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Ugliest Train in the UK?

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Buggleskelly

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The 455/7’s is it, that has the out of place looking carriage that makes it stand out like a sore thumb. Goodness know why the former SWT decided to go with that look. Mind you, the colour schemes featured all over the 455 subclasses makes it look a lot more attractive than the bland schemes featured on the AC version of this unit, the 317.
 
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The 455/7’s is it, that has the out of place looking carriage that makes it stand out like a sore thumb. Goodness know why the former SWT decided to go with that look.
Eh? It was BR back in 1984 that decided on that solution of re-using 508 trailers in them.
 

centraltrains

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Hello folks!

Today i have a little bit of a poll for you all, What do you think is the ugliest train in britain?

You can pick many choices or choose a different one not in the list (please specify).

Class 142

Class 41

Class 156

Class 460

Class 43 (Warship Class)

Class 700

Class 800/1/2

Class 385

Class 70

Class 150/0/1/9

Hope you enjoy picking!
You what?!?! How dare you even put 150/0/1/9 on the list! They are the most beautiful trains in the world :wub: If anything it should be the /2!
 

eastwestdivide

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Oops, my bad. Were the /7’s originally 3 car then? If that was the case, how come the other subclasses were all 4?
Not originally 3-car, they were built with the ex-508 car.
The Southern (SW division) originally had 4-car 508 units, which then got transferred to Merseyside as 3-car units. The spare cars were incorporated into new-build 455s.
 

SteveyBee131

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Not originally 3-car, they were built with the ex-508 car.
The Southern (SW division) originally had 4-car 508 units, which then got transferred to Merseyside as 3-car units. The spare cars were incorporated into new-build 455s.

Well, as they say, you learn something new every day! I knew ababout the 508s fourth carriages going into 455s, but never knew the 508s started in the Southern. Thanks for your information :D;)
 

eastwestdivide

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Here's a photo of mine at Clapham Junction, from when the 508s were the "next big thing" as they replaced the 4-SUBs (the latter certainly a candidate for the "can't be bothered; just cut some holes for the windows and bung on a few cable connectors" school of front end design):
508 southern.jpg
 

bastien

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Here's a photo of mine at Clapham Junction, from when the 508s were the "next big thing" as they replaced the 4-SUBs (the latter certainly a candidate for the "can't be bothered; just cut some holes for the windows and bung on a few cable connectors" school of front end design):
View attachment 45182

Here's another question: why were the 508s numbered in the 5xx range and not 4xx given they were Southern Region units?

Mind you I could ask the same about the 3xx but third rail only Electrostars.
 

Cowley

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Here's a photo of mine at Clapham Junction, from when the 508s were the "next big thing" as they replaced the 4-SUBs (the latter certainly a candidate for the "can't be bothered; just cut some holes for the windows and bung on a few cable connectors" school of front end design):
View attachment 45182
That’s a great photo. They looked so modern compared to what they replaced.
 

eastwestdivide

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Here's another question: why were the 508s numbered in the 5xx range and not 4xx given they were Southern Region units?
Who knows? I suppose the 507s for Merseyside came first (in the "logical" place in the 5xx DC-but-not-SR series), and these were basically the same thing, next number onwards.
 

Mikey C

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Here's another question: why were the 508s numbered in the 5xx range and not 4xx given they were Southern Region units?

Mind you I could ask the same about the 3xx but third rail only Electrostars.

Well they were never going to stay in the South, the 455s were always the planned replacement for the SUBs.
 

61653 HTAFC

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Re: 455s. I think the /8s are actually the best-looking of them. They look functional and very much of the 1980s, in a good way. The same goes for the 317s with that front-end. Those with the more "150-esque" front (standard light clusters) just look boring to me.
 

507 001

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Here's another question: why were the 508s numbered in the 5xx range and not 4xx given they were Southern Region units?

Mind you I could ask the same about the 3xx but third rail only Electrostars.

They were always intended to move up north. They were a stop gap on the southern region and the numbering reflects that. IIRC they were originally intended to be 507/1.
 

BurtonM

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Now THAT is ugly!

The Dutch and the Belgians never quite got the hang of through-gangwayed units...

I don't mind those either. Also seen in Denmark.

Both these and the Dutch Koploper can connect with a through gangway...arguably in more elegant manner than most UK units which interrupt the driver's view with a door.

The doors on the end of the Koplopers are sealed off because the connections were unreliable...
 

James James

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The doors on the end of the Koplopers are sealed off because the connections were unreliable...
Would a Koploper style design even fit within UK loading gauge?

FWIW I do remember seeing a Koploper style design in Japan at one point. Possibly even on a sleeper.
 

PaxmanValenta

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Hello folks!

Today i have a little bit of a poll for you all, What do you think is the ugliest train in britain?

You can pick many choices or choose a different one not in the list (please specify).

Class 142

Class 41

Class 156

Class 460

Class 43 (Warship Class)

Class 700

Class 800/1/2

Class 385

Class 70

Class 150/0/1/9

Hope you enjoy picking!

I’d say the 220/221 ugly both inside and out. From the front it looks skinny and malnourished compared to other trains or locos. Even the Pendolino looks a more filled out and beefed up compared to the Voyager. The gangway between carriages is excessively long and messy compared to other DMU gangways and seems to be a step back from the successful tried and tested Pullman gangway. You can tell the 220/221 looks cheap & nasty and designed in a hurry with very little thought.

Inside it’s a mess. A lot of space wasted by excessively long vestibules meaning a cluttered cramped passenger cabin. Sadly ironic to think a 77’6” long standard class Voyager carriage has less seating capacity than a 63’ long MK1 TSO (64 seats spaciously laid out with tables). But Virgin and XC makes up for it by craming in 62 seats at the expense of leg room and many seats without a window view.
 

Chris217

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Locos I would say class 57s.
Mostly because I was a big fan of
the class 47s they were converted from.
I don't really dislike locos though tbh.

For units,the prize goes to class 139s.
Good job there's only 2 of them hehe.
 

Photohunter71

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Those who voted for the 385 should by the similar appearance, also vote for the class 24,25,26 27 and 33, as the 385's have a slight similarity to those locomotive classes.
Who said the 37and 55? Not ugly at all, if you want an ugly class, I'd say the 142's.
By god that Fell loco definitely Fell out of the ugly tree smacking every branch on the way down!
 

Bletchleyite

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Those who voted for the 385 should by the similar appearance, also vote for the class 24,25,26 27 and 33, as the 385's have a slight similarity to those locomotive classes.
Who said the 37and 55? Not ugly at all, if you want an ugly class, I'd say the 142's.
By god that Fell loco definitely Fell out of the ugly tree smacking every branch on the way down!

142s? I don't think they look ugly at all, even though they may strike fear into those who see one approaching. The 3 front windows are quite a nice carry-over from the heritage DMUs they replaced.
 

Ash Bridge

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142s? I don't think they look ugly at all, even though they may strike fear into those who see one approaching. The 3 front windows are quite a nice carry-over from the heritage DMUs they replaced.

Yes definitely, and more specifically the Met Cam 101 front end, to my mind at least.
 
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