Your favourite and least favourite UK rail operators?

[Leigh]

Kudos to Hitachi for designing a versatile train around all the disasters the DfT threw at them. They were originally intended to be light in weight and to run up and down fully electrified Great Western and East Coast Mainlines as the 801. Then GWML electrication got cut back massively so they needed the bi-mode 800 with Diesel engines to be fired up after Newbury unless they were heading down the South Wales mainline. Then they didn't work on the steep gradients into Devon and Cornwall and had to be able to sustain lashings of salt water at Dawlish, so the 802 had to be created. Now they're expected to carry the back bone of commuter services in some parts of the country as well.

Fun fact, on GWR there’s no actual difference between 800s and 802s beyond the fuel tanks being a bit smaller on the 800s. All of the engines on the 800s were remapped to match the 900hp per engine 802 power output for fleet versatility purposes (they were always intended to have the same engine so it was an easy job).

The 800s on LNER however maintain their original 750hp output as all their units spend the majority of their time on electric.

 

[Matt.GC]

Fun fact, on GWR there’s no actual difference between 800s and 802s beyond the fuel tanks being a bit smaller on the 800s. All of the engines on the 800s were remapped to match the 900hp per engine 802 power output for fleet versatility purposes (they were always intended to have the same engine so it was an easy job).

The 800s on LNER however maintain their original 750hp output as all their units spend the majority of their time on electric.

Well I never knew that! I knew they made the fuel tanks bigger to go about their business with all the start-stops and gradients in the depths of Devon and Cornwall, but I always under the impression that the 802's had more powerful engines.

I guess it makes sense since they frequently split 2 five car sets from Paddington services at Temple Meads so that they can continue either westward or onto local commuter service duties.

 

[Dave]

Asking which rail company is the best is like asking which type of cancer you would prefer to have, sure some are better than others but they all involve pain and suffering….

 

[QTXAdsy]

Asking which rail company is the best is like asking which type of cancer you would prefer to have, sure some are better than others but they all involve pain and suffering….

Tbh British Rail wasn't much better...actually since the war, all governments of all colours have really done the railway dirty over the years. Even the SNP here seem to have more interest in spending loads on roads instead of rail. Yes, there have been new rail projects compared to down south but only because the bar was set low that they have nothing to lose...still puny compared to efforts on the continent.

 

[Dave]

Ultimately the issue the UK has is we invented the railway so much of the infrastructure is Victorian and when anyone tries to build a new one the NIMBY’s insist on miles and miles of tunnel.

Add to that the privatisation and it’s always going to be a disaster.

 

[Leigh]

We can’t even maintain and upgrade the infrastructure we’ve already got. Look at Bristol - one of the largest cities in the UK and not a single electrified line runs into its central station. Oxford, one of the biggest tourist destinations in the country, has no electrified services whatsoever. Even in England’s second city (Birmingham), one of its most important commuter corridors is still operated exclusively by diesel-only units in the form of the Snow Hill lines.

The last few successive governments have made such a big deal about decarbonisation and improving rail services, but even slinging up a few wires seems like the most monumental task ever. Bath and Bristol already had all the bridge and gauging work done to fit them in before it got cancelled!

And then you have the Voyagers that spend the majority of their time running diesel under the wires on the ECML/WCML, but have zero plans for fleet replacement with bi modes. It’s absurd.