Latest Rail News

Dave   13/10/2017 at 13:08

I thought windscreen glass had to be flat, surely that curved glass risks distorting the driver's view of signals?

Allhailthegwilt   13/10/2017 at 13:43

Wouldn't these be nice for the Marks Tey-Sudbury branch?

PP   13/10/2017 at 14:07

@Allhailthegwilt Cheeky! :)

Henry Law   13/10/2017 at 14:08

I wonder what nickname they will pick up? Wee Piggie Wiggies, but that is too long.

PP   13/10/2017 at 14:17

They are certainly odd-looking beasts with a number of features that don't seem to sit together very well, but ultimately I suspect they'll be an improvement on the 170. Nothing particularly wrong with 170s, but these will be quieter, faster, cleaner and have quite a few more seats in them, so as a daily user of the E&G, no complaints from me.

Mikeb   13/10/2017 at 15:39

@allhailthegwilt..Wait 'till he reads this article - feathers will then fly!

Scottie   13/10/2017 at 16:53

These new units will be unlikely to win any design awards for their front ends. However if all seats align with windows, they have a 2+2 seating configuration, and are gang-wayed within they will certainly get my vote ! *** Greater Anglia specification team please take note *** Possible Nicknames "the Grouse" or "Blue-Bottles" as their front ends remind me of said fly ( + they are blue livery )

John Grant   13/10/2017 at 17:13

@Dave: the pic seems to have been taken with a wide-angle lens; the glass might actually be flat. I agree they look uglier than, say, the 379/387 from outside, but for most passengers it's the inside that's important.

Boris   13/10/2017 at 18:32

Bwahahahaha. I'm setting an alarm for 1am tonight.

Andrew Gwilt   13/10/2017 at 20:11

Saids the person who uses my surname. No these won’t be used on the Marks Tey-Sudbury line you dimwit. How can these Class 385’s be used on that line which isn’t electrified. Unless you were joking. Anyways I do hope that the Class 385’s will enter service next year. Be good to see these new trains in operation.

Boris   13/10/2017 at 20:56

Haha. As if he was actually considering the possibility.

Andrew Gwilt   14/10/2017 at 00:13

Oh do shut up Boris. Moron.

Andrew JG   14/10/2017 at 00:22

It's good to see the Class 385's that are currently being built that are due to enter passenger service from next year. I quite like what Hitachi have manufactured the AT200 Commuter EMU's for Abellio Scotrail. Hitachi could manufacture more new AT200 commuter EMU rolling stocks in the future that reassembles the appearance of the Siemens Class 350, Class 380, Class 444 and Class 450 Desiro EMU's and the Bombardier Class 172 Turbostar and Class 375, Class 377, Class 379 and Class 387 Electrostar units with yellow end gangways on the front and rear end of the rolling stock trains.

Jim   15/10/2017 at 10:00

Why would Hitachi build new units in the style of the products created by their competitors? Or am I missing something? Also, please look up the definition of the word moron before you continue calling people that.

Andrew Gwilt   15/10/2017 at 10:18

I can say “moron” as I want to ok Jim. Ffs.

AJG89   15/10/2017 at 10:40

I am a big fan of new and old modern trains (Electric, Diesel and Bi-Mode) except Steam locomotives. Which isn’t my interest. I do like what Hitachi are currently manufacturing the Class 385 AT200 “Commuter” EMU’s for Abellio ScotRail that are due to enter passenger service from next year and onwards. And also Hitachi are currently manufacturing the Class 800 & Class 801 IET’s at Hitachi UK Newton Aycliffe manufacturing plant in Northeast England. Along with Class 802 IET’s that are also being manufactured at Hitachi train manufacturing plants in Italy and Japan. I cannot wait to see these brand new trains to start passenger service on the Great Western Main Line and GW routes this year and to start service on ScotRail and the East Coast Main Line from next year. This could be a stepping stone for Hitachi to manufacture more new amazing trains no matter if it’s Electric or Bi-Mode units that they will manufacture new trains for the UK. Including providing new trains to replace the older rolling stocks such as Southern’s Class 455’s used on the South London suburban services to be replaced by the new Hitachi AT100 “Metro” rolling stocks. And to replace the ScotRail Class 314 and Class 318 EMU rolling stocks used on Glasgow suburban routes in/out of Glasgow Central and across the Strathclyde area.

Jamesc   16/10/2017 at 07:39

Its great to see British manufacturing being promoted, but how about the promoting the British Design Engineers that have worked on the project, some of which started before the factory was even built.

Alf   16/10/2017 at 08:02

Who did the aerodynamics for this train, to say they will accellerate faster with this wind resistance means pulling more power so less efficient.

Mark Hare   16/10/2017 at 10:58

Dave - I don't believe there is or ever has been any requirement for windscreens to be flat, most modern units have curved windscreens, and indeed going back to the days of the AM10 EMUs when they were introduced they had curved 'wraparound' windscreens which was considered very stylish at the time.

Chris@Chesterfield   16/10/2017 at 20:04

'Built in the north-east' - where's that then? Aberdeen, Sapporo? Do the transfers just soak off, or is it a sandpaper job?

Jamesc   17/10/2017 at 07:41

Chris@Chesterfield - Built in Newton Aycliffe, as it says in the first paragraph! Look it up on a map.

J, Leicester   17/10/2017 at 10:31

Looks like someone punched a Desiro on the nose.

J, Leicester   17/10/2017 at 10:40

Actually, I just took a look at the interior designs. Shock horror! From the (admittedly small) portion I've seen, they've actually aligned the seats with the windows! Stop the presses! Cancel my meetings! Stone the crows! The folks at Hitachi appear to have taken into account basic passenger comforts! What is this sorcery? Between these and the HSTs, north of the border might well be the place to ride the rails pretty soon. Bloomin' Scotland, always getting a good deal. ;)

Goawaygwilt   19/10/2017 at 16:59

Hmmm, it seems to me that Andrew Gwilt (aka Andrew JG) has a third username - AJG89. It's not that difficult to work out who the man behind the misery is. IMHO the 385s look like a mash-up between a 442 and a 380 (but made far worse). It would be good to see all the ScotRail Class 170s to go with the (very well known obviously not lying) GWR Class 170s, which have clearly been in service for years. Or the 170s could displace the 158s and 156s, of which could go and work on the Marks Tey - Sudbury line (loving the suggestion @Allhailthegwilt). I think that the Chiltern 168s should be cascaded up to Scotland too (I thought I'd add this bit in). TL;DR Andrew, your suggestions are very poor, thus I made this post as I'm sick of you plaguing the comment section.

Andrew Gwilt   21/10/2017 at 09:16

@Goawaygwilt. Not another person who has used my surname. I’m sure there are haters who hate me no matter what I comment. In this case. Tough ignore me or don’t argue with me ok. Simple as that.

TRAINS R US   28/10/2017 at 13:38

The Comments Feature in this magazine is meant to be for serious dialogue ! And not third rate trainspotters bashing each other with their HANDBAGS ! Or Hurling infant school Insults either. I too am fed up with some Essex based individual who fills up these comments on EVERY topic with regurgitated and meaningless waffle ! where is scrutiny panel when you need one ! :-(

Jaytee   01/11/2017 at 17:34

Surely that is not the front end with a bit of connecting corridor hanging off, and two angled side windows? How does the driver see out. They look horrific, who designed them.

Casey   20/11/2017 at 09:01

As the article says - my immediate reaction to these was the same, almost identical to a Japanese bullet train ( not ) Most non aerodynamic front end you could design perhaps ?

Jamesc   09/01/2018 at 13:55

The decision for the front styling is firmly with ScotRail, they want trains to be linked to getter a peak times.