Circuit Breaker noise on Electrostars

[WestAnglian]

On another forum somebody suggested that class 317s made a 'deafening' clunk when entering a neutral section. I countered by saying I'd never found it deafening and that the class 379s made a much louder BANG that woke up and startled passengers. The other party pointed out that he used class 387s and had never encountered such a thing.
Is there a 387 user here who has travelled underneath the pantograph well and can confirm or deny whether there's a bang so loud as to temporarily stop conversation and make pasengers look up in alarm, as happens on a 379?

 

[TurboMan]

On another forum somebody suggested that class 317s made a 'deafening' clunk when entering a neutral section. I countered by saying I'd never found it deafening and that the class 379s made a much louder BANG that woke up and startled passengers. The other party pointed out that he used class 387s and had never encountered such a thing.
Is there a 387 user here who has travelled underneath the pantograph well and can confirm or deny whether there's a bang so loud as to temporarily stop conversation and make pasengers look up in alarm, as happens on a 379?

Yes there is, and yes it has alarmed passengers on occasion. Especially when they just recover from the first 'clunk!' when the VCB opens, only for there to be another 'clunk!' when it closes.

 

[62484GlenLyon]

The bang certainly alarms me! I won't sit in the seats directly under the pantograph on 387 units, nor did I on the 379s. I like a more peaceful journey.

 

[jack31439]

The VCB can be loud, but on a warm day the air con is much better under the pantograph well so it's often nicer to sit there. Best of all perhaps if you're on DC!

 

[WestAnglian]

Thanks for all comments. I'll pass threm on to my antagonist and will make a point to try a journey on a 387 under the well.

 

[Royston Vasey]

Nearly jumped out of my skin under the pantograph on a Heathrow Express 387 last night. And I’m normally expecting it and am completely unperturbed. The tourists and business folks around me thought the train was broken! So yes, 387s do it and definitely noisier than 317s ever were!

 

[59CosG95]

Nearly jumped out of my skin under the pantograph on a Heathrow Express 387 last night. And I’m normally expecting it and am completely unperturbed. The tourists and business folks around me thought the train was broken! So yes, 387s do it and definitely noisier than 317s ever were!

The exact same thing happened to me on a GN 387 through the Biggleswade neutral section a few years ago - I thought something had fallen off the A1 overpass at first!