Best DMU for passenger comfort?

[j.crocker355]

What's the Best DMU for passenger comfort?

Was sitting on a Chilterns class 170 back to Oxford today and it occurred to me how much like sitting on a BR Mk3 HST it was.. it felt like loco hauled stock. You could actually hear yourself speak.

Engine noise at speed was barely noticeable (an indicator for the engine noise of the MTU engined Hitachi IEP?) Not screaming loud like a 165/166/180

Bus wise I have the same problem with Enviro's the engines are just so whiney and noisy in the passenger cabin.. hate them!

Anyways


Wifi was excellent

Seats were comfortable and not back breaking (no standing either!)

No stability issues at speed it felt much like a HST at some point for speed and refinement.

What's everyone's thoughts on the best DMU for passenger comfort?



Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[bramling]

What's the Best DMU for passenger comfort?

Was sitting on a Chilterns class 170 back to Oxford today and it occurred to me how much like sitting on a BR Mk3 HST it was.. it felt like loco hauled stock. You could actually hear yourself speak.

Engine noise at speed was barely noticeable (an indicator for the engine noise of the MTU engined Hitachi IEP?) Not screaming loud like a 165/166/180

Bus wise I have the same problem with Enviro's the engines are just so whiney and noisy in the passenger cabin.. hate them!

Anyways


Wifi was excellent

Seats were comfortable and not back breaking (no standing either!)

No stability issues at speed it felt much like a HST at some point for speed and refinement.

What's everyone's thoughts on the best DMU for passenger comfort?



Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

A lot depends on where one sits on a DMU. A class 165, for example, can be very quiet indeed if sitting directly behind the driving cab. It all depends where one is sitting relative to the location of the engine.

 

[j.crocker355]

Oh forgot to add working heating/air-conditioning lol put it this way I'm travelling Chilterns a lot more than Great Western these days.. that and it only cost me and two kids £22 to travel to London and back over two days..

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[Mulberry2016]

DMU? I like the Super Voyagers when you can get a seat on them. Great view from the window seats, fast and quiet.

 

[Firesprite]

DMU? I like the Super Voyagers when you can get a seat on them. Great view from the window seats, fast and quiet.

You got to be kidding?. You need ear plugs and nose peg for a peacefull trip that's if you can get a seat.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

The 168s are indeed excellent. I also like the ATW refurbished 158s a lot.

 

[507021]

I like a few different types and I find it hard to choose between them, so I'll list them all.

Classes 156, 158, 175, 180 and 185.

 

[me123]

I've been very impressed with the 175s. Quiet, comfortable, nice big windows, good luggage space. I think they're the best I've come across. A good 158 is pretty decent, although they can be variable. I do like 170s too - pretty comfortable and nice seating.

I do have a soft spot for 156s, but it'd be a push to say that they're the "best for passenger comfort".

 

[xc170]

You got to be kidding?. You need ear plugs and nose peg for a peacefull trip that's if you can get a seat.

God forbid anyone have anything positive to say about Voyagers on this forum...

I'd nominate the 175.

 

[Carlisle]

DMU? I like the Super Voyagers when you can get a seat on them. Great view from the window seats, fast and quiet.

Yes when engines wifi , toilets and tilt iare working correctly they're probably the best preforming DMUs we have in the uk

 

[tsr]

I find the Greater Anglia 156s to be pretty good for the most part, given a comparison with other 156s and any 15x units, really.

In terms of slightly more modern stock, 171s take my vote. 168s are also pretty good but I've been on one or two which have been more annoying in terms of random rattling noises, over the last year or so. If 171s had free wifi and a quiet zone on the 4 coach units (hard on the 2 coach ones, though it could be done), I think they'd be hard to beat. They even still have catering trolley areas and spacious 2+1 in First Class (a novelty in the South)!

 

[Kite159]

I find the Greater Anglia 156s to be pretty good for the most part, given a comparison with other 156s and any 15x units, really.

In terms of slightly more modern stock, 171s take my vote. 168s are also pretty good but I've been on one or two which have been more annoying in terms of random rattling noises, over the last year or so. If 171s had free wifi and a quiet zone on the 4 coach units (hard on the 2 coach ones, though it could be done), I think they'd be hard to beat. They even still have catering trolley areas and spacious 2+1 in First Class (a novelty in the South)!

One slight mark down on the GA 156s is the lack of seat back tables for the airline seating

 

[FQ]

The 175 for me - good passenger comfort, light and airy and the doors in the right place for a long distance unit.

 

[387star]

really?

I still recall travelling back from stratford on avon to london (a service which I believe has now been largely withdrawn) on a clubman and loud rattling inducing a bad headache
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

You got to be kidding?. You need ear plugs and nose peg for a peacefull trip that's if you can get a seat.

 

[306024]

If you widen the search, Danish IC3s are better than anything we've got.

 

[Phil from Mon]

i don't have a problem with the super voyagers, and ATWs 175s and refurbished 158s are fine for medium distances, but over a journey of 4 hours and more the constant engine noise and (admittedly much less than first generation dmus) vibration is pretty exhausting compared with the same time in a pendolino or in loco-hauled stock

 

[DarloRich]

I will go class 185. I think they are really good and comfortable. The 180 is comfortable but just seems to vibrate so much.

DMU? I like the Super Voyagers when you can get a seat on them. Great view from the window seats, fast and quiet.

i assume that is an ironic post or you are deaf!

Yes when engines wifi , toilets and tilt iare working correctly they're probably the best preforming DMUs we have in the uk

Superb - especially when every component resonates at a slightly different frequency and the seats seem to have been designed by a perverted midget torturer!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Pedantic I know, but Chiltern don't have any 170s - they have 172s and 168s (some of the latter were converted from TPE 170/3s). When they were with TPE, those units were among the most comfortable, and I always tried to aim for 170 services when possible. Other contenders are the Calder Valley 110 units, and 158s (particularly the Northern Spirit TPE units).

 

[Tubeboy]

I found Scotrail's 170s very pleasant when travelling round Scotland a couple of years back.

 

[railfan100]

For me I would say the Class 158 units with the original seating when they were in new condition. The ride of the 158 is so smooth even on bullhead rail, and when they were new it was so silky smooth the units did not trigger track circuits!

In later years would have to say the Class 175 despite having poor build quality when new including overheating engines, cracks in the bogies as well as numerous overall quality issues they did ride well. Also the seating on the 175 is good although not been on one for around 5 years.

 

[tsr]

The ride of the 158 is so smooth even on bullhead rail, and when they were new it was so silky smooth the units did not trigger track circuits!

Eh? Why would a silky smooth ride cause problems with track circuits? It rather sounds like a fault with, or requiring the installation of, TCAs (Track Circuit Actuators / Assisters).

 

[F Great Eastern]

Class 175
Class 185
Class 158 (ATW, like the FGW style seats, let down by no wifi tho)

 

[sprinterguy]

Eh? Why would a silky smooth ride cause problems with track circuits? It rather sounds like a fault with, or requiring the installation of, TCAs (Track Circuit Actuators / Assisters).

Indeed, the problems that the 158s initially had activating track circuits were nothing to do with ride quality and everything to do with the use of disc brakes instead of tread. This allowed a build up of leaf mulch and other detritus around the wheel tread, causing a reduction in conductivity. They were subsequently fitted with 'scrubbers' to alleviate the problem.

 

[swt class 450]

Personally in my opinion i think that the 165 / 166 / 168 / 170 / 171 / 172 / 185 are the best DMUs for passenger comfort. They are all well designed trains.

 

[Deepgreen]

I can be very specific here - 166205's first class. It is the only unit to have received an internal refurbishment and the leather seats are very pleasant. This, of course, is assuming that HSTs are excluded from the category of DMUs, which is debatable.

 

[swt class 450]

I can be very specific here - 166205's first class. It is the only unit to have received an internal refurbishment and the leather seats are very pleasant. This, of course, is assuming that HSTs are excluded from the category of DMUs, which is debatable.

Are they planning on refurbishing the other 165s and 166s as well? Personally i would classify HSTs as Locomotive Hauled Trains rather than DMUs.

 

[Mordac]

I will go class 185. I think they are really good and comfortable.

Agreed with this. Amazingly quiet for a DMU (on the inside), comfortable seats (subjective) and window alignment tends to be good.

Afterwards 175s (also very quiet, seats are very good, let down by lack of first class, the state of fittings/bogs, lack of power points and not enough tables.)

Third place Virgin's 221s, when speeding down the WCML at full tilt they are excellent. Let down by rattling at lower speeds. The less said about the XC units the better.

 

[cactustwirly]

The GW and HT 180s, - comfortable seats, good legroom, quiet, good window alignment

 

[J-2739]

185s and 158/9s. Tied.

Pacers are outdated pieces of cr*p, while other Sprinters are simply boring and uncomfortable. In my honest opinion.

 

[hurricanemk1c]

Extending it to Ireland, you have the Class 22000 ICR Fleet. Quiet, free wi-fi, comfy seats (although not Mark 3 league), all seats are aligned to windows, stunning performers (in the right hands), good capacity, good toilets - and the basic set (be it 3, 4 or 5) is network-capable