Best EMUs

[yorksrob]

One funny thing though, I went on the Dartmoor 205 (205032) a few years ago. Apart from the fact this was at the time like a time capsule, right down to retaining its SouthCentral interior route maps from the early 2000s era, it also retained the flourescent tubes from the same time, which have a very conspicuously more pink hue than some of the nasty daylight or bright white that seemed to be a fad particularly in the later 2000s and early 2010s. For some reason I found this extremely evocative. It’s often small and weird things which seem to trigger past memories.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Dec 2020 ==



LED can be okay. The standby lighting mode on the 700s is actually quite pleasant. A minority of drivers seem to choose to select it off their own back, which is very decent of them to do so. One presumes that once selected on the train’s TMS it will remain like that for the rest of the day unless someone deselects it.

Yes, I remember using the 205's pre and post refurbishment. They became a little bit 'samey' after their NSE refurb, but were still great !

 

[gallafent]

I guess all of these are for nostalgic reasons, of various vintages:

Class 310 : visits to London when I was very young! Similarly 317 and 321 for the same reasons but when slightly older.
1972 and 1983 tube stock: remember these (especially the latter) seeming so modern when I was very young (compared to all the other tube stock at the time, right back to 1938 stock, maybe even O / P stock, though I don't remember those!). Former is now the oldest still running on the network and latter long gone … how time flies.
Class 373: a great sense of theatre and opens up the continent. (Likewise TGV Atlantique).
Any of the Hexie Hao trains in China (which covers technology-transfer “domesticated” high speed EMUs from many manufacturers): absolutely transformed internal rail connectivity in China, vital for reducing internal flights and consequent CO2 emissions. (Also the Fuxing Hao I guess, though I haven't been on one of those yet).

If I had to pick one being less subjective, it would have to be the Chinese High Speed Rail EMUs — they're a complete game-changer for that country's transport system.

 

[bramling]

Some newer trains use warm white as well - Class 185s and Pendolinos/Voyagers being notable examples. TfL also moved back to warm white with the S-stock.



Is that about half lighting? Problem with 700s (and 331s for that matter, but not 397s so Northern clearly cheaped out on that as well) is that it's direct rather than indirect. While 80x are a bit bright, it's less harsh because it points mostly upwards.

LEDs can replicate any tungsten (or fluorescent) lighting type, with the only way of knowing it isn't tungsten being that it uses about 1/10 of the electricity and doesn't give off a load of heat. It's just about how much you are willing to pay for the quality.

I’ve never found an LED that’s a perfect replica of a tungsten lamp. Even some pretty high quality ones still seem to err more towards a yellow hue, and in all cases lack the characteristic “sparkle” of a filament. I have a few quite old fittings at home and despite having tried quite hard to find LEDs which replicate filament bulbs I’ve yet to find any which “look right” in terms of the exact colour match. It’s a bit like putting modern glass in sash windows, it just doesn’t work right.

As regards the 700s, I think I read it’s actually less than 50% when standby mode is selected, I might be misremembering but it might even be as low as 25%. I was surprised how low a percentage it was. However certainly from a practical point of view it feels like about half.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Dec 2020 ==

Yes, I remember using the 205's pre and post refurbishment. They became a little bit 'samey' after their NSE refurb, but were still great !

I don’t know the NSE moquette didn’t suit them badly at all IMO, though clearly not as nice as what went before. At least they retained features like the wood panelling. The biggest issue was they were always quite prone to vandalism, which was a shame.

Even in Connex days a 205 running down the Uckfield Line on a damp cloudy day was a pretty uplifting experience. Jointed track in places and of course the train being near-empty completed the experience! Hopefully one day we might just see a 205 return to the mainline (wishful thinking!).

 

[Energy]

Class 350: one in service failure in 10 years daily travel. Comfortable, speedy, accelerate quickly, efficient, reliable, Germanic.

Close thread.

I agree, especially the /3s. They are comfortable, fast and just work, and that is what the general public want.

 

[yorksrob]

I don’t know the NSE moquette didn’t suit them badly at all IMO, though clearly not as nice as what went before. At least they retained features like the wood panelling. The biggest issue was they were always quite prone to vandalism, which was a shame.

Even in Connex days a 205 running down the Uckfield Line on a damp cloudy day was a pretty uplifting experience. Jointed track in places and of course the train being near-empty completed the experience! Hopefully one day we might just see a 205 return to the mainline (wishful thinking!).

Don't get me wrong, I have a big soft spot for NSE moquette, but it did rather kill variety for a few years.

In the late 80's/early 90's when the electrics had mostly been refurbed around Ashford way, the Marshlink still had good selection of 205's 207's, the uniquely refurbed 205 and a Hastings unit in a variety of Bournemouth Blue and Trojan, which made a nice change.

I'm having withdrawal symptoms from mainline thumper action this year !

 

[bramling]

Don't get me wrong, I have a big soft spot for NSE moquette, but it did rather kill variety for a few years.

In the late 80's/early 90's when the electrics had mostly been refurbed around Ashford way, the Marshlink still had good selection of 205's 207's, the uniquely refurbed 205 and a Hastings unit in a variety of Bournemouth Blue and Trojan, which made a nice change.

I'm having withdrawal symptoms from mainline thumper action this year !

Yes 205032 on the Dartmoor Railway in particular recreated the 1990s experience very well. I don’t think 1132, to quite its proper number, has been a runner for a little while now?

 

[yorksrob]

Yes 205032 on the Dartmoor Railway in particular recreated the 1990s experience very well. I don’t think 1132, to quite its proper number, has been a runner for a little while now?

Yes, I've been to a couple of DEMU days at the East Lancs, but their 207 hasn't been running for a few years either.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Don't get me wrong, I have a big soft spot for NSE moquette, but it did rather kill variety for a few years.

As an aside, Manchester University's Cellar Bar in the 90s had the seats done out with it (they weren't ex-train seats, they were normal bar seats, but covered with NSE moquette). No idea where they got it from.

 

[yorksrob]

As an aside, Manchester University's Cellar Bar in the 90s had the seats done out with it (they weren't ex-train seats, they were normal bar seats, but covered with NSE moquette). No idea where they got it from.

Brilliant !

Perhaps Holdsworth's had a spare roll going cheap !

 

[bramling]

Yes, I've been to a couple of DEMU days at the East Lancs, but their 207 hasn't been running for a few years either.

I remember trying to catch it a few times during the time when it was there was the possibility of it coming out to play on what was then a DMU diagram in the timetable. Never managed it though.

Having said that, SR DEMUs don’t feel right “up north”. Like with LED bulbs in old fittings and plain glass in sash windows, it just doesn’t seem right, the landscape and surroundings don’t match.

 

[py_megapixel]

Class 390, nothing is better than travelling on a 390 at speed on the WCML, watching the world go past.

Not if you're very tall - your head is above the window!

The result of this is that it feels claustrophobic, in a similar way to low-ceilinged cars.

 

[yorksrob]

I remember trying to catch it a few times during the time when it was there was the possibility of it coming out to play on what was then a DMU diagram in the timetable. Never managed it though.

Having said that, SR DEMUs don’t feel right “up north”. Like with LED bulbs in old fittings and plain glass in sash windows, it just doesn’t seem right, the landscape and surroundings don’t match.

I've been on the Eden Valley Railway and caught a 205 and a CEP through Westmorland, which was quite novel !

Southern Region MU's seem quite rare in preservation, so I'll take them anywhere !

 

[bramling]

I've been on the Eden Valley Railway and caught a 205 and a CEP through Westmorland, which was quite novel !

Southern Region MU's seem quite rare in preservation, so I'll take them anywhere !

I’m not knocking it, just saying for me it gives me a very slightly unsettled feeling. As you say, beggars can’t be choosers. It’s a shame the K&ESR don’t have one. I seem to remember at the time some railways didn’t want them as there are no front seats with forward view, which seem to be a popular feature of other designs.

 

[yorksrob]

I’m not knocking it, just saying for me it gives me a very slightly unsettled feeling. As you say, beggars can’t be choosers. It’s a shame the K&ESR don’t have one. I seem to remember at the time some railways didn’t want them as there are no front seats with forward view, which seem to be a popular feature of other designs.

Yes, the Spa valley's good for thumpers though.

 

[AverageTD]

I agree, especially the /3s. They are comfortable, fast and just work, and that is what the general public want.

Will always enjoy a 350. The /1s may be rivalling the /3s for top dog with the excellent new interior refurb.

 

[Energy]

Will always enjoy a 350. The /1s may be rivalling the /3s for top dog with the excellent new interior refurb.

Good point, the refurbed ones are very nice.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Good point, the refurbed ones are very nice.

The ribbed moquette seems to be wearing quickly, though. Hope they have some spare seat covers!

It is a nice scheme, though. Only thing I'd change about it is changing the panels by the doors to grey, the blue doesn't really fit the scheme. Oh, and take out a row from the 9-row centre sections (I think that would lose only 8 seats per unit, if I recall) which would mean good legroom in all seats and 100% window alignment.

 

[DB]

I know ironing boards are Marmite, but I have genuinely heard "this is far nicer than the London train" from people boarding a 195 at Lancaster for Barrow having got off the Pendolino there.

The Northern ironing boards are the improved design though, with padding - and actually reasonably OK for short-ish journeys. The version found in a number of classes of EMU, with no noticeable padding at all, is probably as bad as it gets with train seats in this country.

 

[43096]

I know ironing boards are Marmite, but I have genuinely heard "this is far nicer than the London train" from people boarding a 195 at Lancaster for Barrow having got off the Pendolino there.

That's called damning with faint praise, as Pendolino seats are atrocious, too.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Pendolino, 331 but only as 6-car, refurbished 350s, some of the new French medium-distance double deckers to look at but never been on one yet, and RER units for very short trips. Likes me air-conditioning on a long run though - can't stand a noisy ride unless it's short. Used to (and still do) love short periods at the door opening windows on HSTs. Oh and the SBB "Colibri - hummingbird" EMUs around Lausanne/Montreux which are nicer now than they ever have been thanks to the retrofitting of air-con!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Oh and the SBB "Colibri - hummingbird" EMUs around Lausanne/Montreux which are nicer now than they ever have been thanks to the retrofitting of air-con!

Unrefurbished those (RBDe 560) always seemed basic, a bit musty and smelly. But after the very comprehensive refurb and the insertion of the new-build low-floor trailers they are up there with a FLIRT, which I suspect is the intention.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Unrefurbished those (RBDe 560) always seemed basic, a bit musty and smelly. But after the very comprehensive refurb and the insertion of the new-build low-floor trailers they are up there with a FLIRT, which I suspect is the intention.

Yeah but you couldn't beat an open window around Vevey in summer, could you?! Lémano air is so fresh.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yeah but you couldn't beat an open window around Vevey in summer, could you?! Lémano air is so fresh.

Very true, but the way to do that didn't involve an EMU, it involved one of the "fresh air" UIC coaches which tended to be on the back of an IR. Window down and head out, ideally. (And no, you wouldn't whack it on anything, the loading gauge is bigger than the UK).

 

[samuelmorris]

Thread title does not match the first post. 'Favourite' and 'Best' are not necessarily the same :P

From those I have ridden, probably 2+2 375/377s, 350s or 444s. Anything from the era after air-conditioning and quiet interiors, but before ironing boards and their accompanying slabs of granite.