Post by thirstquensher on Mar 6, 2011 20:00:22 GMT
OK - I think now that DLR's latest-generation rolling stock has been in operation for a couple of years now, it's time to face facts.
They're dreadful!
Sorry, but apart from in the looks department (and yes, they *are* sexy trains), these have turned out to be a major disappointment.
The major issue for me has been the screeching/squealing of the springs. Which springs exactly, I don't know, but the articulation mid-carriage (where that in-car turntable-joint thingy spins around) generates a creaking that is akin to someone rubbing their fingers along a balloon, fed through a 1kW amplifier. The rest of the carriage offers no respite, with similar sounds eminating from anything that should rock or tilt smoothly. It seems to me some sort of grease used on such springs and joints used on the old rolling stock just isn't employed on the new.
Also, the suspension doesn't seem to do its job either - the ride quality was never great when they were first introduced, but I notice as time goes on (and it hasn't been a long time) the amount of ferocity of the jolts that occur, particularly between Beckton and Canning Town, are becoming beyond a joke. Either the suspension is too rigid, or there is no suspension at all. When sitting on the lego-like seats used on this stock, this is a very uncomfortable combination. I suspect many, like myself, try to admire the view from the heightened windows along the carriage and at the doorways and admire the cleanliness of the fittings to remind oneself that "hey, this is a new train I'm on, so you know what, it's OK." But you know what, it's really not OK.
It was time it was said. You can't even have a conversation on your mobile now without the person at the other end complaining about the screeching sound, and I have to apologise and say, "oh yes, I'm on one of the NEW DLR trains. I'll call you back when I get off".
I NEVER have these problems on the old DLR stocks, either in terms of noise or jolting.
Does anyone know if DLR acknowledges this as a problem? In the early days it could have been put down to teething problems, but not now.
They're dreadful!
Sorry, but apart from in the looks department (and yes, they *are* sexy trains), these have turned out to be a major disappointment.
The major issue for me has been the screeching/squealing of the springs. Which springs exactly, I don't know, but the articulation mid-carriage (where that in-car turntable-joint thingy spins around) generates a creaking that is akin to someone rubbing their fingers along a balloon, fed through a 1kW amplifier. The rest of the carriage offers no respite, with similar sounds eminating from anything that should rock or tilt smoothly. It seems to me some sort of grease used on such springs and joints used on the old rolling stock just isn't employed on the new.
Also, the suspension doesn't seem to do its job either - the ride quality was never great when they were first introduced, but I notice as time goes on (and it hasn't been a long time) the amount of ferocity of the jolts that occur, particularly between Beckton and Canning Town, are becoming beyond a joke. Either the suspension is too rigid, or there is no suspension at all. When sitting on the lego-like seats used on this stock, this is a very uncomfortable combination. I suspect many, like myself, try to admire the view from the heightened windows along the carriage and at the doorways and admire the cleanliness of the fittings to remind oneself that "hey, this is a new train I'm on, so you know what, it's OK." But you know what, it's really not OK.
It was time it was said. You can't even have a conversation on your mobile now without the person at the other end complaining about the screeching sound, and I have to apologise and say, "oh yes, I'm on one of the NEW DLR trains. I'll call you back when I get off".
I NEVER have these problems on the old DLR stocks, either in terms of noise or jolting.
Does anyone know if DLR acknowledges this as a problem? In the early days it could have been put down to teething problems, but not now.
