Brand new mark 3s?

[Wakey spotter]

My Friend Les G Raises some very valid points !!
The Class 66 from a Dvr perspective are Noisy but the "New" Seats are a big improvement even if that does nothing for the internal noise problem. I could enlarge upon that issue but back to the original thing re the British locos.

As nice and characterful as they are compared to the General Motors Loco`s they are not in the same league !!
Kris

[Paul]

Build new Mk3's? - I suppose the Austin Allegro should go back into production as well! - Who would build them today? I very much doubt Siemens, Bombardier or Asltom would be interested in tooling up to build a 40 year old BREL design! If loco haulage is the way forward then, as with the TRAXX loco, an off the shelf European design will be needed. One solution may be taking the Bombardier Turbo/Electrostar or Siemens Desiro as a basis and stripping them of traction equipment, fitting them with doors at the vehicle ends, giving them an Inter-City interior and equiping them with 125mph bogies.

[Deathbyteacup]

Besides which, wasn't there the Mk4? Aren't they superior? I don't see why we'd go back to Mk3's.

It's not like we're going back to building Mk1's!

[Paul]

Originally Posted by 5701

Seimmens build them for all over europe good locos very versatile.

No - Traxx Locomotives are built by Bombardier. Siemens equivelent is the Taurus locomotive

[steam for ever]

The thing about the MK4s is that they are smaller than the MK 3s.
Brush traction should built them or Hunslet. Why? They are British. Creating work and keeping money in our economy. We are relying far too much on foreign countries and to say that most of our railway infastructure is owned by the Germans.

In order to make the railway profitable we need to ensure that out of any profit it makes, the money stays here, and then preferably goes back into the railway, and then then reduces the subsidies that the industry needs.

Perhaps greatly updating the MK 3 into a MK5 would be a great long term project, with all UK designers involved, but in the short term, the MK 3 is certainly cheaper and feasable than unflexible and costly DMUs.

[jonty14]

The Traxx locos would have to be redesigned for our loading gauge though. I also find it a shame that Mk 3 coaches are lying around in Ireland. Why can't they be used in Britain. Bogies could be used from withdrawn sleeper stock if there are any still around.

[Trainguy]

Originally Posted by 5701

Pendilinos uncomfortable ,smelly loos that dont work,buffets that are useless.Try sitting on a pendi standard class plank to Glasgow!Also they are very noisy give me Mk3,s anytime.

I travel on Arriva Cross Country trains quite often, I love the rare occasions when a HST with nice comfy Mark 3s turns up rather than the dreaded Voyagers!

[hairyhandedfool]

Originally Posted by Deathbyteacup

Besides which, wasn't there the Mk4? Aren't they superior? I don't see why we'd go back to Mk3's.

It's not like we're going back to building Mk1's!

IMO the Mk3s are the best of the british made coaching stock, they seem bigger and I found were generally more comfortable, although those arm rests were a pain!

The Mk4s were built with tilt technology in mind (just like the 91s, although I understand neither are now suitable due to modifications) and so, like the Pendelinos and Voyagers, they are narrower at the top to facilitate it. There is no point in building these heavier coaches unless you want to have them tilting, but there is relatively little suitable track for tilt to be used on, and make a difference in the timings.

There is also a question of testing a Mk4 design away from the ECML, I don't know where they are cleared for, but the Mk3 is cleared for all mainlines and quite a few other routes too.

Didn't BREL become Adtranz which became Bombardier? I'm sure they would be happy to make more Mk3s if the price was right.

[steam for ever]

I should say that the class 150 DMU was built with a MK3 body shell along with other successful DMUs.

[62440]

Quote from the guard on the first class 150/1 I ever had the misfortune to travel on: "Whoever designed these (Expletive deleted) things should be forced to travel on them for a week, they'd make a dash for the drawing board at the end of it!"

Regards, 62440.