Your favourite-sounding loco(s)/multiple units(s)?

[norbitonflyer]

Ah, yes, the Albion 230hp one. I think 115s had them too.

And the 114s.

That Class 17's Paxman engines sound similar to those fitted to HST's when new

Deltic for me. One of my favourite ever railway memories will always be a Deltic out of the Liverpool Lime Street cutting.

I also like 37's, 50's, Valenta HST's, 20's and 26's.

Looking at those videos, I need to find myself a class 17!

Never mind two engines and 72 pistons - I once was treated to four engines and 144 pistons in Gasworks Tunnel when two of them left Kings Cross together - me at the first droplight behind No 9, with No 19 right alongside, both struggling with heavy overnight trains and wet rails.

 

[yorksrob]

Compressors are something I'm very geeky about indeed. The EPB/VEP etc ones sounded very nice, certainly. Others seemed quite a lot harsher on the ears.

Definitely a part of everyday railway life in the 80's and 90's.

 

[randyrippley]

It's a pity that there seem to be no audio recordings of the three gas turbines - they probably sounded exceptional

 

[hexagon789]

Electric loco - any of the Roarers but also the fan noise on the 91s is really something else!

Diesels - 47s and Deltics

HSTs - Valentas are best, but I have none of this despising of MTUs. I actually like the sound of them, though they would still come after Valentas and VP185s

DMUs - any Sprinters really

EMUs - Brush motors on the Mk3 design family

 

[py_megapixel]

I liked the hustle alarms on most BR-era stock. Pity they've basically all been replaced now.
The exception is the Mk4s, whose hustle buzzers sound like they are struggling to breathe! (though I'm not sure if that's a retrofit or not)

The current combination of "Beep-boop Beep-boop Beep-boop Beep-boop Beep-boop Beep-boop" for 5 seconds when the doors are released combined with extremely loud and near constant beeping while they are closing is nowhere near as nice in my opinion. And don't get me started on the horrible release sounds the IETs and, worse, the PRM-retrofit stock have.

 

[Hadders]

Surprised no-one's mentioned the 365s. Having travelled on them thousands of times over the last 25 years the very distinctive motor sound is ingrained on my mind.

 

[Ianno87]

Listened to the 1231 Eurostar to Paris depart St Pancras yesterday - Class 374. They sound pretty cool.

 

[jfollows]

Front seating bay of front coach of 8-TC & 4-REP leaving London Waterloo, ideally in the hours of darkness.

The complete absence of "normal" railway sounds other than the AWS and departure bells made it unusual and enjoyable.

 

[Peter0124]

Class 390s when idle, particularly at London Euston. Very soothing.

 

[py_megapixel]

Class 390s when idle, particularly at London Euston. Very soothing.

I find there's something quite ominous about the continuous humming. I hated it when they first came in, but it's grown on me.

 

[70014IronDuke]

Dunno if it's been mentioned up thread, but the South African Cl 25 4-8-4s were a sound to behold on the karoo - as they were condensing locomotives and sounded more like a jet aeroplane approaching than a steam engine.

Difficult to beat a Duchess with a typical WCML load on, ie 14-15 carriages, back in the day.

 

[Strathclyder]

Since several replies have contained international locos/units (which I didn't specifically exclude in my OP), I may as well throw my two cents in.

The Soviet/Russian TE10 family, specifically the 2TE10 & 3TE10 heavy freight varients. 'Rolling Thunder' & 'Heavy Metal' are perhaps the most apt descriptions for these tower blocks on rails:

The German DR Class 130 family aka Ludmillas:

The Irish CIÉ 071 Class:

 

[hexagon789]

The Irish CIÉ 071 Class:

How did I forget about the 'Big Wans'?

Definitely for non-British classes they are right up there, they sound so good on full power with a bit of speed up.

 

[43096]

I've a great fondness for the trash of an EMD 8-645:

Yes, did enjoy a few runs with them a few years back. Sound great.

On the electric side of things, the series 481 EMUs on the Berlin S-Bahn:

The "wailing banshees" do become very irritating if you're at Berlin Hbf for any period of time. It doesn't matter where you are in the station, you can hear the S-bahn on the top level.

As for others...
Diesel locos: Valenta HST, Class 14, Class 37, Class 68, DB Class 218 (TB10/TB11 engines)
Electric locos: Siemens ES64U/ES64U2 "Taurus" locos
DMUs: Class 185
EMUs: Class 323, Class 365

 

[b0b]

Another 319, this time vs a Valenta HST. Brings back so many memories!

 

[40135]

The GWR 3800s sound amazing at full bark, as do the becoppered Castles.

I find Caprotti 5 73129 to be pretty hellfire, too.

On the diesel side of things: 20s, 24s, 25s, 26s, 27s, 31s, 33s, 37s, 40s, 43s (HST P/Cs not Warships), 68s.

I would say that overall I probably love 40s more than any other loco, hence my username, but I think a pair of 20s sound even better.

 

[Strathclyder]

I would say that overall I probably love 40s more than any other loco, hence my username, but I think a pair of 20s sound even better.

The soprano whistle of both 20s and 40s at idle is like little else I've ever heard; borderline addictive. They sound even better when underground (linked vid from the Roy TheMouth YT channel).

How did I forget about the 'Big Wans'?

Definitely for non-British classes they are right up there, they sound so good on full power with a bit of speed up.

Certainly among my fave Irish locos, along with the 121s/141s/181s (aka Baby GMs) & the Northern Irish 101s (aka Hunslets). The loco featured in that video (082) is by far the loudest of the class, that wailing almost overpowers the roar of the engine proper. Properly glorious. Here she is again flat out with a container train (linked from The Irish Mainline YT channel).

Two more of my favourite-sounding overseas locos, both from Australia.

The New South Wales 44 class, built under license from Alco by AE Goodwin of Auburn (linked from the Rock Solid Railroad Videos channel).

The Victorian Railways C class, built under license from GM/EMD by Clyde Engineering of Rosewater (from the John Philips channel).

 

[43 302]

37s, 50s, 323s, 373s.

 

[CBlue]

The gentle "thuwp" of 1992 stock doors as they all shut in more or less unison, then the gentle whine-hum as the motors take power and haul the train away.

Honourable mention to the amusingly tinny rattle of a 317 compressor...

 

[Irascible]

I'm just about old enough to remember Westerns, that amount of noise absolutely impressed child me, that's for sure -

( the bagpipes add a very wierd dissonance to that! ).

Anything EE or EE related ( including the motors ) also does it - 56s managed to try & knock the breath out of you and give you tinnitus at the same time. Great in small doses perhaps... Paxman's output also sounds pretty pleasant.

 

[Strathclyder]

Anything EE or EE related ( including the motors ) also does it - 56s managed to try & knock the breath out of you and give you tinnitus at the same time. Great in small doses perhaps... Paxman's output also sounds pretty pleasant.

Yeah, they can be rather overwhelming aurally. Still, they're still high on my fave list for that English Electric-esque thumping/throbbing when under power and the screaming turbocharger (very closely related to the one fitted to Valenta-powered HSTs, hence the similarity in sound effects). Really makes them sound like what they are - a heavy-duty freight locomotive.

 

[SolomonSouth]

Class 375 and 465/9.

 

[NewClee153]

Loco: 68
DMU: 150, 153/155, 156, 158/159 (cummins)
EMU: 323

 

[Andrew*Debbie]

I'm going to risk what little reputation I may have:

DMU: Class 221. Something about the growl of all those Cummins diesels in a 10-car. It does loose some appeal after two or three hours

EMU: London Underground 1938 stock.

 

[gallafent]

EMU: London Underground 1938 stock.

Good call. Including the door-closing pneumatic sound (which was a good way to know that the doors were about to close, no need for an electronic hustle alarm), and of course any time you activate a tripcock.

 

[Tryfan]

Deltics closely followed by Westerns. Nothing else really comes close

 

[CR165022]

For me:
Loco: 68
DMU: 165/166 or 172
Emu: 700/707/717

 

[AJM580]

Steam - Royal Scots, Scots Guardsman always sounds amazing when climbing.
Diesel - has to be the Deltics
DMU - 755s are pretty good, but have a nostalgic soft spot for a 156 at full speed, windows open and the Cummins thrashing away
EMU - any one of 317, 319, 321.

Honourable mention to the IE 071s, 141s and the bark of a GWR engine starting out from a station.

 

[hexagon789]

have a nostalgic soft spot for a 156 at full speed, windows open and the Cummins thrashing away

This exactly, but others seem to think that constitutes madness!

 

[colchesterken]

London Underground class A60 loved the way the motors clicked as they picked up
speed on the fast bits
Class 86 as they start the fans come in kinda says I am powering up to go
Not the same going to London on a flirt