Ranking every Electric Multiple Unit in Britain (Part 2): The Underwhelming Middle

In the second instalment of EMU ranking, we look at positions 26 to 11, minus one as a result of an embarrassing mishap.

Credit:
Photography:
TheFrog001, Plutowiki and Alex Noble, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Calvinps, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Arbiter50

Adam Richman

Music:
The Monuments and Tunnels of Goa and Hampi - Bail Bonds

[Pulsarnix]

His voice is so ASMR. The level boarding the 745 is amazing.

[JohnnyHooverTravels]

I came here for the rundown and the excellent voiceover. Only to be blown away by the hyper-realistic graphics provided in the explanation of the 745! This level of professionalism is mind boggling and I can only guess Mr GWV is a talented artist or graphic designer in real life. Another level 👍👍👍

[MrDagenham]

I'm still disappointed the 334 was so low, a true crime.

[stanmarsh]

331's are absolutely F***ing vile things, especially so with those ironing board seats.

We have the Diesel variant (Class 195) on the Leeds > Nottingham service, which are actually worse, especially when you are sat above the gearbox area with the whining from it, plus very jerky ride when it switches between gears.... I often hope for a 158 (Though I don't enjoy the smell from the toilets!) at Nottingham, or just stick to EMR's Liverpool service to Sheffield.

If I had a choice between these CAF's and a bring on the Leyland!

323's (Birmingham area), now I love these, especially with the noises it makes during acceleration and breaking.

[billymcmedic]

I really hope the class 599 hasn’t been forgotten in this, you included the Sheffield super tram so I’m really hoping you’ve remembered the Tyne and Wear metro

[ewantennant]

Honestly ur so right about people loving the 323s. If got a full interior refresh (bring it up to the standards of new trains), they’d be absolutely brilliant and the 730s could be sent somewhere else

[flyingbeep]

Got to say I'm an absolute fan of the 745 FLIRTs on the Great Eastern lines.
Those things have some serious get-up-and-go even when fully loaded.

I actually like the low seating position as it's really comfortable, gives a huge window view and just enhances the interior ambiance. PID screens are amazing too.

One day I hope to try the Staedtler trains in Switzerland where they use the light weight of those models to climb steep grades. The interiors are full of glass and stainless steel swiss elegance!

[LordEverythingtrains]

The class 357 is the definition of the middle child

[glenndoig]

First Class is now entirely a non entity on Southeastern, but would've been wasted on 395s - Southeastern's biggest market has always been commuters and both the HS and Mainline services operate as fully loaded 12 cars in the peaks - would you want to take away some of that capacity for such a minority of travellers? Especially as 6 cars regularly leave St Pancras full and standing. They're only really nicknamed Javelins because they operated the 'Olympic Javelin' service in 2012 and the name stuck.

[joshdodge]

Love the vid. One think i will point out is that if the 745s follow other European FLIRTS they should be capable of being upgraded for 125mph operations.

[oliverstemp]

I think FLIRTs would be brilliant on Chiltern services, and everywhere else.

[elnido]

You forgot to mention the fantastic sound of the motors on class 321s

[JScot]

I LOVE the class 380. Comfortable seats, nice subdued lighting, big windows, and they were so much quieter and faster accelerating than the trains they replaced.

[Cross_Trainspotting]

Can you do a ranking video of all the loco hauled trains in the country including sleeper services, 125s and 225s?

[kaitlyn__L]

Yep, being able to just roll on (just as everyone else can just step on) is transformative. You essentially have to ask permission to board otherwise.

[Andrewjg_]

I do think that Northern should have the remaining Class 323s from West Midlands Railway including using them on Manchester Piccadilly-Stalybridge once electrification is completed.

[JacobOhlssonBudinger]

i have to say i don’t mind the longitudinal seating on the overground sets. they’re really meant to be used like tube trains for the most part, especially on the NLL and ELL so that style of seating works. also, londoners are thoroughly used to longitudinal seating. i do agree the the 378s aren’t anything that special, but the 710s have a nice fresh interior and nice amenities. in the last video you mentioned just extending the trains and retaining 2+2 seating and i disagree. that would just increase dwell times and require expensive platform extensions at most stations, including a lot of really quite new ones.

[ZLDSmogless]

If you're travelling on a 380 and the driver decides to use full power (which isn't often), it throws you back in your seat. They can accelerate so unbelievably quickly.

[gerogyzurkov]

Good point about class 395. No 1st class makes it headshaking. If u want to complain about the speed blame the government for not investing in the infrastructure and they where the ones who put what design requirements for the class 395. Also may I ask why is it rated so low 6 on exterior looks ? Thought it would 8 or even 9.

[Seagull]

I remember reading that all domestic trains on HS1 are limited to 140mph no matter what, hence why the 395s cannot go much faster than that