Best train manufacturer?

[charlesn132]

Who do you think is the best train manufacturer, past or present, in anywhere in the world?

 

[Darandio]

There are several. BREL, English Electric even Bombardier.

 

[starrymarkb]

Has to be SLM....

 

[rail-britain]

Pre-privitisation 1980s / 1990s :

BREL were excellent with EMUs up to the 320
However their attempt at DMUs were laughable, especially the 158

The Metrocammell 156 has to be the best DMU
When they were knew they were capable of going faster than 158s!
I travelled on a pair of 156s between Girvan (45 minutes late) and Glasgow (15 minutes late), passed Lochside (now Lochwinnoch) at 92mph, the driver overheated the brakes on slowing for Paisley and overshot the platform

 

[ert47]

Metro Camell have made some good tube stock.
But when it comes to modern stock, im pretty biased, I like Bombardier mainly cos i live in "Star" territory, but also as i dislike Siemens stock for no apparent reason.

Maybe im just a fanboy

 

[Vulcan]

Hunslet Engine Company (the original Leeds company, not Statfold Barn railway's pretend Hunslet engine company), because my Grandfather used to be a designer for them.

Or perhaps English Electric. When you consider what they have built, with the Lightning fighter jet at one end of the spectrum, and the humble 08 at the other, with the Deltics, 50s and GT3 in between, its not bad!

 

[Lampshade]

English Electric, quite a lot of what they built is still in service in one way or another.

 

[90019]

I think I can guess who Kingfisher200262 will go for


Personally I'd go for Bombardier because of the Turbostars and Electrostars.

 

[Ivo]

I would have to go for Bombadier myself, with Siemens also doing a good job. The problem with the British Rail era is that whilst BREL etc made some fine units, there are also things called "Pacers" running around.

 

[gordonthemoron]

Siemens, then Alstom

 

[yorksrob]

I would have to go for Bombadier myself, with Siemens also doing a good job. The problem with the British Rail era is that whilst BREL etc made some fine units, there are also things called "Pacers" running around.

Well, I suppose the fact that they are still running around is one thing going for them-

But anyway, they're more than made up for by those lovely comfortable and reliable slammers they used to build

 

[mallard]

Personally, I much prefer Siemens to Bombardier, but maybe that's because I hail from Electostar-land, so find them boring and unimpressive. Meridians are good trains though.

Hitachi's 395's are also pretty good in my opinion and Perry People Movers are interesting at least.

Alstom has got to be one of the worst, at least in terms of reliability and teething problems, 458s nearly rejected by SWT, 180s were rejected by FGW, 175s also had issues. Pendolinos are probably the only train they made that hasn't been something of a fiasco.

Of course, in BR days EE, Brush and BR's own workshops (before "BREL") produced some of the most reliable and long lived locomotives and units we've seen in this country and much of what BREL produced was pretty good too.

 

[generalvegitable]

personally my favourite manufacturer is bombardier partly because they are the successor to the successor of BREL and they make some of my favourite units running on the network today

 

[ChampsRacing]

Im waiting a come back from people who i work with in swt when i say this, but i think siemens is doing a really good job!! Time to me not to enter the messroom i think

 

[bengley]

Cravens!

 

[Vulcan]

I'm surprised nobody has said anything along the lines of Swindon, Doncaster, Crewe or Eastleigh works yet.

 

[142094]

Probably go back to the start - the Stephensons

 

[gordonthemoron]

did George actually build any locos or was it just Robert?

 

[Fincra5]

Bombardier

 

[Vulcan]

did George actually build any locos or was it just Robert?

Didn't George come up with the idea for the multi-tubular boiler, but Robert continued the business of locomotive building? I heard somewhere George went on to do something about cucumbers. I may be mistaken.

 

[37401]

Sulzer

"why? they made the engines for duffs" I hear you cry, well they also made engines these: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJAP0W_wIt4&feature=related

 

[peterinsurrey]

comeng

 

[charlesn132]

Metro Camell have made some good tube stock.
But when it comes to modern stock, im pretty biased, I like Bombardier mainly cos i live in "Star" territory, but also as i dislike Siemens stock for no apparent reason.

Maybe im just a fanboy

Same, I do not like Siemens trains...

 

[Mojo]

Out of the modern choice (excluding people like the Chinese railways) which is between Alstom, Bombardier and Siemens, I'd say Siemens would win hands-down as I feel their trains are a lot more quality and seem a lot more robust.

However, my only experience of them is their EMU Desiro fleet and as EMUs are nicer than DMUs I may be biased. Perhaps some TPE people can comment on whether their 185s are better than Turbostars?

 

[Lampshade]

However, my only experience of them is their EMU Desiro fleet and as EMUs are nicer than DMUs I may be biased. Perhaps some TPE people can comment on whether their 185s are better than Turbostars?

There isn't really much in it, the 185s are better for longer journeys though.

 

[boing_uk]

As a regular traveller on TPE, I concur that there isnt a great deal in it, save for the age of the interiors which are looking a bit more aged on the 170.

From a purely engineering perspective, I'd prefer the 170's as in three car formation they are 30-odd tons lighter.

 

[bnm]

GWR Swindon Works and it's BR sucessor up to the time of the diesel-hydraulics.

 

[MCR247]

Siemens and Alstom for me. Bombardier would be up there, but for me the voyagers put me off

 

[Voyager 2093]

Siemens, Bombardier and Alstom. The 'big three'.

 

[yorksrob]

As a regular traveller on TPE, I concur that there isnt a great deal in it, save for the age of the interiors which are looking a bit more aged on the 170.

From a purely engineering perspective, I'd prefer the 170's as in three car formation they are 30-odd tons lighter.

I must admit, they both seem much of a muchness to me - although one of them (I can't remember which) doesn't have a razor socket in the loo which has caught me out a couple of times !