Whats the most successful Locomotive or Unit in the UK?

[tnxrail]

If this has been done before sorry or delete if want. What's the most successful type of locomotive or unit based in the UK. Can be one overall or in various categories steam, diesel or electric. Can add your favourite if doesn't apply.

I'd say Class 37 60 years old I believe still in use daily to some degree. Can haule passenger and freight, run most places. My favourite is Class 50.

 

[THC]

Class 66. Hundreds of them.

THC

 

[DB]

Depends on the criteria.

HST has to be a strong contender - over 40 years in frontline service on three out of the four busiest mainlines, and still in use on secondary routes.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Well being boring I would go for the 08 shunter or the ubiquitous Class 47. I do however agree that the Class 37 surely has to be a strong contender too.

 

[221101 Voyager]

For frontline InterCity duty it has to be InterCity 125.

For regional and eveything else class 37s / 47s.

For more modern stuff it has to be Class 66, every major FOC has them and they are everywhere there is hundreds of them (455 built to be precise).

Modern InterCity it has to be the Class 390 also known as Britains hardest working train.

 

[50039]

A vote for the 86s.... pushing 60, and still earning their living...

HSTs obviously, saved BR back in the 70s...

 

[221101 Voyager]

A vote for the 86s.... pushing 60, and still earning their living...

HSTs obviously, saved BR back in the 70s...

Oh yes, I should've added 86's to my list too!

 

[43096]

HST absolutely walks it - a genuine revolution when it was introduced, long-lived (still in front line service 44 years later) and iconic. It is reasonable to say it changed the way we live - the growth in long distance commuting is in large part down to the shorter journey times the HSTs allowed.

 

[221101 Voyager]

HST absolutely walks it - a genuine revolution when it was introduced, long-lived (still in front line service 44 years later) and iconic. It is reasonable to say it changed the way we live - the growth in long distance commuting is in large part down to the shorter journey times the HSTs allowed.

If only there was a like button on here, as I completely agree.

 

[HSTEd]

Class 08.

 

[Stathern Jc]

A great choice of subject, and likely to generate plenty of discussion.

In terms of numbers and overall length of time in service, an example that might not be the first to come to mind is the Robinson GCR 8K 2-8-0 which went on to be the LNER O4 and was built in large numbers for the ROD in the First World War.
In service from 1911 to 1966 with a total of 666 across all variants. Successful if not prominent.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

A vote for the 86s.... pushing 60, and still earning their living...

HSTs obviously, saved BR back in the 70s...

Very strong contenders too

 

[bramling]

If this has been done before sorry or delete if want. What's the most successful type of locomotive or unit based in the UK. Can be one overall or in various categories steam, diesel or electric. Can add your favourite if doesn't apply.

I'd say Class 37 60 years old I believe still in use daily to some degree. Can haule passenger and freight, run most places. My favourite is Class 50.

1938 Tube stock has to be in with a shout. A iconic design ahead of its time which managed to push on 50 years in service, and as if that wasn’t enough a few units then had an afterlife as class 483 and have managed a pretty creditable complete second life-cycle of service.

They also managed to inspire two further successful fleets (59 and 62 stock) based heavily upon the design, and the basic concept continued to provide the basis for Tube trains right up until 2009.

 

[DelW]

For steam, I'd suggest: LMS Black 5 and BR 9F - both numerous and versatile, able to handle a wide variety of duties over a wide variety of routes.
Plus an honourable mention for Hunslet Austerities - simple, tough and long-lived.

 

[Tynwald]

Definately 350hp shunter. 08 and all its forebears. Still the total master of its job at must be nearly 80 years.

 

[Energy]

HST was a great diesel train at it's time and wins for saving BR for a while and being in service for 40+ years

Honorable mentions include:

• Pacer, although it is a bad train it helped many lines from closing, it just suffered from being taken of quiet branch lines and being put on busy lines. These lines are now busy enough to get nicer trains, so it fulfilled its purpose.
• Voyager, has made XC popular when it was in decline. Has been a victim of it's own success in not being high enough capacity for the demand which it made. Also been neglected in the direct awards.
• Pendolino, helped make the WCML more popular. Also very reliable and generally a good train.

It really depends on how you view success though, for example:

• The AT300 which has been a success for Hitachi.
• The Turbostar/Electrostar/Aventras have had loads of orders.
• The Desiros are incredible reliable.

 

[hst43102]

HST. No question about it!

 

[SteveM70]

Class 66. Hundreds of them.

THC

47555. Hundreds of them.

 

[43096]

Definately 350hp shunter. 08 and all its forebears. Still the total master of its job at must be nearly 80 years.

Highly debatable. Whilst long-lived, the shunter is essentially an overhead on the operation of the railway. It contributes little in terms of revenue - which may explain why no replacement has been built.

 

[Energy]

which may explain why no replacement has been built.

I doubt they get many miles on them compared to other trains.

 

[THC]

47555. Hundreds of them.

I don't follow.

 

[Bevan Price]

Steam. Stanier "Black 5" 5MT 4-6-0, which itself was an update of the GWR Hall Class 4-6-0, but modified to work on LMS loading guage, and use coal sourced other than from South Wales. And a mention for the BR Standard 5MT 4-6-0s (73xxx), which were basically a modified Black 5.

Diesel. HST; Classes 37 & 47.
Electric: Class 86.

DMU/EMU. Unfortunately the best units for "passenger environment" were also short-lived for various reasons. (Classes 123, 124, 309).
Those which are longer-lived, and may be regarded as more successful "operationally" are less welcoming in terms of "passenger environment". In terms of longevity, the PEP-derivatives are probably considered successes by the operators - if not by some of the passengers. (150, 313/315, 507/508, etc.)

 

[IamTrainsYT]

Would certainly throw both HST’s & Pacers into the thread.

Both stop gaps, but were certainly extremely successful trains. On things like reliability, performance, operation and maintenance costs and comfort too!

 

[Richard Scott]

I don't follow.

Think 47555 was common and seemed to turn up everywhere. Think we all had a loco or a few locos that used to seem to follow us around and turn up whenever we went out.

Diesel. HST; Classes 37 & 47.
Electric: Class 86

47s were just numerous, not sure they were that great. Electrical equipment was used in 46 first which was outlasted by the older 45 due to fact the 45 was superior. Think a 47 body shell with an EE 16CSVT and 45 electricals may have been a bit of a machine but that's going off topic.

 

[xotGD]

Class 37. Go anywhere, do anything, longevity and thrash.

 

[CBlue]

I'd suggest the Class 170 certainly deserves a mention. Huge leap forward in comfort over the BR-era DMU's and unlike 158s they actually have air con that works!

 

[py_megapixel]

If we look at post-privatisation, the Hitachi AT3000s have been incredibly successful. They are in succesful service on five TOCs (Southeastern, GWR, TPE, LNER and Hull) and planned for three more (Avanti, East Mids and the FirstGroup open access operation).

However, even more than that I think the Bombardier Turbostar/Electrostar platform was incredibly succesful. They've been ordered by many operators and have been at one time or another in basically every region of the country, with the exception possibly of North Western England (and even then, they've definitely made it to Manchester and possibly even Liverpool standing in for other rolling stock) - pretty impressive given that the entire time they've been in service the railway has been separated into lots of little bits, and that they aren't inter-city trains!

 

[306024]

In electric multiple unit world the class 309 Clacton units would get my vote.

 

[dosxuk]

However, even more than that I think the Bombardier Turbostar/Electrostar platform was incredibly succesful. They've been ordered by many operators and have been at one time or another in basically every region of the country, with the exception possibly of North Western England (and even then, they've definitely made it to Manchester and possibly even Liverpool standing in for other rolling stock) - pretty impressive given that the entire time they've been in service the railway has been separated into lots of little bits, and that they aren't inter-city trains!

170s used to be regulars on Norwich - Liverpool

 

[Philip Phlopp]

Think a 47 body shell with an EE 16CSVT and 45 electricals may have been a bit of a machine but that's going off topic.

That's a Class 56...

EE 16CSVT variant (badged as a Ruston RK series) with Brush electrical gear, in a modified Class 47 bodyshell.