My favourite first generation DMU! A great improvement on the Quad-Arts they replaced.

I can't be bothered to "hate" trains, but the ones I least like are 313 and 315 and related stock, because of the total mis-match of seats and windows.

 

[172212]

I hate Voyagers with a passion. I have an unconditional love for all types of sprinters, although I understand why they've been chosen. AW's 150s are lovely

 

[Iskra]

I don't mind a 142 on a scenic route due to the big windows.

My most hated traction are Northern 150's and generic modern commuter EMU's.

I don't mind Pendolino's and Voyagers are okay when quiet, they would be fine if they were all 7 carriages long.

 

[matacaster]

I'll second that along with the 153s. Designed for passengers with no legs.
K

Someone took the disability discrimination act a bit too literally.

 

[beano900]

I can't get past the 142. Uncomfortable seats. Cold in winter. Windows steam up in winter. Slightly minging smell. An apocalyptic noise when setting off from the station followed by acceleration of 0 to 60 in a calendar month. Utterly diabolical and all that was wrong with 1980s Britain.

That said, the 150's are fairly terrible too. I have legs so the seats are quite awkward.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I don't mind a 142 on a scenic route due to the big windows.

Agreed, they are just about the best thing on the UK system for scenic routes, the second choice probably being the 156. 150s are terrible for that purpose, though they could be made better by having some seats aligned to the windows properly (rather than none) and some with no window. The aligned ones could be used by those wishing to look out, and the unaligned ones by those who wish to faff with their phones and so don't care.

 

[alex17595]

Tamper

Means the inevitable shoveling shift