What's your favourite diesel train?

[Metal_gee_man]

Loco class 68
Set class 43
DMU class 158
DEMU class 221 (because Tilt)

 

[Journeyman]

I love 37s, because they look and sound so impressive, and because they've been so versatile, reliable and long-lived. They must represent some of the best money BR ever spent.

Although they were bloody awful things to actually travel in, I was fond of the Southern Thumpers in their final years too - travelling in a motor coach was a fascinating experience, with effectively half a locomotive right next to you.

 

[LancasterRed]

Either the 170, 195, or the 220/221.

There's a lot to pick from...

 

[cambsy]

My favourite diesels are very varied, as like anything which sounds good and gives hellfire thrash, so here they are:

37‘S absolutely hellfire and good turn of speed when thrashed hard, sound brilliant, had over 100mph out of double headed pairs, lucky enough to have had them when in service in Scotland and last years on North Wales Main Line, lots of thrash and brilliant sounding.

20’s great sound, hellfire thrash again, bit slow but if really thrashed could do decent speed, had pair doing 85mph on Glasgow South Western, on rail tour, nutty driver and absolute pure hellfire.

50’s hellfire beasts, lucky enough to have them on Waterloo-Exeter services, did a lot of their final rail tours, with some really good 100mph maybe plus runs in the south West, hellfire and sound great, oddest run was a 50 and aKettle, was supposed to be double Headed Kettles but one failed, so had a 50 substitute, which was interesting.

56’s and 58’s powerful beasts, good thrash, and when thrashed hard could hit about 100mph mark, some great runs behind them.

Deltic Royal Scots Grey, absolute beast, great sound, totally hellfire, on Virgin Cross country services between Birmingham and Scotland, had 116mph down Beattock and shap, Due to under reading speedo, was mad runs in mK 2’s, say no more.

33’s brilliant sound and hellfire, most memorable trip was Crewe-Birmingham Int-Crewe-Settle and Carlisle-Largs-Stranraer-Glasgow-Birmingham Int-Crewe, on Rhins and Machars Cromptons, had couple on service trains and few on rail tours.

Not my favourites but worthy mention a combo of 31 and 26 on Anglo Scottish rail tour, was looped bottom of shap, so the ensuing climb of Shap had them thrashing their guts out, pure Hellfire bliss.

I dont think much of modern Diesels in term of noise etc as lucky enough to be bought up on the above in my younger days, suppose half decent sounding to me are the 68’s, but they lack proper sound like the 37’s etc, the Diesels today are just so sterile compared to the old days.

 

[delt1c]

Thumper 1001:

https://www.hastingsdiesels.co.uk/1001/

It's even got a buffet car !

But not a genuine Thumper Buffet

 

[Buggleskelly]

For locos: The 37's

For trains/units: I'd say the HST, followed by class 165.

 

[DarloRich]

Diesel train: HST

Diesel locomotive? take a guess?

 

[Whistler40145]

37s are hellfire beasts

 

[hexagon789]

Diesel locomotive? take a guess?

Metrovick Co-Bos?

 

[AM9]

One that needs OLE.
But if pollution is of no significance:
a 142 for the panoramic view
a 205 for the quirkiness, (hoping one day to go on a 769 - diesel-electric MUs are more interesting)
a 220 for the progress

 

[MB162435]

Definitely the Class 43 and the HST, best DMU would be the 158 tho

 

[nlogax]

50s. As a kid I did Salisbury to Waterloo behind one and it's a very happy memory. That noise is amazing.

 

[DarloRich]

Metrovick Co-Bos?

Always preferred BoCo to be honest

 

[adamskiodp]

Class 115

Loved those bouncy seats and the diesel smell when leaning out the window

 

[PeterC]

Locomotives: Deltics no contest, closely followed by Westerns & Warships.

Unit: would have to be the Blue Pullman & HST train sets, the latter preferably powered by the original Paxman Valenta power units.

Snap

 

[Smitham]

Deltic
Thumper

 

[El Toro]

Hi, mine is the class 43 HST. I also like the Class 37 . Oor Wullie is my favourite

 

[gg1]

Deltics, although I never travelled behind one while they were in service. Of ones I've actually travelled on it would be valenta power HSTs, of trains currently in service it's 68s.

As a general rule DMUs hold no interest for me whatsoever.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Hymeks.
124s.

Or if we're sticking with current stuff:
68s.
158s.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Class 222 Meridian

I also liked the LNER HSTs and the XCs aren’t too bad either. TPE 185s are nice too.

 

[92042]

1. Deltics
2. 68s
3. 50s

Honourable mention for HSTs!

 

[Cheshire Rover]

Loco - Class 40
Set - Original HST

 

[RichJF]

Train/DMU: Thumpers
Loco: Class 68

 

[Mikey C]

HST

For the DMU, I've not used one for a long time, but I'll plump for the 175. I quite like the Chiltern 168s and the EMR 222s as well, though the latter need a bit of TLC.

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

I'm gonna have to say my favourite 2 - the HST and, sorry folks, the Hitachi Class 8xx trains - yes these are bi-mode but in diesel mode they really do perform well !

The HST - well, the look. Seeing one come into Birmingham New Street on the same platform you stand in is just fantastic !

 

[Ashley Hill]

It's interesting that nobody has chosen a Peak! It's also fascinating how many have chosen HSTs,they were hated during my bashing years in the 80s.

 

[gg1]

It's also fascinating how many have chosen HSTs,they were hated during my bashing years in the 80s.

I wonder if it could be an age thing? I was born in the mid 70s so as a young child HSTs were new, exciting, vaguely futuristic and looked different to anything else in service, as a result they were THE train I wanted to travel on and I've never really lost that fascination. I wouldn't be at all surprised if a significant chunk of the people voting for HSTs are of a broadly similar age range or a little younger.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Loco: Class 33, went to school behind them for two years.
Unit: Class 156, always seem like a decent train for mid range journeys

 

[midland1]

Loco. Green with small yellow warning panel class 40
DMU Blue pullman

 

[Peter Sarf]

Metrovick Co-Bos?

I would love to have experienced a Co-Bo but before my interest got me.

Class 115

Loved those bouncy seats and the diesel smell when leaning out the window

Bouncy seats eh !. Well I remember the 304s especially on my runs to Bescot from New Street.

I wonder if it could be an age thing? I was born in the mid 70s so as a young child HSTs were new, exciting, vaguely futuristic and looked different to anything else in service, as a result they were THE train I wanted to travel on and I've never really lost that fascination. I wouldn't be at all surprised if a significant chunk of the people voting for HSTs are of a broadly similar age range or a little younger.

Actually if this was being discussed 20 years ago steam engines would have been to the fore I suspect ?. I am old enough to have seen things that many on here missed, so in 20 years time.....