Ugliest Modern Traction

[lyndhurst25]

For those who are saying that Class 142 Pacers are ugly - they're a lot better looking than the Class 140 prototype.

My vote for ugliest train goes to the Manchester-Glossop Class 506s. At least that massive gap between the two tiny front windows gave them somewhere to paint the number.

 

[fireftrm]

Indeed the 142 is better looking than a 140 or 141. But that is a pointless argument, only the 142 is still in service (and doesn't my back know it) and it is pig ugly. The 70 beats it hands down though.

 

[Trainfan344]

Class 360...

 

[Class172]

I do agree that the flat front of a 360 looks a bit odd, compared with a 350. It must be those large headlights...

 

[starrymarkb]

IIRC it was a late design change, they were originally going to have the 450 cab but for some reason (DOO sighting?) the gangway was deleted from the spec...

 

[prod_pep]

The Southern Class 455s for me.

 

[nathanclass323]

After living in Spain for an amount of years in the past, I will tell you now that there aren't many things uglier than the back end of a RENFE Class 594 hock:

 

[BestWestern]

It's a shame the current generation Desiro fleets are so devoid of any style, when the CAF - bodied 332 & 333 units are so smart.

 

[nathanclass323]

I think the Desiro Units are among the best looking in England. But that's factoring in the fact that their liveries need to suit it. So maybe SWT ones don't count haha. But LM, SR and TPE livery all work on them and generally, the 185s and 380s are good looking. The 360s even look okay. It's just a shame that SWT livery doesn't look great on 444s and 450s. Put LM or Southern on, I reckon they'd look smart.

 

[BestWestern]

Have to say I think SWT's colours are pretty good, though I'm less keen on the blue. The 360s are surely the most blandly styled trains ever!?

 

[swt_passenger]

It's a shame the current generation Desiro fleets are so devoid of any style, when the CAF - bodied 332 & 333 units are so smart.

Gangways would completely wreck the look of the CAF units as well, to be fair. Presumably the 700s will look much better than 360s though, as far as all the PR images go they should look quite different...

 

[56077GD]

Like a lot of people I would say the class 70s are one of the worst. I've also never liked the 67s, 90s, 91s, Voyager and Pendolinos. Back in my childhood (1970s-early 80s) I always thought the class 20s were ugly but in a strange kind of way that was one of the things that made them interesting unlike the sterile modern traction around today.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

66/67s.

Thanks to the silly ribbed bodysides that makes them look unfinished...
I can't think of any reason for this (then again, i'm no engineer!).

The 'new' end of the 153s isn't great either. Worst unit though in my opinion is the rebuilt 318s.

 

[thetangoman]

Everything by Alstom since privatisation, except the Pendos.

Scotrail 334's look fine. Especially in the new Saltire Livery



HST's with Buffers. Completely ruins their lines. Surely no need for them anymore and wouldn't take much to reinstate the fairing

 

[BestWestern]

HST's with Buffers. Completely ruins their lines. Surely no need for them anymore and wouldn't take much to reinstate the fairing

I'd agree with that, good call! I don't understand why they were never put back to original spec by BR, seems very strange to leave them like that all these years.

 

[samuelmorris]

Class 380 for me. I used to think 458s were pretty ugly, but they're growing on me a bit now.

 

[BestWestern]

Class 380 for me. I used to think 458s were pretty ugly, but they're growing on me a bit now.

Don't get too attached too the way they look!

 

[Kneedown]

Anything with a through-corridor connection.

+1 Agreed 100%

Out of non gangwayed stock i find ugly i'd have to say 175, 220/221, 66, 67, 70, 89.
Regarding 170 and other stock with the same end, I wouldnt say i find them ugly, just plain and boring. I would also be adding IEP if it had gone to Bombardiers version, but i think the Hitachi version is a good looking train.

 

[rebmcr]

+1 Agreed 100%

Out of non gangwayed stock i find ugly i'd have to say 175, 220/221, 66, 67, 70, 89.

Agree on 175, although I could see a different design for the end wraps doing wonders for the aesthetics. I'm a bit indifferent about the others, but don't be mean to the 89! :¬(

 

[Lockwood]

I don't get to see much variation of stock.
Seen photos of S stock - big bug-eyed monsters.
SN 455s look ugly with the boxy fronts, and their 456s look a bit too industrial, and not in the cool engineering way.
Seen the odd 70, bits all over the place. Feels less like a locomotive and more like a Lego experiment gone wrong.

 

[GatwickDepress]

The 380s look incredibly weird to me, as do the 70s. On the other hand I adore the 67s and think the 456s have a certain charm to them.

Methinks you require some railway glasses, 442s are among the best looking units around! Though their current livery is clearly awful.

I'm going to risk the flak here and say that, in my opinion, the current Southern Express livery is the best they've held. The Network SouthEast livery looked incredibly plain, very reminiscent of the old striped Tesco Value branding, and SWT's livery would've looked better on them had it been identical to what the 444s received. Although I think they'd look good in "traditional" Southern EMU green!

 

[rebmcr]

I do like the 60s, the front end makes them look more solid and heavy than if they were built out of lead bricks.

 

[Kneedown]

but don't be mean to the 89! :¬(

I wasn't being mean to our Badger in the slightest, i love it! I just wish they'd done something different with the light clusters which just don't look right IMHO The original artists impression looked much better.

 

[callum112233]

66/67s.

Thanks to the silly ribbed bodysides that makes them look unfinished...
I can't think of any reason for this (then again, i'm no engineer!).

Maybe it makes the body stronger? Or maybe it dissipates heat better from the engine?

 

[nathanclass323]

Class 380 for me. I used to think 458s were pretty ugly, but they're growing on me a bit now.

I think class 380s look good!

 

[D365]

Well, I think we have a winner. Although, I kinda like it!

 

[rebmcr]

Well, I think we have a winner. Although, I kinda like it!

What on earth is that lip for? It looks like someone bolted a dinner tray on the front before sticking a gangway on.

 

[Uzair]

Class 141s, 323s, 456s and Southern 455s

 

[swt_passenger]

What on earth is that lip for?

It's there on the existing 458s. Perhaps it is a structural detail, or perhaps they just want the converted 460s to look same as the converted 458s (when they happen) for some odd reason?

 

[D365]

It's there on the existing 458s. Perhaps it is a structural detail, or perhaps they just want the converted 460s to look same as the converted 458s (when they happen) for some odd reason?

The ex-460 vehicles are going to look different anyway with the ribbon-glazed windows - not that it's ever stopped them