Bought in vast quantities for the biggest company in the former southern region, where they operate using 3rd rail electrics, they've also found favour north of the Thames with London Midland, where they draw power from the overhead line.
There is also a diesel variant which needn't concern us here, but both electric types have been produced in both outer suburban (or what I call "cramped") and inner suburban (or what I call "people crammer") versions. A few have escaped in a more comfortable variant for very long-haul services (those are mostly diesels).
They've gained a reputation for being extremely practical, reliable trains, albeit rather heavy. But there's a problem: the safety people are now unhappy about what they consider to be poor driver visibility -- caused by that massive gangway connection obscuring the view:
In fact, if you have another look at the first photo in this post, you'll see that the driver's window is much smaller than it at first appears.
The company had two solutions to this problem: one was to hinge the gangway back out of the way when it wasn't in use -- the solution adopted for new trains shortly to be delivered to Scotland, albeit with a weird aesthetic effect:
The other solution was to abolish the through-gangway connections altogether -- an aesthetically much more enjoyable solution, if one which removes some of the operational flexibility. It's this approach that's the subject of the rest of this post.
Class 360 (as the non-gangway version is known) is an emu taking power from the overhead line.
It's been used in a number of places including, as seen here, in East Anglia.
Where it has already in a relatively short life worn an absurd number of different liveries.
This design features massive doors, making it an ideal commuter workhorse.
But that feature also helps it in its most famous guise, as the Heathrow Connect train.
There are just five sets operating this service -- the unglamorous half-hourly, stopping train between Heathrow and Paddington. It is almost deliberately downmarket compared to its swishily glamorous sister, the Heathrow Express (operated by a different member of the Siemens train family).
In this five-car form, the 360 is rarely coupled to another train (something that does occur on the Great Eastern routes).
For all the inconvenience, I think the "face" of this version of the Desiro works particularly well.
There's something rather comforting about its open, beaming front coming towards you.
3 comments:
Are these, or a variant on the theme, what London Midland run between Crewe and Euston via Alsager and Stone (I'm told it's cheap as chips if you can spare the time, but can't vouch for it) and for their local trains between Lime Street and New Street? They look familiar side-on but all those liveries are quite deceptive.
Yes, London Midland seems rather besotted with the Desiro, and you can now do Euston-Northwards by them rather than scummy Virgin (though it takes a little longer).
Much more spacious and probably a bit quieter than pendos too!
Post a Comment