Ugliest Train in the UK?

[hexagon789]

Although not officially, arguably with mainly modern features however desiros do contain features that do give a nod to the slam door trains (such as the class 411, 412,421,423, that came before the them) that the desiro types replaced
such as
the doors slamming
the cab ends how they have a similar shape
the end gangways (although with no window)
the 3+2 seating arrangement which was based of similar seating arrangement in the slam door era

I know from the way they look, (the 444 Being the most different) they dont look like they have anything compared to the slam door trains before but when you think about the individual elements you can see how some trains are similar to the stocks they replace even if not “officially” based off them

I agree there are "features" that they draw from other designs, I was more thinking along the precise lines of the exterior design - to be honest they look totally different to the Continental European-style Desiros, even ignoring the gangways, and that's their design basis if you like!

 

[LOL The Irony]

Well you can easily argue the same case for the electrostars i mean, you never know if bombardier based their design on the slam doors aswell???

Xstar's and therefore, Aventra's, can be traced to the Networkers.

 

[RealTrains07]

Xstar's and therefore, Aventra's, can be traced to the Networkers.

Aventra i would say exterior design wise are less like older stok compared to desiro

 

[HOOVER29]

Class 57s that have had all the ugly gubbins stuck on the front.

Class 57’s that have had all the ugly gubbins taken off the front.

Class 70’s.

 

[bastien]

Well, there's only so much variation you can do with a flattish front and a corridor connection!

Plus you have to keep the drivers (and their union) happy, so the chances are the new train will look a lot like the previous one.

 

[RealTrains07]

Desiro’s cab look pretty similar to the 309s actually so if anyway has mentioned the 309 before now. I agree

 

[Alanko]

I'm not a fan of all those old 4-VEP, 4-CEP, 'Thumper' thingies. They look mostly identical; namely old coaching stock with a cab grafted onto the end. Plainly ugly. No idea why so many gricers carry a candle for them; I can only guess that you had to be there the first time.

A bit like when some sort of 'listed' status is appended to an ugly concrete brutalist tower block, I'm left thinking 'surely a photo of this monstrosity would suffice?'

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I'm not a fan of all those old 4-VEP, 4-CEP, 'Thumper' thingies. They look mostly identical; namely old coaching stock with a cab grafted onto the end. Plainly ugly. No idea why so many gricers carry a candle for them; I can only guess that you had to be there the first time.

A bit like when some sort of 'listed' status is appended to an ugly concrete brutalist tower block, I'm left thinking 'surely a photo of this monstrosity would suffice?'

I don't think their elevated status is based aesthetic considerations, more the rose tinted nostalgia for compartments, sprung seats and slam-doors. They were also very well cared for right up to the end (on the SW at least) so were reliable and pretty comfortable.

Looks-wise, let's be kind and just say form follows function!

 

[Chris217]

Thumpers may have lost in looks
But gained in the sound department

 

[Alanko]

I don't think their elevated status is based aesthetic considerations, more the rose tinted nostalgia for compartments, sprung seats and slam-doors. They were also very well cared for right up to the end (on the SW at least) so were reliable and pretty comfortable.

Looks-wise, let's be kind and just say form follows function!

Had to Wikipedia it, I didn't realise that they weren't replaced until 2004! I enjoy seeing Scotrail 314s loitering in Glasgow Central, maybe for the same(ish) reasons. They seem like trains out of time.

I've watched some Youtube footage and these things will probably grow on me, for the sound alone.

 

[bastien]

I'm not a fan of all those old 4-VEP, 4-CEP, 'Thumper' thingies. They look mostly identical; namely old coaching stock with a cab grafted onto the end. Plainly ugly. No idea why so many gricers carry a candle for them; I can only guess that you had to be there the first time.

A bit like when some sort of 'listed' status is appended to an ugly concrete brutalist tower block, I'm left thinking 'surely a photo of this monstrosity would suffice?'

The 4-CEPs certainly did look like plain carriage ends with boxes and pipes and stuff stuck on. But by the time the 4-VEP came along, someone had at least tried to do some styling (even if they gave it up as a bad job).

 

[Mikey C]

The 4-CEPs certainly did look like plain carriage ends with boxes and pipes and stuff stuck on. But by the time the 4-VEP came along, someone had at least tried to do some styling (even if they gave it up as a bad job).

But then gave up with the first 317s and 455s!

 

[Bletchleyite]

But then gave up with the first 317s and 455s!

455s are fairly timeless, really, not massively uglier than the snout end of a 350. It's the other Mk3 EMUs - the small-windowed 317 variant (and the Mk3 LHCS-like interior some of those have) and the exterior of the 319 and 321 that look really dated because they have a very distinctly 1970s/1990s style.

Of the old Mk1 EMUs the pig-ugly ones are a bit older, particularly when given BR livery and a yellow end - 4-SUBs and the likes. Truly no effort made at all with these, and there isn't even the practical but ugly gangway.

Mk2 DBSOs also look pretty nasty - very obviously a Mk2 coach with the end doors welded up, 3 extra windows cut and a cab bolted in with no further effort whatsoever.

 

[dk1]

Mk2 DBSOs also look pretty nasty - very obviously a Mk2 coach with the end doors welded up, 3 extra windows cut and a cab bolted in with no further effort whatsoever.

& absolutely awful things to drive. Noisy, draughty, uncomfortable. Nostalgia is a wonderful thing but no thanks.

 

[hexagon789]

Mk2 DBSOs also look pretty nasty - very obviously a Mk2 coach with the end doors welded up, 3 extra windows cut and a cab bolted in with no further effort whatsoever.

They look much nicer in original form with end gangway.

 

[hexagon789]

& absolutely awful things to drive. Noisy, draughty, uncomfortable. Nostalgia is a wonderful thing but no thanks.

Interesting because in their ScotRail days drivers preferred them to driving from a 47, despite the lack of fineness of control.

 

[bramling]

Thumpers may have lost in looks
But gained in the sound department

I don’t know, I always found the 205s and 207s looked quite cute, especially in earlier green liveries, but even in the likes of NSE and Connex. Can’t quite say the same about the Hastings units though, to me they always had a slightly awkward appearance.

 

[dk1]

Interesting because in their ScotRail days drivers preferred them to driving from a 47, despite the lack of fineness of control.

Driving most diesels from that era was never pleasant.

 

[Bletchleyite]

They look much nicer in original form with end gangway.

View attachment 62758

"Much nicer" in the sense that it's probably nicer to pull your toenails off than poke a rusty nail into your eyes, you mean?

 

[hexagon789]

Driving most diesels from that era was never pleasant.

I think 47s had a reputation for draughts, I imagine a nice cosy passenger coach was quite an upgrade.

"Much nicer" in the sense that it's probably nicer to pull your toenails off than poke a rusty nail into your eyes, you mean?

Each to their own; I like them like that and especially in that livery. I don't like them post-refurb so much.

Mind you I like some liveries others probably find a bit garish, so it's all down to personal taste I suppose!

 

[LOL The Irony]

They look much nicer in original form with end gangway.

View attachment 62758

That fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch face first on the way down.

 

[hexagon789]

That fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch face first on the way down.

It's not exactly pretty, I won't argue that but I don't think it's ugly. No different to a gangwayed DMU in my opinion.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Each to their own; I like them like that and especially in that livery

Provincial livery does suit most things, particularly Mk2 LHCS (including the older non-aircon coaches you got in North Wales), but that snout just shows a complete lack of any effort other than 5 minutes with an angle grinder, 10 with some windows and putty, and another 5 with a yellow paint spray gun.

FWIW, DB actually managed, believe it or not, to produce something actually uglier:

Pig-ugly snout end of a converted Silberling

Though later versions were better, with a bit more effort:

Slightly better later version

 

[LOL The Irony]

It's not exactly pretty, I won't argue that but I don't think it's ugly. No different to a gangwayed DMU in my opinion.

They just slapped the door from a castle on the front and called it a day.

 

[Dougal2345]

I’m with those that have said the Fell locomotive. Hideous.

Photo (not mine) of 10100 - A face only a mother could love. Could bite an apple through a tennis racket as they say.[...]What an absolute munter...

Surely many modern 4x4s take their styling cues from this. Offensive and ugly is what the 4x4 buyer loves - it matches their personalities.

 

[hexagon789]

Provincial livery does suit most things, particularly Mk2 LHCS (including the older non-aircon coaches you got in North Wales), but that snout just shows a complete lack of any effort other than 5 minutes with an angle grinder, 10 with some windows and putty, and another 5 with a yellow paint spray gun.

If you mean the livery the DBSO carrying, it's not Provincial, it's ScotRail sector or ScotRail Express livery.

I liked the Regional Railways colours scheme bit not the original scheme devised first TransPennine services. Go figure...

They just slapped the door from a castle on the front and called it a day.

I think there was rather more to it than that.

Furthermore, it was done on the cheap, not a lot you can do without lots of cash.

I believe orginally they wanted purpose-built Mk3 vehicles.

 

[pieguyrob]

I think the class 365's with their stupid smile are quite ugly. Also the class 456's and 345's are munters too.
Locomotive wise, it would have to be the class 15, 16, and 20. They don't look right.

 

[hexagon789]

As some of us agreed last night, the UK attempt at a double-decker wasn't exactly a looker:

 

[Nick Nation]

Surprised to see Warships mentioned - I think they are curvy and wonderful. That Fell loco though....and Class 319s, positively ghastly.

 

[Bletchleyite]

As some of us agreed last night, the UK attempt at a double-decker wasn't exactly a looker:

View attachment 62771

Hellish amount of wasted space too.