Trivia - Loudest/best sounding particular unit

[Jturner98]

Can’t seem to see a thread for this so I’ll start a new one. What’s everyone’s favourite EMU because of the traction motors. I’ll go first. Before it was withdrawn I’d say both 317347 and 317886. They were both hellfire.

 

[TrainTrackJack]

Any 323. The sound from them is magnificent.

 

[D365]

Can’t seem to see a thread for this so I’ll start a new one. What’s everyone’s favourite EMU because of the traction motors. I’ll go first. Before it was withdrawn I’d say both 317347 and 317886. They were both hellfire.

Can I be facetious and ask if this includes sound that is caused by the three phase inverters on vehicles with AC traction motors

 

[QSK19]

Any trains with a Siemens Taurus loco pulling it - it’s the loco that does the Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do sound and then “normal” traction noise kicks in.

Away from electric traction, I’ve got go to with the sintered brake pads on a Class 180.

 

[RichJF]

A 319 at full chat on the Brighton Mainline. Sitting in the motor coach as it SCREAMED at 90 mph was an experience I do actually miss!

 

[karlbbb]

Any trains with a Siemens Taurus loco pulling it - it’s the loco that does the Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do sound and then “normal” traction noise kicks in.

Away from electric traction, I’ve got go to with the sintered brake pads on a Class 180.

I know of a few German units that I think have this setup - 146, 185? Are there any UK/BR units that have the same traction?

 

[greyman42]

I liked the 365s accelerating from a standstill.

 

[WizCastro197]

Partial to the odd 377. Just love the artificial sounding motors with the high and low pitched squeals.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Purely for sentimental reasons, a 304. Ding ding and away…..

 

[D6130]

Back in the 'eighties there were two Brighton mainline units that not only had a strange higher-pitched whine from their EE507 traction motors, but seemed to have much better acceleration and higher maximum speeds than their classmates. They were 4-CIG (class 421) no. 7318 and 4-VEP (class 423) no. 7787. I used to love working them as a guard and would prefer to sit in the brake listening to them than checking and selling tickets. I only ever once had them coupled together....on a short notice control special empties from Brighton to Newhaven Marine, then to Victoria conveying passengers from a Dieppe ferry which had been delayed by more than four hours due to stormy weather in the Channel. Needless to say, we went like a rocket with one of Brighton's best top link drivers at the helm and I'm not sure which was the noisiest....the motors or the wind!

 

[Geoff DC]

I miss the HSts, coming back from Paddington as they glided silently through Cornwall, you couldn't even tell which direction they were going it was so quiet.

 

[507 001]

On a BLS tour of the Merseyrail system a couple of years ago. I was riding in a fresh off shed, very cold 507001 that sounded absolutely epic in the tunnels when we first set off.

 

[Peter0124]

318254 toilet coach
320418 motor coach

 

[swt_passenger]

Can’t seem to see a thread for this so I’ll start a new one.

Here‘s one. It’s been done quite often:

Your favourite-sounding loco(s)/multiple units(s)?

Bascially what it says on the tin. Just the locomotives and/or multiple unit that appeals to you the most on a aural level; doesn't have to be your outright favourite. I know there have been several threads putting bascially the same question forth over the years, but those are either locked...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Strathclyder]

318254 toilet coach

Sticking with 318s, 318270 used to be a very loud one, at least before it was 'saltired'. Remember one of the traction motors in the motor coach being particularly loud when pulling away from a standstill.

 

[prod_pep]

507008 is the best sounding Merseyrail unit by far: incredibly loud motors under carriage 64412 in particular. It also has a fine turn of speed and rides well, so this is definitely my favourite 507/8 at present. The loudest 508 is 508123, especially 64671, but the ride is dreadful compared with 507008.

 

[450.emu]

Class 319's between Euston and Watford Junction at full pelt... and I miss not hearing the Class 317's on the line through Seven Sisters from some distance away.

Still a chance to hear English Electric traction motor thrash on the Walton to Thorpe le Soken line with bonus jointed track before the 321's are withdrawn

 

[JonathanH]

Still a chance to hear English Electric traction motor thrash on the Walton to Thorpe le Soken line with bonus jointed track before the 321's are withdrawn

Not English Electric! They have Traktionssysteme Austria AC motors now and Brush motors as built.

 

[Techniquest]

Back in the day, my favourite was 43002, I'm not sure if it was just because it carried the name Techniquest or if it was particularly loud. It's so long ago now I can't be too sure.

One evening many years back I had a journey from Preston to Liverpool on a 156, 156491 from memory, and my good golly gosh didn't it make a huge racket! An absolute animal, and to this day my favourite 156 journey of all time!

EMU wise, tough call for me and I know it's going to sound silly but I always remember a 390 on a Crewe to Carlisle journey on the last train of the day, it was screaming up the WCML that night. I don't have any notes to tell me which one it was, those have disappeared a few years back when I recycled my books, atlases and such like. Other EMUs I liked a lot were 323228 and 323229, they're some of my highest mileage EMUs but they stick in memory for that and for being rather noisy. Ever since the class had their motors rewound (or whatever it was, I'm not great with EMUs) a few years back the noise has just not been the same. Certainly not on any 323 I've done this year anyway!

 

[Tester]

REPs

 

[WarrenTManager]

It always seems like the spotters rave about the loudest unit and I’m riding on it thinking is it axle bearings, suspension tubes or traction motors at fault!

 

[AM9]

309 for me. Not particularly loud for DC traction. Looking at the speedo through one of the intermediate cab windows - seeing an indicated 100mph,you realise that it really is pretty quiet and the Commonwealth Bogies handle track shortfalls well at that speed as well.

 

[Halish Railway]

As much as they are awful things, a quite enjoyed accelerating out of Bolton heading towards Manchester on a Class 319. The sound of the traction motors, combined with what sounded like freshly ground rails and the reverberation of both noises created by the cuttings along the route created a particularly lovely sounding experience.

 

[_toommm_]

Got to be the 323s, sitting just behind the driving cab, or sitting under the pantograph of a 319. They were the mainstay of my commute from the Glossop Line to the Styal Line, and they still being joy to my ears.

 

[LiftFan]

Never get bored riding a 319 on the Northampton run out of Euston- music to my ears!
Also love it when GWR use 150s on some of their faster lines going at full pelt, especially with some of them standing in for the castle sets going to Cardiff.

 

[xotGD]

Power off, pan down, 37 dragging the EMU!

 

[cjbirkett]

507008 is the best sounding Merseyrail unit by far: incredibly loud motors under carriage 64412 in particular. It also has a fine turn of speed and rides well, so this is definitely my favourite 507/8 at present. The loudest 508 is 508123, especially 64671, but the ride is dreadful compared with 507008.

So glad someone else has noticed this too, had a couple of encounters with this unit recently, it does indeed sound EPIC

 

[Segedunum]

142025 was particularly raspy. It certainly made more of a racket than any of the others.

 

[450.emu]

Not English Electric! They have Traktionssysteme Austria AC motors now and Brush motors as built.

OK... is that all of them or just the Renatus units?

The loud electrical hum in the pantograph car, along with extremely loud traction motors of a 317 (especially once clear of Tottenham Hale and heading north on the WAML) is a sound I will miss

 

[JonathanH]

OK... is that all of them or just the Renatus units?

Only the Renatus units are now in service. As I noted, they originally had Brush traction motors, not GEC ones.

The loud electrical hum in the pantograph car, along with extremely loud traction motors of a 317 (especially once clear of Tottenham Hale and heading north on the WAML) is a sound I will miss

Yes, even the bit south of Tottenham Hale was a good ride in the motor car.