What makes a train look British?

[Trainguy12345]

Is it the yellow fronts? I want to see your opinions.

 

[yorksrob]

Ohh, now there's an interesting question.

Certainly the Bullied cross section profile.

 

[pdeaves]

A lot depends on paint scheme. Vivarail has sent a couple of class 230s to America and the repainted versions look very American.

 

[yorksrob]

I've seen pictures of the Stadler trains on East Anglia. I can't put my finger on it, but they definitely look continental.

 

[urpert]

Tapering at the bottom of the bodyside
Lack of sliding square-ish windows on older stock

(though older BE and NL stock has some quite ‘British’ features like sliding window toplights)

 

[swt_passenger]

Smaller (in loading gauge terms) than nearly everyone else’s…

 

[irish_rail]

Yellow front screams British Isles. Except the 745 and 755 which look very European.
In my view the Europeans get a lot right, but in terms of none high speed trains apperance.....hmmmm not so sure.

 

[AndrewE]

Once upon a time (1970s to 1990s?) it was the whole train in 1 livery. Abroad the long-distance trains were conspicuous because they were often made up of coaches in lots of different national liveries.

 

[yorksrob]

EPB/HAP frontage.

 

[gg1]

On steam locos and older diesel designs, one key difference between British locos and those of many other countries was the absence of headlights (as opposed to the smaller and dimmer marker or headcode lights used in Britain).

 

[superalbs]

Unit end gangway, we are almost unique in the world for those.

 

[craigybagel]

Being too small thanks to the awful (in hindsight) decision to go for such a restrictive loading gauge?

 

[brad465]

It's not double decker for passenger trains, for freight trains they're lengths are not measured in miles/kilometres.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Litter all over the interior after a couple of runs in the morning peak?

 

[HST274]

Drunk football fans

 

[D6130]

With regard to steam locos....British: smooth and well-proportioned exterior (in the main) - Continental: most of the insides on the outside!

 

[Smitham]

I've seen pictures of the Stadler trains on East Anglia. I can't put my finger on it, but they definitely look continental.

!00% my feeling too. Don't know what it is.

 

[D6130]

I think that the Northern 195s and 331s also look quite continental.

 

[yorksrob]

I think that the Northern 195s and 331s also look quite continental.

Yes, they do a bit. Can't say why though !

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I think one of the reasons the GA FLIRTS look continental is the different layers of seating

 

[LOL The Irony]

I think our trains tend to be a bit boxier looking than our continental counterparts. Even our Pendolinos have an air of difference to them.

I think that the Northern 195s and 331s also look quite continental.

They are the exception though, as the 196 & 7s have a decidedly British look. The 397s just have that typical European Bullet Train look to them (which we have the 500 Series Shinkansen to thank for).

 

[XAM2175]

I think our trains tend to be a bit boxier looking than our continental counterparts.

Have you seen the completely-flat-sided UIC outline?

 

[Flange Squeal]

For me - particularly units - it’s a mix of yellow ends, front end gangways and 2/3 piece windscreens, with the driver sat on the left of the cab.

Of course though, in more recent years we are now seeing more trains on our network without yellow ends and gangways, and with single piece windscreens and driver sat in a more central seating position.

In general I guess also the higher ride height of UK trains, with platforms being lower in many parts of mainland Europe and the US, meaning the doors and floors of coaches are much lower to the ground.

 

[Doomotron]

I think this thread is going to be really interesting, because there is something that makes British trains unique, but I don't think anyone can put their finger on it. Keeping with the theme of fingers, the HSTs in Germany stick out like a sore thumb, as do the 86s, 87s and 92s in Europe, albeit to a slightly lesser extent. I think that it's the size of our trains that's the key. Our trains are quite a lot smaller than those from elsewhere. An SNCF X 76500 serves roughly the same purpose as a Turbostar - a 100mph regional DMU. Both are built by Bombardier, yet the X 76500 is completely different. It has raised and lowered sections, which is noticeable, but the size is the biggest difference. A 170 looks tiny in comparison.

 

[90019]

Yes, they do a bit. Can't say why though !

I think it's the windscreens - the large single pane on that type of train seems to be a more European style.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Being too small thanks to the awful (in hindsight) decision to go for such a restrictive loading gauge?

I'm sure you know this, but it wasn't really a "decision" as such. More a combination of (a) what we were capable of building in the 1830s, coupled with (b) never having to rebuild following conflict, which deprived us of the opportunity to re-assess what was required.

 

[D365]

The ”Desiro City” Class 7xx units feel very much like S-Bahns internally. Similarly, I’m sure Stadler’s metro fleets will feel very much like their Berlin U-Bahn units.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The ”Desiro City” Class 7xx units feel very much like S-Bahns internally. Similarly, I’m sure Stadler’s metro fleets will feel very much like their Berlin U-Bahn units.

if you mean Merseyrail units, they look and feel like FLIRTs.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Performance issues with leaf mulch and the wrong kind of snow

 

[TRAX]

Performance issues with leaf mulch and the wrong kind of snow

Even on an enthusiasts’ forum we have to read this sort of thing now ?