Voith or ZF or diesel electric transmission sound?

[notadriver]

Do you prefer the sound of 2/3 speed Voith transmission found in 2nd gen DMUs, none - as found in the electric transmission of Voyager DMUs or the new fangled 6 speed ZF found in the latest DMUs with its many frequent changes ?

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

Do you prefer the sound of 2/3 speed Voith transmission found in 2nd gen DMUs, none - as found in the electric transmission of Voyager DMUs or the new fangled 6 speed ZF found in the latest DMUs with its many frequent changes ?

Not one I can answer easily to be honest.

The electric transmission in the IET's when in a motored coach is wonderful.

The 3-speed Voith transmission in the Class 180's and 185's I like.

When my brother and I in August 2013 went from Oxford to Stratford-upon-Avon, the train we caught from Banbury (10:30ish) was a 2-car 172. I was totally surprised (didn't expect it) that these changed gears (meaning more frequently than previous 1xx diesels).

That was one reason I was disappointed that from Oxford only to Bicester Village back in February 2017 the 13:10ish was a Mainline 168 - instead if the ZF-boxed 172. Chiltern said that I seemed to like the 172's more than others (when I emailed). That surprised me. Probably because most people like the interior ambience of a Mainline 168 than ofthe white and blue trains.

At least the 168 was 3 coaches compared to 2 coaches on the 172's.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I find the ZF boxes make the train sound like a Dennis Dart. It's a shame they aren't using the electrically controlled "H gate" boxes used on most new coaches instead, they sound far better.

(Not that it's that important compared with fuel efficiency etc!)

 

[Rikki Lamb]

I wouldn't call the ZF gearboxes new fangled. They are essentially a mechanical automatic bus gear, closer skin to the first gens than the hydraulic transmissions favoured in recent years. I think the gear changes give character to what are other wise bland boxes of plastic