Favourite Electrostar

[Jack Wicket]

Please vote for your favourite electrostar and why. Mine is the Class 375's. The reason I don't like the 377 as some of them have 2+2 and then 2+3 in the middle. However 375's have 2+2 or 3+2. Personally I think all trains should remove 3+2 and have 2+2 for more space.

 

[bramling]

Please vote for your favourite electrostar and why. Mine is the Class 375's.

Any Connex-specification interior version, although not quite as keen on the 375/9s.

 

[SPADTrap]

Worst type of train I've ever driven but the 379 wins the best for the passenger environment.

 

[Jack Wicket]

Any Connex-specification interior version, although not quite as keen on the 375/9s.

Agreed, I really hate the 2+3 seating. The should just remove it for more space.

 

[hexagon789]

I have yet to travel on any class of Electrostar. I have travelled frequently on their diesel cousins the Class 170 Turbostars though.

 

[Jack Wicket]

Worst type of train I've ever driven but the 379 wins the best for the passenger environment.

Whys that? And which class number?

 

[SPADTrap]

Whys that? And which class number?

The Class 379 but I'm sure they all drive as bad as one another! But the 379 passenger environment was nice with a comfortable first class. The poor view, loud cab air con, rattles in the cab, silly nose door set up, laggy TCMS and slow door configuration after attaching/detaching, wiper doesn't contact the screen over 60mph, weak quiet horn creating numerous near misses, anything you press in the cab is followed by a delay before it happens, terrible quality DOO cameras which are just dangerous and they kick when going through a neutral section even when coasting and the change from regenerative brake to friction is a lurch just before the train stops meaning they're difficult to trust. All in all a terrible terrible train to drive.

 

[Jack Wicket]

The Class 379 but I'm sure they all drive as bad as one another! But the 379 passenger environment was nice with a comfortable first class. The poor view, loud cab air con, rattles in the cab, silly nose door set up, laggy TCMS and slow door configuration after attaching/detaching, wiper doesn't contact the screen over 60mph, weak quiet horn creating numerous near misses, anything you press in the cab is followed by a delay before it happens, terrible quality DOO cameras which are just dangerous and they kick when going through a neutral section even when coasting and the change from regenerative brake to friction is a lurch just before the train stops meaning they're difficult to trust. All in all a terrible terrible train to drive.

Yes, not very good.

 

[Jack Wicket]

What is also worring is that the new franchise of southeastern might decide to remove the newtowrkers and the electrostars. I don't think they will as new trains will cost too much and electrostars are modern and fast. I think the electrostars are a good choice for the Chatham main line.

The article can be found here...
https://anonw.com/tag/class-707-trains/

 

[Domh245]

The networkers are near enough guaranteed to be on the way out, they're old and obsolete, and compared to new stock have a fairly low capacity. New build stock is currently very cheap so replacement of the entire metro fleet (ie 376, 465, 466) is a given, replacement of mainline stock is more of a question mark - the 375s are entirely suitable but there aren't enough of them for all of the services they want to run (hence the subleased 377/5s), so the question is whether bidders want to continue with the current arrangement, propose partial new build, or wholesale new build.

 

[Class465fan]

How about spending some of that money on improving the rubbish service we currently have thanks to shameslink new timetable instead of throwing away money to replace modern electrostars that are still very reliable? Jeez, why are all of these TOC companies (or DaFT) so fascinated with throwing in more modern trains to throw away modern trains to the scrapheap/storage instead of focusing on running their services properly?? Sorry for going way off topic.

 

[Mikey C]

It would be bizarre for the Electrostars (other than perhaps the 376s) to be replaced, as they're fine for the job they do, and there's nowhere to go. Especially as between the Southern and South Eastern franchises there is a large fleet of similar 375s and 377s.

 

[D365]

What is also worring is that the new franchise of southeastern might decide to remove the newtowrkers and the electrostars. I don't think they will as new trains will cost too much and electrostars are modern and fast. I think the electrostars are a good choice for the Chatham main line.

The article can be found here...
https://anonw.com/tag/class-707-trains/

As much as I like the guy, AnonW writes a lot of speculation. Certainly he's more ambitious in his ideas about battery powered trains than anyone I've known within the industry.

 

[Non Multi]

The next 387/1 that I board at my local station (and takes me back there again) is my favourite Electrostar. A massive improvement on the 165/166 Turbos that they replaced, and the cattle trucks that TfL will be foisting upon us.

 

[700007]

I'd go for class 379s as my favourite. Lovely lovely trains and I hope they find a good new home. That would be followed by GWR's class 387 units. My least favourites are Southeastern's grotty class 376s, 377/5s and London Overground's very uncomfortable and slow 378s.

I have yet to travel on any class of Electrostar. I have travelled frequently on their diesel cousins the Class 170 Turbostars though.

Say that to someone in the South of England and they think you live in a cave! Obviously it says you're from Glasgow so all is forgiven and despite the amount of Electrostars we have in the UK the furthest north funny enough they get is King's Lynn if I am correct.

We're flooded with them and when I read that I initially thought how on Earth?

 

[hexagon789]

Say that to someone in the South of England and they think you live in a cave!

Maybe I do!

Obviously it says you're from Glasgow so all is forgiven

Ta

We're flooded with them and when I read that I initially thought how on Earth?

Well we've got far superior 314s, 318s and 320s, much better than those Electro-whatsits.

You know I've never seen one in the flesh either, though I have been that far south a few times

 

[700007]

Maybe I do!



Ta



Well we've got far superior 314s, 318s and 320s, much better than those Electro-whatsits.

You know I've never seen one in the flesh either, though I have been that far south a few times

Never been on the 314s, 318s and 320s myself but I imagine I can relate as I use all 3 'equivalents' down here in London and have them all on my doorstep. 313s, 315s, 317s and 321s. Lovely lovely trains.

 

[hexagon789]

Never been on the 314s, 318s and 320s myself but I imagine I can relate as I use all 3 'equivalents' down here in London and have them all on my doorstep. 313s, 315s, 317s and 321s. Lovely lovely trains.

Indeed they are, though the 314s seem to be handling pretty roughly of late. And the 320s seem to be perpetually filthy on the outside.

They still sound better than the Electrostars do in videos though.

 

[700007]

Indeed they are, though the 314s seem to be handling pretty roughly of late. And the 320s seem to be perpetually filthy on the outside.

They still sound better than the Electrostars do in videos though.

Your 320s sound like our 313s. The 315s and 321s however are chugging along nicely for their age.

 

[Buggleskelly]

The only Electrostar I can speak for would be the originals, the class 357's operated solely by c2c as it's my local Electrostar line. I was very impressed with their interiors when they first rolled out all those years ago, and thought they were light years ahead from anything that was running on other lines at the time. Some still have the 3+2 configuration which make them feel rather cramped especially during peak hours, but the new designated /3's have the 2+2 layout which gives so much more space.

 

[mmh]

The 377s which have an all table layout between the doors and every seat perfectly aligned with the windows in the end driving cars. It's a shame they're 2+3 in the intermediate carriages, but they must tick lots of positive boxes surely.

 

[mugam4]

I mostly travel off-peak and so actually quite like the seating layout of the 377s.. the amount of tables in the end carriages mean that you'll get a table to yourself more often than with some other operators, and the centre carriages can swallow a large amount of people in the peak. But I appreciate the centre carriages are not a nice place to be.

One of the most interesting things about Electrostars to me is the ride at high speed.. sometimes amusing when on the GX into Victoria which is usually full of people not used to it!

 

[class387]

Favourite is a 379, followed by any new 'ironing board' Electrostar. Least favourite is the 378.

 

[RichJF]

377/3 (the three coach units on Southern). 2+2 seating, original Connex spec layout throughout, had a recent mini clean/refurb.
Absolutely perfect in multiple working for the East Grinstead line (6 or 12 coach)

On Southeastern, I suspect the 375/377s will be retained & kept for long distance, express services while a new build is proposed for the Metro network. I wouldn't be surprised to see the 379s end up at SE with 3rd rail shoes fitted.
I have a suspicion that the 707s may end up at SE too!

 

[LLivery]

375s easily - nice interior colour schemes, comfortable and a good sense of space. I've not been on an SE 377 yet. I'm not fan of the SN 377s with 2+3 seating. The older Southern Electrostars OK but, are too dark inside for me. I hate longitudinal but accept they're a necessity on the orbital lines, however, the seats are dreadful. S Stock seating is much more comfortable. I actually like the 376s, they're just in need of a referb and should've had air con.

 

[RichardKing]

The older 377s (377 101-119), as well as the 377/3s, win it for me. The 2+2, very comfortable seating throughout these units really makes for a pleasant journey (I don't even mind being caught up in the delays Southern throw at us when travelling on these!).

377 120-139 are not too bad either, but they have 3+2 seating in the middle of each coach, with 2+2 at each end.

As for the younger 377s, again, some of the seating is comfortable (the 2+2 sections, located in the outer coaches), but if you're unlucky enough to be in one of the centre coaches, it's not a pleasant ride!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Please vote for your favourite electrostar and why. Mine is the Class 375's. The reason I don't like the 377 as some of them have 2+2 and then 2+3 in the middle. However 375's have 2+2 or 3+2. Personally I think all trains should remove 3+2 and have 2+2 for more space.

The GWR one, whatever that is.

Ironing boards (which I quite like) and excellent legroom, and I think they just look better with the rounded windows. One of the few trains in the UK where I can sit in comfort in any of the seats.

The Southern ones of the same model come a close second, but I prefer the dark green GWR interior to the lighter green Southern one.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

The Connex-specified 375 and early 377/1 series. Given the choice, I would purposely walk past a 375/9 or later 377/1 to sit in an "early" unit

 

[Monty]

Desiro

 

[Mikey C]

The Connex-specified 375 and early 377/1 series. Given the choice, I would purposely walk past a 375/9 or later 377/1 to sit in an "early" unit

I don't travel on Electrostars enough to be able to pick out which unit to travel in when more than is connected!