Britain's noisiest trains

[route101]

You can hear trains at the next station most of the time. At one or two stations you can even hear the announcements from the next one up the line!

Interesting , dont think ive seen the next station from another , but it sounded like i could hear the train arriving and leaving the next station up the line.

 

[route101]

86/87s, I hate the traction motor fan noise.

Always thought the 87s were a bit more distinctive than the 86

 

[xotGD]

Locomotives may be noiser, but there is more separation between the engine and passenger areas.....

Not if you are at the front droplight!

 

[FenMan]

The screeching banshee noises on certain sections of the Jubilee Line.

 

[Peter0124]

Very loud screeching with the 318/320/334 leaving Dalmarnock and Glasgow Central Low level and Partick, the 390s at Carlisle platforms 3 and 4, the 700s in St Pancras and Farringdon

And the noise of a 142 braking into Manchester oxford road bay platforms isn't great either!

 

[Warrior2852]

Regarding EMUs, I would like to contribute the 455 when moving faster between certain stations (and especially in morning peak fast services, where the train feels like it might fall apart). Added to this is the windows that loudly slam shut, making anyone nearby jump, whenever a train passes in the opposite direction going any faster that 5 mph.

 

[Journeyman]

Coach K on a Pendolino when you have about five Virgin staff talking noisily in it.

 

[Philip]

The Fell diesel loco was apparently very loud. Is there any footage out there of it with sound? Also what about the blue Midland Pullman?

 

[RichJF]

700s are very loud when it's wet when slowing down. Don't know if the brakes are susceptible to the damp more. The UFO accelerating sound is also very loud vs the Electrostars/455s on DC.

 

[mpthomson]

I live right next (within 30ft) to the ECML south of York, in terms of noise anything ‘heritage diesel’ is by far and away the loudest, 60s following on. By contrast 66 and 68 are really fairly quiet and at night it’s often only the rail noise that’s audible at all on the big intermodal and hopper trains.

In terms of units HST of any variant, the rest are all much of a muchness and not that loud. A 185 is no louder than a Voyager or 180.

 

[DarloRich]

But the absolute winner by far in the class 55 Deltic. Drivers wore ear defenders, you could here them coming many miles away, their drone shakes your insides such is the power & noise when you are near to them. So powerful were they that drivers couldn't use the top notch power until going quite fast so the real peak noise arrives at 50mph plus.

Another candidate is a steam loco safety valve releasing.

I agree with that! However many posters were not alive at the time of the Deltics so can only comment on the railway they do know.

The loudest noise known to man is a pacer going round the curves outside Newcastle station

 

[Bikeman78]

Define 'modern'? Mid-1980s built DMUs - Pacers and 150s, now 35 years old, are not 'modern'.

I was a kid in the 1980s during the transition period from DMUs to Sprinters. At the time I always felt that the 150s were much noisier than the 101s, 117s, 119s etc. Back in those days I think they applied full power on the 150s from a stand so that probably made a difference.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I was a kid in the 1980s during the transition period from DMUs to Sprinters. At the time I always felt that the 150s were much noisier than the 101s, 117s, 119s etc. Back in those days I think they applied full power on the 150s from a stand so that probably made a difference.

Yes, the sound of a 15x starting off is quite different now than back then, when drivers generally only used two power settings - full and idle.

 

[ABB125]

I was at the SVR diesel gala a few years ago on the platform at Bridgnorth. A Celtic departed for Kidderminster. I could still hear it over 5 minutes later...

 

[route:oxford]

Yes, the sound of a 15x starting off is quite different now than back then, when drivers generally only used two power settings - full and idle.

Another vote for the 150 - although I did like the revving roar of the Sprinter when it was first introduced. Such a massive difference to the wheeze and clunk of the elderly heritage units trying to get out of Bridge of Allan from a standing start.

I think "bang" of the doors as it passed a unit at full speed through the Winchburgh Tunnel has got to be one of the louder noises on the network.

Just as an odd aside, I can't think when my ears last "popped" on the railway. Maybe it's an age thing.

 

[Bikeman78]

You can hear trains at the next station most of the time. At one or two stations you can even hear the announcements from the next one up the line!

I remember getting off a class 205 DEMU at Cowden one evening. I could hear the engine for most, if not all, of its journey to Ashurst. A short time later I could hear the engines of the up train as they travelled towards me from Ashurst.

 

[pne508]

I'm misinterpreting the question, but it's a Central class 323 towards the end of their franchise for me. They were fitted with TV monitors, and a trip along the cross city line with the volume turned up to 11 was not nice. There was nowhere on the train you could escape the noise.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm misinterpreting the question, but it's a Central class 323 towards the end of their franchise for me. They were fitted with TV monitors, and a trip along the cross city line with the volume turned up to 11 was not nice. There was nowhere on the train you could escape the noise.

Yeah, I'm glad that nonsense didn't spread. Everyone who wants to watch TV on the train now has a device allowing them to do so, or can easily obtain one. There is no need for forcing it on anyone.

 

[Mikey C]

I'm misinterpreting the question, but it's a Central class 323 towards the end of their franchise for me. They were fitted with TV monitors, and a trip along the cross city line with the volume turned up to 11 was not nice. There was nowhere on the train you could escape the noise.

Slightly off topic, but long distance trains in Malaysia are/were like that, with TV screens at the end of the carriages and the volume turned up to 11. Ended up finding a tatty, unrefurbished carriage with no TV to get away from the racket!

 

[hexagon789]

You should try the Central line anywhere between Liverpool St and Stratford - deafening!

Been on the Underground a few times, though not the Central line, but I still think the Glasgow Subway is noisier!

 

[Peter C]

The Central Line is extremely noisy in the Stratford area. Horrible, especially when you have no ear protection, it's boiling, you step on people's feet as the train starts off from the station...

-Peter

 

[hexagon789]

Interesting , dont think ive seen the next station from another , but it sounded like i could hear the train arriving and leaving the next station up the line.

Just hear, not see as such.

Very loud screeching with the 318/320/334 leaving Dalmarnock and Glasgow Central Low level and Partick

I've always thought the Low Level can be quite bad for wheel squeal, but not the worst I've noticed.

I remember getting off a class 205 DEMU at Cowden one evening. I could hear the engine for most, if not all, of its journey to Ashurst. A short time later I could hear the engines of the up train as they travelled towards me from Ashurst.

Thumpers are definitely noisy! Weirdly the Northern Irish ones seem louder than Southern Region ones to me though!

 

[Peter C]

In terms of flange squeal, all heritage railways which I've been to seem to do very well on the noise factor. Always over points in yards. Very rarely around bends, but I suppose that's the norm.

-Peter

 

[kilonewton]

Been on the Underground a few times, though not the Central line, but I still think the Glasgow Subway is noisier!

Having commuted on both, the Subway is fractionally louder, but they’re both bad.
Disclaimer: my period commuting from Shepherds Bush to Leyton was over 10 years ago, it may have got better.

 

[Peter C]

Having commuted on both, the Subway is fractionally louder, but they’re both bad.
Disclaimer: my period commuting from Shepherds Bush to Leyton was over 10 years ago, it may have got better.

I can assure you that the Central Line is still awful. All the time. But, apparently, "They", with a capital "T", are going to be replacing the current stock by the year 20-something-or-other.

-Peter

 

[3rd rail land]

I can assure you that the Central Line is still awful. All the time. But, apparently, "They", with a capital "T", are going to be replacing the current stock by the year 20-something-or-other.

-Peter

The year 2099 perhaps? It wold be very optimistic to expect new rolling stock on the Central line any sooner!

 

[Peter C]

The year 2099 perhaps? It wold be very optimistic to expect new rolling stock on the Central line any sooner!

That sounds about right!

-Peter

 

[matchmaker]

Been on the Underground a few times, though not the Central line, but I still think the Glasgow Subway is noisier!

Especially going round the Cowcaddens curve!

The Fell diesel loco was apparently very loud. Is there any footage out there of it with sound? Also what about the blue Midland Pullman?

The Fell had 6 diesel engines!

 

[hexagon789]

Having commuted on both, the Subway is fractionally louder, but they’re both bad.
Disclaimer: my period commuting from Shepherds Bush to Leyton was over 10 years ago, it may have got better.

I think the new Glasgow Subway trains have a wheel lubrication IIRR, hopefully that will quieten things a bit.

Especially going round the Cowcaddens curve!

And I think it only has a 15 limit too!

 

[MatthewRead]

The year 2099 perhaps? It wold be very optimistic to expect new rolling stock on the Central line any sooner!

No a lot sooner than that I've heard it could be before the the 1972 tube stock on the Bakerloo line.