John_158
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- 10 Dec 2008
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- 354
As good as 350s are and most other EMUs i don't think you can beat Diesel Power as electric is just to quiet for me anyway as all you can here is the silly air conditioning blowing.
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New Class350/2
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P156KWJ
Established Member
does Mr person who's trying to get somewhere quickly care? I doubt it 
To almost everyone bar frothers, quiet is good. People like to sit there and have conversations, or listen to personal music players without having them on ear-burst volume*, or maybe even have a quick nap. The main complaint about the 22xs on long distance services is engine noise**.
So, nice quiet electrics are welcomed by the vast majority of rail users.
The desires of enthusiasts are the absolute last thing on the minds of those who run the railways, in all desicions.
Having said that though (on a tangent) A380 pilots on restbreaks have been complaining they can hear the chatter from passengers too clearly, as the cabin is so well insulated against engine and skin noise.
*there will always be idiots who have it on ear-burst volume regardless.
**amongest other complaints
Juniper Driver
Established Member
What are those ones on the Heathrow Express thingy?
John_158
Member
- Joined
- 10 Dec 2008
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- 354
442s they are and have been fully refurbished for which there is a thread about them somewere on here !
)Heathrow Connect use 360/2s. Basically the same as the 350s, just minus a corridor connection!
Techniquest
Veteran Member
So is there an established place to get these 350/2s yet then? Need all of them, surprisingly enough, so would like to find out the best place to find them. One would assume the eastern end of New Street, but is this likely to be correct?
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Fair nuff, that's sorted that one out for my first WMDR bash of 2009 (whenever that'll be).
87015
Established Member
By current standards your best bet would be to cover the Euston rush hour if you want them in any numbers. There is a solid 12-car diagram which goes in am and out pm and most of them seem to do very little during the day, Crewe services appear your best bet.
Shoud stick to 321s anyway...
Shoud stick to 321s anyway...
Techniquest
Veteran Member
I rarely find 321s myself, so yeah when I come across them I'll be happy to scratch some in. Quite keen to get the 350/2s finished for sight though, as I'm now nearly finished with the DMUs (13 left in the country before the 172s come in) so I want to try and get these infernal things done!
37401
Established Member
OH NO not more desiros the 350/2 is just as bad as 350/1 i can sum them up in one word and if i use that word ill get kicked off this site
P156KWJ
Established Member
I don't understand what all the moaning's about - people want new rolling stock to replace the 321s (I like them but we have to move on!) and as soon as millions is invested, you no longer want them! Or am I missing something?
Out of interest, how are they bad? Air con, brilliant ride quality, smooth, quiet, comfortable seats and bright and inviting environment to boot!
87015
Established Member
Being Desiros there are questions over the weight of them being somewhat overweight. Not sure what current reliability is and the Siemens mob loose points for allowing the 321s to go downhill so much.
I'm not a fan of the arctic aircon setting, although I'm strictly pro-321 there isn't too much I can moan about 350s for. Ive not sampled a /2 yet however.
Phoenix
Established Member
Apparently it's easier to just moan every time a new piece of traction joins the network.Personally it's just plain shortsighted to write off the 350's as they will be playing a key role on the WCML and you look at the predecessors the 321's,310's etc all of which are quite bad lookers and generally all have their odd problems but all have stayed true to the wcml and provided a good service.
On a personal note I like the 350's as the comfort levels are quite good the ride quality is superb and well they are very quiet.
Ah yus - I was going to ask that but you answered it for me! I do remember grumbling about the weight of the spaceships. Just ebeore Bletchley closed, the 350s were the second most reliable unit in the country, after the 321s there. Not sure what's happened since then. I seem to have a 350/2 shadowing me - it's always on the train after me!
I have a January 2008 copy of Modern Railways, and the MAA MPC ending Period 7 (up to mid-October 2007) for 350/1s were about 25,000 for both Central Trains and Silverlink - nowhere near the Silverlink 321s (49,244) or second place (c2c 357s - 45,459) but they were/are certainly on the rise.
12 months later, the MAA MPC for LM 321s and LM 350/1s have been recorded as 34,708 and 36,545 respectively. Therefore the 350/1s have not yet equalled the 321s at their peak but they're making very good progress.
12 months later, the MAA MPC for LM 321s and LM 350/1s have been recorded as 34,708 and 36,545 respectively. Therefore the 350/1s have not yet equalled the 321s at their peak but they're making very good progress.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Finally started on the 350/2s yesterday! I was about to get on 323208 for a track scratch at Four Oaks, but thankfully 350236 pulled in and I headed off for that on the 1553 Birmingham New Street to Northampton instead! Job done! 
87015
Established Member
231-233, 235-240 in service I think, 241 reported as Dollands Moor-Wembley last night so presumably up to Northampton today.
37402
Member
- Joined
- 15 May 2007
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- 532
Confirmed as arrived. 10 units now with LM, about the amount to trigger the start of the 321 stand down programme. Whether this takes place is another matter, the new arrivals aren't giving themselves a good reputation in reliability terms! :roll:
Techniquest
Veteran Member
350233 made it to Liverpool yesterday, observed it arriving at 0019 with 350121 at Crewe today. That's another one down, bring on the next required ones!
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