Favorite DMU

[alexdodds]

Whats everyones favorite DMU mine is the class 158 because of the lovely sounds those engines produce when onboard them.

 

[Fincra5]

Class 170 & class 171. Basically the same . I like how it looks and the great noise it produces when it accelerates.

 

[alexdodds]

Class 170 & class 171. Basically the same . I like how it looks and the great noise it produces when it accelerates.

I like them as well last time i was on a class 170 was from Edinburgh to Dundee and back.

 

[rww100]

I like them as well last time i was on a class 170 was from Edinburgh to Dundee and back.

Me too!

I was on a 170 the other evening from Manchester to Liverpool (I think they only come to Liverpool once a week), and the journey was so good that it only seemed to take about 30 minutes, whereas on a 185 it would appear to take much longer and wouldn't be as comfortable.

 

[eos]

175 for comfort and ride, 185 for the performance

 

[MCR247]

Which train takes 30 minutes from Manchester - Lime St? Looking at TPEs TT, it takes 50min-1hr

 

[pinkpanther]

Without question the Metro-Cammell class 101s, which used to be quite ubiquitous in the North East (along with the occasional Cravens class 105 unit). Darlington DMU depot was literally crawling with them.

Like most DMMUs of the time the 101s have a glass partition between the cab and passenger compartment, so the passenger compartment behind the (usually empty) secondman's chair gave a clear view of the line ahead.

My local line was Bishop-Auckland-Darlington, which means a trip through the Stockton & Darlington Railway built Shildon tunnel. Watching that grey dot at the other end grow slowly bigger from within the front compartment of a 101 is absolutely mesmerising, believe me!

Being a first-generation DMU, all the windows open - so fresh air or a clear view with a camera is only a droplight away (none of this hermetically sealed nonsense you get on modern designs).

Finally, there's the sound of the exhausts on these units. It's totally unmistakeable and (to a 14 year old at least) very, very funny....

Go try riding on one and see what you think. There's quite a few still around on preserved lines.

 

[rww100]

Which train takes 30 minutes from Manchester - Lime St? Looking at TPEs TT, it takes 50min-1hr

None - but it only seemed to take that long, when in reality it took the expected 50 minutes.

 

[starrymarkb]

Without question the Metro-Cammell class 101s, which used to be quite ubiquitous in the North East (along with the occasional Cravens class 105 unit). Darlington DMU depot was literally crawling with them.

Like most DMMUs of the time the 101s have a glass partition between the cab and passenger compartment, so the passenger compartment behind the (usually empty) secondman's chair gave a clear view of the line ahead.

Not as Impressive as a (IIRC) DB403 - that too has a glass partition behind the driver

 

[37401]

158`s, I dont like 170`s (exept for 116 in my dp) always end up with 2 cars on busy services or when I was on a LM set the DMSO on the rear was dead and Likey incline was a nightmare.

 

[mumrar]

Class 170 & class 171. Basically the same . I like how it looks and the great noise it produces when it accelerates.

Thanks, I've just choked on my dinner!
I spend all my working life on 170s and have been on them with Central Trains since they were built. The best thing about them is the air conditioning for summer, when it works. These units are absolute turds, and could you please give details of when they accelerate, because it's just lots of noise with very little movement. They couldn't pull the skin off custard and it's quite embarassing.

The other day I worked back from Cardiff and we hit the bottom of the Lickey at 75mph and we reached Blackwell at 29mph!! That's 2 mph slower than Western Champion on load 13 without assistance. Anyone familiar with the New St to Barnt Green route will have seen a 170 with a 40mph head start on a 323 departing Kings Norton still being out accelerated before the Northfield stop.

It may be working all day with just these, but I think they're awful.

My choice to end on a positive out of all the DMUs ever is the Met Cam 101s, so fantastic, multiple usage and probably THE most successful train design this country has EVER seen. I'd like to see someone properly disprove this last statement! Forget all that Beeching axe stuff, some of it needed to be done, but the 101s saved countless branch lines in this country that are now a lot busier due to population shift etc.

 

[monkey]

...looks wise, I'd say 180's, but I've never travelled on one so can't vouch for experience. it looks more like a real train though than many, like those voyagers...

 

[37401]

...looks wise, I'd say 180's, but I've never travelled on one so can't vouch for experience. it looks more like a real train though than many, like those voyagers...

From what ive heard 180`s are crap, FGW didnt want them and HT had failures with them, and GC have made a mobile sick unit by giving it the worst livery ive seen on one of the disater-dantes`

 

[monkey]

^^well I'm not gonna argue with their problems, there well known. but I like the gc liveried 180's looks really retro, although i can't help thinking they nicked the idea from gner...

 

[pinkpanther]

My choice to end on a positive out of all the DMUs ever is the Met Cam 101s, so fantastic, multiple usage and probably THE most successful train design this country has EVER seen. I'd like to see someone properly disprove this last statement! Forget all that Beeching axe stuff, some of it needed to be done, but the 101s saved countless branch lines in this country that are now a lot busier due to population shift etc.

Well I certainly can't disagree with that!

 

[me123]

I'm a huge fan of the 170s. Comfortable, reliable, versatile modern multiple units. They can easily run between Glasgow and Anniesland, and then pop up to Aberdeen with no problems, feeling well suited to both routes. They're the backbone of the Scotrail fleet, and clearly a large part of the reason that the company's so successful. (I do appreciate that Haymarket depot is largely responsible for the reliability, and that English 170 experiences seem to differ to mine).

 

[Oswyntail]

I'd agree with the 101. But, for looks, a close second would be the Trans-pennine DMUs of the 60s, in their original wrap-round style. One of those trains that just left you feeling happy when you saw them

 

[Drsatan]

Probably the 170s for me. They look better than the 158s, are slightly more comfortable and feel more spacious.

 

[Thewanderer]

UK - Has to be the 159's. Excellent DMU's. However the Scotrail 170'sare really good to.

IRL - Class 22000 Intercity DMU. The best Intercity spec DMU in the British Isles.

 

[pinkpanther]

I'd agree with the 101. But, for looks, a close second would be the Trans-pennine DMUs of the 60s, in their original wrap-round style. One of those trains that just left you feeling happy when you saw them

The 124s? I only travelled on them a few times (during the early 80s) but yes, I'd say they were quite something.

 

[Kneedown]

153's........When doused in petrol and ablaze!

 

[JustinStacey.x]

Mumrar's comment about 170s is amusing.

Although they do seem a bit slow at accelerating, maybe the drivers just do it gently? I'm not saying this is absolute evidence, but if I hammer a 170 in BVE, it's just the same as other machines really...

For comfort the 170 is by far my favourite DMU. You feel like you are floating on a cushion of air and my ride to Inverness from Glasgow Queen street (4 hours) was heaven - I didn't want to get off.

In terms of manliness engine grunt and other factors the 156 is my second favourite DMU. Sit at the front with the window open and the sound of that engine letting rip as she accelerates is great. They are slow though and the brakes are terribly squeeky on some.I rode on one from Fort William to Glasgow Queen street and while nothing like the 170 it wasn't too bad comfort wise. Legroom is a bit limited.

I want to like 158s but I just can't. My experience on one hasn't been so comfortable and from outside they just sound like hoovers haplessly accelerating. And they're ugly.

 

[johnb]

150s: saved regional rail in the 1980s through being cheap and easy. Dogs to ride on, but heigh ho.

180s: they might be a pain to maintain, but luckily that ain't my job. Lovely trains to ride on, better than an HST when they were on parallel routes.

221s: OK, they're DEMUs, but they're still diesel multiple units. You can't beat first class in a Voyager going up the ECML from Newcastle-Edinburgh.

 

[SouthEastern-465]

Southern Class 171s they are beautiful things!

 

[43021HST]

My favourite DMUs are the first gen ones because, they have that smell what only old DMUS have, the new ones only smell of sweat, farts and the toilet. I also like being able to look out of the front windows.
My favourite out of the lot is a class 117 in NSE livery. I do have a soft spot for the class 165s though.

 

[route:oxford]

Favourite has got to be the 101 - although the poor beasts always had a bit of struggle out of Bridge of Allan station until it reached the relative level of the Kippenross tunnel. Fully laden out of Glasgow Queen Street was a bit of a struggle too if i remember correctly, although they do get about 100 metres of a run before hitting the incline of the tunnel.

I do like the 170s - shame Scotrail (does anyone) don't have an "inter-city" version though. I can imagine that with end-doors and loos off the vestibule they'd pretty much set the standard for passenger comfort. Seven car "inter-city" version of the 170 capable of 125mph - that's what the Voyager series should have been.

 

[Fincra5]

I also like the class 159. South West Trains have looked after them well, and they are pretty comfortable and the first class was very nice, so i didn't mind sitting on it for 3.5hrs (1st class) from exeter to clapham.

Still the class 170 is better.

 

[Daimler]

Of those I have travelled on, only the 180 is what I'd call a pleasant enviornment in which to pass a journey - quiet, refined, spacious, with large windows and low backed seats for a nice airy feel, it feels like Alstom made an effort with the passenger environment. It's a shame this wasn't backed up in the reliability department!

Most DMUs I find fairly poor though - I dislike having a diesel engine beneath my seat, with irritating vibrations and noises disturbing the peace. Two I haven't travelled on but I think look like good units, however, are the 222s (I'm assured they're a world apart from the 220s/221s!) and the 185s - not having travelled on either, however, I can't really comment.

 

[37401]

aggghh too many people like 170`s :head explodes:

 

[me123]

I do like the 170s - shame Scotrail (does anyone) don't have an "inter-city" version though. I can imagine that with end-doors and loos off the vestibule they'd pretty much set the standard for passenger comfort. Seven car "inter-city" version of the 170 capable of 125mph - that's what the Voyager series should have been.

I honestly think that the people from Aberdeen (mostly) who moan about the 170s "not being intercity rolling stock" would be a lot happier if the doors were at the ends of the carriages :roll: The 170s do the job fine and don't exactly need replacing.

That said, I think there should be HST2/ICE type trains for Aberdeen and Inverness in the future; 7 car trains (2FC, 5SC) with full intercity capabilities (buffet and restaurant as a minimum), powered by OHLE and diesel as required. There should also be track upgrades to reduce the journey time to Aberdeen and Dundee in particular (electrification to Aberdeen in the future is essential, to Inverness probably not). I appreciate that the full HST2 project probably wouldn't be suitable for this route, but a variant probably would do very well and could work elsewhere (Wales, Liverpool-Norwich...)

Anyway, I digress...

I forgot to mention that I like 185s as well. I don't think they're up to regular WCML jaunts, and I strongly believe that the 180s would have been better for the Scottish services in the short term. That said, I've been on ones on the main Transpennine stretch (Manchester-Leeds) and also to York and Blackpool. I think they're comfortable, and do the job well, but really deserve that extra carriage! I'm looking forward to the 380s up here which seem to be very similar to 185s inside.