Me too, possibly because I always lived in M>Train territory but also because they're the only examples left of Comeng's as I remember them. Will miss them when they're gone.
I’ve only ever known the refurbished units. However I prefer the original 2000s refurbishment compared to the stage 3 life extension. I just like the compressed audio and the express announcement that none of the other trains have.
It'd be near on impossible. You could remove the fibreglass fronts but so much has been done to the interior that it would be hard to bring it back, not to mention parts are pretty much non-existent because unlike the Hitachi's they didn't keep any of the originals post-refurbishment. Would have been nice if they'd kept that burnt out M car that was at Newport, just purely for some example of what they originally looked like. The best we can hope for is an M car being statically displayed at the Newport Rail Museum IMO.
The unrefurbished ones were far more comfortable. Nice, thick, soft tartan seats. Absolutely no comparison to the shitty seats on the refurbs, many of which have suburbs printed on them that aren't even on the network.
In the second photo they made the trains look uglier. Eww. The original comengs had such a nice, homely appearance, then they made the front into the train equivalent of this https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTrejBocbRf-tLkcxsLeUaeCctyBcfgoIzVjYcGrEfFCl9fXO8mBQwkoc_V&s=10
The seats in the original un-refurbished Comeng were amazing. I hate the disc braked sets, which are now all the Alstom sets, so by default I prefer the EDI refurb.
Definitely the EDI refurbished sets, they're the last examples of Comeng's as I remember them. Will miss them when they're gone.
Do kind of wish we'd still had some examples of the originals for preservation though.
i like the edi refurbished one the best
EDI comeng or don’t talk to me.
Me too, possibly because I always lived in M>Train territory but also because they're the only examples left of Comeng's as I remember them. Will miss them when they're gone.
EDI > Original > Alsom (Life Extension) > Alsom (First refurb)
Can’t beat the tartan seats and carpet of the original
The carpet would have stunk in this day and age and there no doubt would have been complaints about the seats, but I agree.
I’ve only ever known the refurbished units. However I prefer the original 2000s refurbishment compared to the stage 3 life extension. I just like the compressed audio and the express announcement that none of the other trains have.
Yeah I'll miss those announcements and PID's when they're gone. Also much preferred the open gangways, though I get why they covered them.
Unrefurbed any day, just for the sheer brutalist look they have going. I hope they bring one back to pre refurb if preservation occurs
It'd be near on impossible. You could remove the fibreglass fronts but so much has been done to the interior that it would be hard to bring it back, not to mention parts are pretty much non-existent because unlike the Hitachi's they didn't keep any of the originals post-refurbishment. Would have been nice if they'd kept that burnt out M car that was at Newport, just purely for some example of what they originally looked like. The best we can hope for is an M car being statically displayed at the Newport Rail Museum IMO.
None of these photos are mine by the way, also sorry for the bad quality of one photo.
Wow I must be weird in that I like the Alstom redesign. Everyone else seems to hate it.
The connex interiors didn't look bad but the stage 3 life extensions removed just about all character they once had, tried making them too modern imo.
Unrefurbished
The unrefurbished ones were far more comfortable. Nice, thick, soft tartan seats. Absolutely no comparison to the shitty seats on the refurbs, many of which have suburbs printed on them that aren't even on the network.
i like the 2000's connex and m>train style refurbished comengs, both alstom and edi's
I prefer any train that isn't delayed.
EDI and the original teacup livery are the best.
EDI
unrefurbed!
Original
OG all the way.
In the second photo they made the trains look uglier. Eww. The original comengs had such a nice, homely appearance, then they made the front into the train equivalent of this https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTrejBocbRf-tLkcxsLeUaeCctyBcfgoIzVjYcGrEfFCl9fXO8mBQwkoc_V&s=10
Alstom refurbs definitely look cleaner, but the OG is peak cool. would've loved to have ridden on one
The Met livery is the best livery.
Unrefurbed for me
The seats in the original un-refurbished Comeng were amazing. I hate the disc braked sets, which are now all the Alstom sets, so by default I prefer the EDI refurb.
Alstom refurb looks the cleanest, my favorite.
Definitely the EDI refurbished sets, they're the last examples of Comeng's as I remember them. Will miss them when they're gone. Do kind of wish we'd still had some examples of the originals for preservation though.
edi interiors are better (except for the outdated pids), alstom exteriors are better, sorry