Whats your favaroute current DMU to ride on?

[Hymek]

Ok, after a trip from swansea - Kidderminster yesterday, a question popped into my head

whats your favaroute DMU To TRAVEL ON, out of the ones operating around the network today??

I have counted class 121 and class 201 because both classes have a mainline registerd vehicle on the network (even if they arent used much - 201)

After yesterday mine must be the class 180 because of the legroom, relativley quiet ride and it was imho definatly more comfortable than a 158 or a voyager

now, whats your opinions???

[XPTE]

Out of that lot, a 170. Though I'd probably prefer a 121 or 201 for nostalgia. But they're not easy for me to get to travel on those services. Where are the 201's (sometimes) running then? Ashford-Hastings?

[Hymek]

i think its kind of a sport hire unit incase the southern 171s are under maintainance / break down.

http://www.hastingsdiesels.co.uk/diary/

diary of some of its workings (and its owners site)

[thenudehamster]

Underthe circumstances another fairly useless poll. Posting this sort of poll only serves to highlight the poster's obsession, and adds nothing to the knowledge of the community of the world in general.

Unless I have to go somewhere that is only served by a DMU - or have the time to gallivanting around the countryside searching them out, I'll not even come across three parts of them anyway. Half the places I go to are electric only, the rest are mainline diesel - and I suspect the situation is similar for almost everybody.

[Ghostcav]

Well it certainly isnt a 220/221 as I find those things far too cramped.Did have a ride on ATW's 121 a few months back & really enjoyed it but for a long haul I think it wouldn't be so much fun (after all modern dmu's have taken over form loco hauled & 121's were certainly not designed for that).

I guess 175's are the best to ride passenger in for me although I have said 158 because I prefer to drive them & when you can find a decent set I actually enjoy riding on the cushions on those too.

[electric]

Has to be 170 for me, just really cosy, or, as long as I ain't be the loos, 221's, cause i get a buzz when i'm doing 125mph at an angle of seven degrees

[alexnick]

I like the 165s and 166s - they are very comfortable to ride in, and they look quite smart.

I think the 158s and 159s aren't bad, but a bit crampt inside - and they don't look so good. Appearance wise, I actually like the 150s, 153s, and 156s - to me they look like proper workhorse DMUs, and they aren't always bad to ride in - though I was not impressed with a Silverlink 150 recently (though I don't believe the trackwork on the GOB is up to much either).

I don't really like voyagers and adalantes much - they just aren't my thing!

Nick

[Anonymizeruk]

Toss up between 170 and 180 for me.

170 and 180 are comfy, and kinda quiet (as far as DMUs go) and I've gone for the 180 due to the fact they can do 125mph.

As for this being a pointless poll - why is it pointless? Whats wrong with asking for an opinion, especially given this is primarily a railway related forum.

Cheers

Gary

[thenudehamster]

As for this being a pointless poll - why is it pointless? Whats wrong with asking for an opinion, especially given this is primarily a railway related forum.

Because it's a question 90%+ of the users of this forum can't answer. Unless you're the sort of person who can spend his spare time dragging around the countryside looking for different dmus to ride on, you can't have a significant opinion on many of them. From where I am, I can ride to Reading on a 170 (I think), I can occasionally get to Waterloo on a SWT dmu from Salisbury (but I've no idea what Class it is) or a Virgin Voyager to Birmingham. If I go to visit friends in Kent, it's electric all the way. If I go to Norfolk, it's electric. If I go to Nottingham, it's mainline diesel, either an HST or a Meridian, and to anywhere significant from Reading it'd be an HST. If I visit the NEC for Warley show, it'll be a Voyager or electric - probably electric, Virgin can't keep to time. So that's THREE dmus I can ride, out of however many there are available, from one of the best connected railway stations in the South; most other people will be in a similar position if not worse. At best we'll come across a handful on which we could give a reasoned opinion. That's not a proper poll, and never will be.

[allypally]

A Meridian is a DMU, or rather a DMU derivative being technically a DEMU Barry!

The vast majority of the countries rail services are now formed of DMUs, bar the South East - this makes the poll the opposite of pointless unless you happen to live down there - the mainstay of services in Cornwall, Wales, Norfolk, the North East, North West, Midlands and Scotland are all now DMUs.

I personally like 158s cause they were the 'supercool' new units when I was a little kid.

But in terms of passenger comfort, I've found the 175s to be top, and it's always nice when one deputises for a 158 on the Brummy jobs!

As for the 201, thats been out of action for over a year I think for OTMR, TPWS and CDL fitment I believe, there might however be light at the end of the tunnel with that one as the work progresses!

[thenudehamster]

So the units in Wales are the same as the ones in Norfolk? The little single car units that trundle along the south coast around Southampton and Portsmouth equate with a Meridian 125mph mainliner?

It's not possible to compare apples with oranges - and that's what a poll of this type is trying to do.
From my perspective, Virgin's Voyagers, for instance, are a comfortable, clean and quiet train - but I avoid riding them because the company can't run the damned things to time, and they're overcrowded because the trains aren't long enough. The little 170 to Reading is not as comfy, but for a 20 minute journey is adequate. I'm not sure what units Central use on the Robin Hood line out of Nottingham, but again they're a bit rattly, a little noisy, a bit harsh riding, but are OK for a twenty minute or so trip; I'd hate to ride either on a long cross country trip.

And my major point still remains - unless you have cause or inclination to go gallivanting around the country on varying classes of train, it's impossible to cast a valid vote for any of them.

[enotayokel]

Would finding 159s more comfortable then the unrefurbished FGW HSTs be blasphemous?

Just on the lines out of Exeter its possible to catch
143 (admittedly very rare)
150
153
158
159
170
180
220
221
253 (;))

[bringstybeast]

I can count around 11 different DMU types that go in and around Hereford (although the 142s and 143s are extremely rare). Compare that to 1 type of HST and no EMUs.

180s are by far the best DMU, but I do quite like 158s too.

[Anonymizeruk]

And my major point still remains - unless you have cause or inclination to go gallivanting around the country on varying classes of train, it's impossible to cast a valid vote for any of them.

Well, being one of those who have the inclination to gallivant around the country sampling different stock (not an unusual thing for a rail enthusiast to do), I guess that should qualify me to give a valid opinion.

The Robin Hood line sees classes 153, 156, 158 and 170 by the way (156s being by far the most regular unit to work the line). I happen to live around 300 yards from the tracks of this particular line.

Cheers

Gary

[allypally]

So the units in Wales are the same as the ones in Norfolk? The little single car units that trundle along the south coast around Southampton and Portsmouth equate with a Meridian 125mph mainliner?

The very same 150s that crawl around Portsmouth can be found in Birmingham, the North East, London, the North West and formerly Scotland.

Turbostars in Scotland are much the same as Turbostars operated by Central Trains, with first class added in.

158s work in Wales and can also be found in Norwich, Edinburgh and Weymouth.

156s are found in Fort William, as well as Great Yarmouth.

Units are fairly standardised these days, and apart from the Great Western Turbo units which are only the ex Great Western lines (and Great Central/Met), you can find most things in most places.

The little single car 153s on the South Coast can be found in such localities as Wrexham, Llandrindod Wells, Barnetby, Felixstowe and Stourbridge!