ugly trains

I have found another old banger that I personally do not like.

4CEP!! :D
Despite their ancient technologies (like prehistoric! 1956 was the prototype), they are far better with Intercity 70 seats than the current plastic crap the desiros have, don't believe me? Go to the East Kent Light railway and use one.

Oh and they aren't ugly, they are purely functional (Back in a time when the idea of creating a multiple unit was to cut 2 square windows either side of a gangway, add the equipment and controls, then they were done.)

Funny enough, CEPs never looked like that originally, they in fact had 2 guards vans, one at each end of the set, why they changed where they were on refurbishment, is now lost in the myths of time, perhaps someone from Swindon could answer that.
 
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This is the original type of Locomotive and cars used on the London Underground.

Electric_railway_train.jpg
 
This is the original type of Locomotive and cars used on the London Underground.

Not quite. They started with steam locos (mad I know) but changed for obvious reasons, to become the first underground system to use electric traction. I'm sure I recall that the carriages in your pictures were referred to as 'coffins'.
 
4CEP!! :D

Funny enough, CEPs never looked like that originally, they in fact had 2 guards vans, one at each end of the set, why they changed where they were on refurbishment, is now lost in the myths of time, perhaps someone from Swindon could answer that.

...........You would have to ask one of the Eastleigh Works people about that I expect!

Also interesting, if anyone knows, is why the 4-CEP / 4-REP cabs used on the Kent Coast (as your photo) had a different appearance (squarer cab windows, squarer corridor connector, external jumper cables) than the 4-CIG / 4-BIG cabs used on the South-West Division?

Personally, for sheer ugliness, I think this effort takes some beating!

sweeper.jpg
 
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...............I recall that the carriages in your pictures were referred to as 'coffins'.

For the benefit of our US friends, a "coffin" in English is what you would refer to as a "casket". (Same language, but different!) :hehe:

Allegedly, the coaches used on the Southern Railway to take people to the "London Necropolis" station were very similar, and with no windows and plus velvet interiors, the resemblance to a coffin/casket was somewhat uncanny.
 
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that's ok mate.

Heh, it's a shed on wheels!

train.jpg


Wait a second, that aint a train! The train is a spy!
 
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train_with_wheels.jpg


Wait...what? That...that's...you know what it's not so much UGLY as...WEIRD!

The story I got was that a railroad company in Russia took an aging locomotive and a military truck and combined the two into THIS beast. From other picturs I found, it only has 4 axles, that wheel off kilter in the middle isn't attached to anything. This was taken after they had changed a flat on it, hence the props in the front holding the locomotive up. It's used as part of a forestry (logging) company to pull "road trains" of trees out of the woods.
 
For the benefit of our US friends, a "coffin" in English is what you would refer to as a "casket".
We use "coffin" more than "casket" here.

I usually like British steam locos, but this one from the GWR just isn't doing it for me.
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And I just had to post this!
awtfja.jpg

Found it when I Googled "weird train."
 
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train_with_wheels.jpg


Wait...what? That...that's...you know what it's not so much UGLY as...WEIRD!

The story I got was that a railroad company in Russia took an aging locomotive and a military truck and combined the two into THIS beast. From other picturs I found, it only has 4 axles, that wheel off kilter in the middle isn't attached to anything. This was taken after they had changed a flat on it, hence the props in the front holding the locomotive up. It's used as part of a forestry (logging) company to pull "road trains" of trees out of the woods.
Those crazy russians (sorry if I sound racist) To be honest, I bet that this is what the heavy from Team Fortress 2 would drive.:hehe:

THAT LORRY IS A SPY!

EDIT: did they put a steering wheel in it?
 
Those crazy russians............

Full marks for innovation though - and I bet the thing works beautifully!

Who needs technology when you can crack a nut with a sledgehammer!
 
Of course, O.V.S. Bulleid was a brilliant engineer and innovator and the Bulleid Pacifics (Merchant Navy, Battle of Britain and West Country Classes) were beautiful machines quite undeserving of their "Spam Can" nickname.

However, aesthetics wasn't Bulleid's first consideration and he was responsible for two hideous looking, but powerful beasties:

Leader-Project-Banner.jpg


The Twin-Cabbed Leader (coal-fired steam loco) was a revolutionary design avoiding the need for the locomotive to be turned at each terminus. However, the heat inside the fireman's cab (viewed 2/3rds along the body) proved unbearable for the luckless firemen so they had a short lifespan.



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It should be stressed that the Q1 fulfilled its purpose admirably - an austerity design during a scarcity of materials during World War II using the bare minimum of raw materials, yet producing the maximum tractive effort to haul heavy freight traffic.
 
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I actually quite like the Leader. What makes it look bizarre are the large drive wheels which in turn require a high cut body shell. If you can imagine it with modern bogies and the body sides lower, then it is essentially the fore-runner for most of the BR diesels.
 
I actually quite like the Leader. What makes it look bizarre are the large drive wheels which in turn require a high cut body shell. If you can imagine it with modern bogies and the body sides lower, then it is essentially the fore-runner for most of the BR diesels.

Yes - I like it too. But she ain't pretty!
 
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