Most unpopular loco or unit with enthusiasts

[YorkshireBear]

I like the sound of the 66s to be honest.

 

[Rugd1022]

I like the sound of the 66s to be honest.

You'd soon change your main if you had to sit on one all night....! :grin:

 

[Whistler40145]

I prefer that throaty roar of a 37 than ying ying of a 66!

 

[Temple Meads]

I prefer that throaty roar of a 37 than ying ying of a 66!

I like both, any large diesel will sound good, simple as that IMO

 

[YorkshireBear]

You'd soon change your main if you had to sit on one all night....! :grin:

I certainyl imagine i would, but to be fair id love to drive or have main line cab ride in a train so that would distract me for a fair while.

I prefer that throaty roar of a 37 than ying ying of a 66!

yeah i too like both. I like any loco on full power to be honest.

 

[LE Greys]

I know this is a bit old, but I really wish I hadn't missed it. As some people may remember, I have two pet hates, Desiros and 158s, because the former are uncomfortable, sound horrible and <long rant cut out> while the latter are a nasty fudge design that <long rant cut out>. Voyagers aren't too bad, and they certainly go like stink (which is probably appropriate) but I still reckon they're pretty unpopular. Still, it's the common, everyday stuff that usually gets hated (some of this forum's elder statesmen can probably remember being a bit annoyed when yet another Black 5 or B1 passed by). As for locos, well, I can't see the 66 having many fans. Their plug-ugly, sound horrid and pretty much killed the British locomotive building industry, plus getting everywhere and displacing many goods classes - including my favourite, the 60s (which are also plug-ugly, but look as though they could pull the top off Mount Everest). I'm also astonished that anybody ever liked the 40s, underpowered bricks that made decidedly sub-standard replacements for Duchesses. At least the Deltics were faster and more powerful than the A4s.

 

[Whistler40145]

Maybe Class 40s were underpowered when BR was running them into the ground unlike 40145 (when fit)!

 

[Minilad]

Underpowered they may have been. But they sounded great

 

[Whistler40145]

I agree XCDriver, the sound of a Whistler working hard is 'music to the ears', you wouldn't get that with GM traction!

 

[LE Greys]

I've got to admit I've never heard one. But think about it for a minute. Duchess, 2,500-3,000 horsepower. 40, max 2,000 horsepower. What were they thinking? Oh yes, and the Duchess speed record was 114 mph, so why a loco that could not do 100? Maybe a few West Coast Deltics would have come in handy.

 

[Schnellzug]

I agree XCDriver, the sound of a Whistler working hard is 'music to the ears', you wouldn't get that with GM traction!

Are you sure about that?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V7I_Ae_-2I&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObQqd_9QYC4&feature=related

 

[Whistler40145]

I still prefer English Electric traction, especially Class 40s for the whistling & thrash.

 

[4SRKT]

They may have been underpowered, but they could start and move a freight heavier than many a more powerful loco.

 

[sprinterguy]

Oh yes, and the Duchess speed record was 114 mph, so why a loco that could not do 100? Maybe a few West Coast Deltics would have come in handy.

That was a one off speed record attempt though, the Duchesses didn't manage those sorts of speeds routinely and that one record attempt wasn't far off a disastrous finish. And of course the wires were going up as far as Weaver Junction and Liverpool as soon as steam was being phased out, so there was no need for a more powerful diesel loco for the West Coast in the medium term.

I hate to say it, but when you compare them against the size and weight of the similarly powered "Warship" diesel hydraulics, the 40s do look like a pretty inefficient lump of metal. However, that doesn't mean that they're not awesome. I'm not at all keen on "Warships", but Whistlers are fantastic.