Popular traction - is this a thing? (and similar discussion)

[Peter C]

Hello all,
Having been looking through YouTube videos of people talking about the days of BR in the 1980s, apparently there were cases of some classes of traction being more popular than others. E.g. popuar model railway YouTuber IC82 has said that the Class 58 was regarded as "rubbish" by many enthusiasts and was not popular. What traction has been popular/unpopular in the past? What's popular now? I know I probably sound really uncool and out of tune with the world of railways, but seen as I have only recently gotten into the different traction types and the work that surrounds them (exams, diagrams, etc.).
Any help greatly appreciated.

-Peter

 

[CosherB]

I think finding a consensus on this topic will be equal to finding a consensus on Br**it!

 

[Peter C]

I think finding a consensus on this topic will be equal to finding a consensus on Br**it!

Ha! Yes... Maybe I should have just said "have at it!" and see the answers!

I'll start off by saying that I have come to understand that the Class 37s are relatively popular with people.

-Peter

EDIT: It is like the "B" word, but I hope that no-one here will resign from the thread in tears after it all goes to pot and a public vote goes out the window!

 

[Sprinter153]

I understand that Class 47s were deeply unpopular, largely because they used to be seen pretty much everywhere. Oddly though you still hear a lot of very young enthusiasts moaning about 'rancid duffs' even though they weren't even a glint in the milkman's eye when they were a common sight.

Personally I'm very partial to a 47, much more so than 'comedy traction' 37s which seem to get a much better press!

 

[ash39]

It's often relative, particularly to what era you were born in and where abouts you live.

Example - to the majority of 'old skool' enthusiasts, the new Hitachi 80X trains will be seen as the devil. To a 5 year old seeing his/her first ever train, it's a sleek futuristic train that they'll have many journeys on become attached to as they reach middle age, and they start to be withdrawn.

If you want a historical proof of concept, you can wind the clock back 40 years apply almost exactly the same logic to the HST...

There are exceptions. Voyagers seemed to be universally disliked from day 1, and om the flipside Class 68's have always been well followed.

 

[Peter C]

I understand that Class 47s were deeply unpopular, largely because they used to be seen pretty much everywhere. Oddly though you still hear a lot of very young enthusiasts moaning about 'rancid duffs' even though they weren't even a glint in the milkman's eye when they were a common sight.

Personally I'm very partial to a 47, much more so than 'comedy traction' 37s which seem to get a much better press!

It's often relative, particularly to what era you were born in and where abouts you live.

Example - to the majority of 'old skool' enthusiasts, the new Hitachi 80X trains will be seen as the devil. To a 5 year old seeing his/her first ever train, it's a sleek futuristic train that they'll have many journeys on become attached to as they reach middle age, and they start to be withdrawn.

If you want a historical proof of concept, you can wind the clock back 40 years apply almost exactly the same logic to the HST...

There are exceptions. Voyagers seemed to be universally disliked from day 1, and om the flipside Class 68's have always been well followed.

Thanks both for the responses.
This is exactly what I thought would happen - people are more attached to the trains they travelled on when they were young. I'm personally quite attached to the HST.
The Class 68s have always seemed to have a following; maybe it's the modern 37?

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

The Class 68s have always seemed to have a following; maybe it's the modern 37?

I’d say more like a modern 50 in a way - 100mph machines, smallish class (in numbers), and similar names...

 

[Cowley]

It's often relative, particularly to what era you were born in and where abouts you live.

Example - to the majority of 'old skool' enthusiasts, the new Hitachi 80X trains will be seen as the devil. To a 5 year old seeing his/her first ever train, it's a sleek futuristic train that they'll have many journeys on become attached to as they reach middle age, and they start to be withdrawn.

If you want a historical proof of concept, you can wind the clock back 40 years apply almost exactly the same logic to the HST...

There are exceptions. Voyagers seemed to be universally disliked from day 1, and om the flipside Class 68's have always been well followed.

Well put Ash.

 

[Plethora]

I suspect a lot of people will speak of 158s favourably, though perhaps largely in comparison to the other rolling stock used in the areas where they run.

For my part I am partial to a 185 as it has a fantastic diesel growl.

 

[Peter C]

I’d say more like a modern 50 in a way - 100mph machines, smallish class (in numbers), and similar names...

Oh yes - how could I forget the 50s?! They are very similar, and they operate in the same sort of place (the vague western/southern bit of England).

-Peter

 

[37057]

I have an active interest in whatever rail vehicle I happen to be near, in, on or under, whether its a Class 26, a Pendolino, a Class 185, and old DMU or a Class 47. Mainly from an, engineering/nostalgia point of view though, which I gather isn't for everyone's understanding.

Like what you like for whatever reason that is. If you can't make you're own mind up, ask yourself why you're here in the first place.

 

[Antman]

A railway modeller will likely say a 58 is rubbish because the Hornby model was powered by a rubbish system. Because of the bone body they couldn’t fit the ring field.... I think it may have had the pacer motor....

 

[yorksrob]

Everyone loves a Deltic

 

[Peter C]

I have an active interest in whatever rail vehicle I happen to be near, in, on or under, whether its a Class 26, a Pendolino, a Class 185, and old DMU or a Class 47. Mainly from an, engineering/nostalgia point of view though, which I gather isn't for everyone's understanding.

Like what you like for whatever reason that is. If you can't make you're own mind up, ask yourself why you're here in the first place.

Same here. I like just having a look around at an engine and I like to know how things work. I prefer anything from any age of train; steam, diesel, or electric.

-Peter

 

[Peter C]

Everyone loves a Deltic

True there. Sadly, I've never been in the right place at the right time to see one. But I've seen so many videos and photos of them that it feels as though I have.

-Peter

 

[yorksrob]

True there. Sadly, I've never been in the right place at the right time to see one. But I've seen so many videos and photos of them that it feels as though I have.

-Peter

They are an impressive sight.

 

[Peter C]

A railway modeller will likely say a 58 is rubbish because the Hornby model was powered by a rubbish system. Because of the bone body they couldn’t fit the ring field.... I think it may have had the pacer motor....

I believe that the Class 58s in real life were also rubbish as they suffered from wheel slip issues. But they were the first engines in the UK (or even the world) to be built in such a way that if one of the cabs broke, they could just replace the cab instead of the whole thing. Modular build is the term I think.

-Peter

 

[Peter C]

They are an impressive sight.

I bet! I'm waiting for the day when one comes around Oxford or somewhere on a weekend. But that seems to be the day pigs will fly, so....

-Peter

 

[Bevan Price]

It's often relative, particularly to what era you were born in and where abouts you live.

Example - to the majority of 'old skool' enthusiasts, the new Hitachi 80X trains will be seen as the devil. To a 5 year old seeing his/her first ever train, it's a sleek futuristic train that they'll have many journeys on become attached to as they reach middle age, and they start to be withdrawn.

If you want a historical proof of concept, you can wind the clock back 40 years apply almost exactly the same logic to the HST...

There are exceptions. Voyagers seemed to be universally disliked from day 1, and om the flipside Class 68's have always been well followed.

Largely agree.
Steam fans mostly hated diesels that were replacing steam - especially dmus (sometimes described as "Spam cans" or worse).
Many Loco haulage fans hated HSTs, but not as much as they hated Pacers & Sprinters ("Plastic")
Many HST fans hate Voyagers, and so on...and on....

 

[sjpowermac]

It's often relative, particularly to what era you were born in and where abouts you live.

Example - to the majority of 'old skool' enthusiasts, the new Hitachi 80X trains will be seen as the devil. To a 5 year old seeing his/her first ever train, it's a sleek futuristic train that they'll have many journeys on become attached to as they reach middle age, and they start to be withdrawn.

If you want a historical proof of concept, you can wind the clock back 40 years apply almost exactly the same logic to the HST...

There are exceptions. Voyagers seemed to be universally disliked from day 1, and om the flipside Class 68's have always been well followed.

Spot on, though some of us have never forgiven the HSTs

As a kid, it was Deltics in the main, with Class 50s as a great loco on holidays in the West Country.

Regarding the Class 47s, I always had a soft spot for them on their booked workings but they were definitely ‘Duffs’ if one turned up vice a Class 55!

I think the Class 68 is a modern classic, great sound and small class help with this.

 

[Antman]

I believe that the Class 58s in real life were also rubbish as they suffered from wheel slip issues. But they were the first engines in the UK (or even the world) to be built in such a way that if one of the cabs broke, they could just replace the cab instead of the whole thing. Modular build is the term I think.

-Peter

Fair enough. In my days sat at Springs Branch you used to want to see a 58, not a 56 or god forbid, a pair of 20s..... they used to make good time on the Binliner through Lostock Junction as well.... but I suspect that isn’t slow heavy loads on needing to crawl through MGR loading. I have a model 58, and a pacer. Both are woeful. Even worse than my two rail Dublo 20.....

 

[Peter C]

Fair enough. In my days sat at Springs Branch you used to want to see a 58, not a 56 or god forbid, a pair of 20s..... they used to make good time on the Binliner through Lostock Junction as well.... but I suspect that isn’t slow heavy loads on needing to crawl through MGR loading. I have a model 58, and a pacer. Both are woeful. Even worse than my two rail Dublo 20.....

Interesting. Nowadays, I would happily see a 56 or some 20s as they'd make a change from the boring 66s!

-Peter

 

[433N]

I don't know why people love a 37. Everyone know that they were just a poor man's 40.

 

[Peter C]

I don't know why people love a 37. Everyone know that they were just a poor man's 40.

I have a feeling that so many of the people you see flailing out of carriage windows (idiots I'd call them if on a mainline but I digress) don't remember anything before a 37 and don't bother looking up anything before the "tractors". They've just seen a thing which makes a loud noise and they follow them around the country like a dog chasing a ball.
Personally, I like all engines and rolling stock and if I have an interest in a particular engine I look up the history of said locomotive. But each to their own.

-Peter

 

[yorksrob]

I bet! I'm waiting for the day when one comes around Oxford or somewhere on a weekend. But that seems to be the day pigs will fly, so....

-Peter

I'm sure there'll be a tour along some time !

 

[Clayton]

I bet! I'm waiting for the day when one comes around Oxford or somewhere on a weekend. But that seems to be the day pigs will fly, so....

-Peter

I saw one strolling through Oxford a few years back! Light engine

 

[InOban]

They are an impressive sight.

And an even more memorable sound. You could stand in Waverley and hear it climbing up from Jock's Lodge.

 

[InOban]

They are an impressive sight.

And an even more memorable sound. You could stand in Waverley and hear it climbing up from Jock's Lodge.

 

[Mag_seven]

It's often relative, particularly to what era you were born in and where abouts you live.

Example - to the majority of 'old skool' enthusiasts, the new Hitachi 80X trains will be seen as the devil. To a 5 year old seeing his/her first ever train, it's a sleek futuristic train that they'll have many journeys on become attached to as they reach middle age, and they start to be withdrawn.

Its a bit like music -your dad would say to you "call that music" when you played the latest thing. Its the same with trains - those who are bemoaning the loss of HSTs would probably have had their dad telling them "call those trains" when they first came out as the HSTs caused the demise of their Dad's beloved "Westerns" or whatever.

 

[xotGD]

Pretty much every class had (or still has) its following.

My preference has always been English Electric over Sulzer, bur not to the point of fanaticism.