pacerfan

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-51412945 http://preserved.railcar.co.uk/Class142.html https://www.railmagazine.com/news/rail-features/pacers-the-unlikely-local-heroes The Leyland National was a long lived bus. Production ended in 1985-6 and they were a common sight until the early 2000s. At the time of introduction, they were reputed to be the safest bus on the road and an example was driven into a block of concrete to show this. The 510 fixed head 'headless wonder' engine of the MK1 National was it's only real weakness and some operators fitted different engines to replace them. For example, Crosville fitted Gardner units to over 100 of it's MK1s and Fishwick's of Leyland fitted DAF units (based on the Leyland O.680) to a number of their MK1s. East Lancs Coach builders revamped a number of Nationals as 'National Greenways' an idea that may have been extended to Class 142s. I stopped using public transport around 18th February. It was the last week of off peak operation of Northern's remaining four Class 142s. (After I had been sneezed and coughed over on a bus, I felt that public transport was unsafe due to the emerging Covid-19 pandemic). For the past 4-5 years, I have been saying to friends that once the Pacers are withdrawn, I will be travelling by trains much less; the claustrophobic nature and excessive engine noise levels of their Class 150 replacements causes me too much stress and anxiety. i liked nothing better on a hot day than to sit on the bench seats near the doors on Pacers and feel the breeze coming in. They provided a good source of fresh air, that was ideal in the Pandemic that we now find ourselves in. https://www.cbsnews.com/live/video/20200512123109-indoor-spread-of-oronavirus-is-affecting-how-establishments-must-consider-ventilation/ I was intending to get a few last rides on 144s, but the pandemic put pay to that.

142012 spent a few weeks during the early part of 1994 in original orange GMPTE livery sporting bright yellow new doors. 142027 also spent a short time in the chocolate and cream livery in 1996 with the new doors..

The renumbering of 142s was to identify the ones fitted with Voith gearboxes. Not all were renumbered and all were renumbered back to their original numbers after the conversion program was completed in March 1991. However, Class 143s were renumbered and retained their new numbers. The Cummins engines were fitted to Pacers from about March 1993 to April 1996. New doors were also fitted around the same time. The first 142s with Cummins engines were 142036, 142044, 142048 and 142054 in autumn 1993. The first with new doors was 142044.

Good set of pictures here of 142s in original liveries. I would add that the photo of the chocolate and cream former Cornish Skipper would have had to be taken a bit later than 1987. It can be seen that the unit had been fitted with Voith gearboxes by then (the gearbox valve boxes for the Voith gearboxes can be seen painted in white). The chocolate and cream 142s, 142015-27 received Voith transmission between the autumn of 1988 and early 1989.

142084 is noteworthy as it was fitted with Perkins 2006-TWH engines in 1991 as a trial to find a replacement for the original Leyland TL11s. The Cummins LT10R was decided on, but 142084 ran with the Perkins power units for several years.

The Voith final drives were fitted in 2014: https://www.railwaygazette.com/traction-and-rolling-stock/voith-to-retrofit-pacer-dmu-final-drives-and-wheelsets/39344.article Whilst pacers are withdrawn here, in Slovakia they are rebuilding their railbuses: https://www.railwaygazette.com/traction-and-rolling-stock/zos-zvolen-produces-demonstrator-dmu/38840.article

As Leyland ceased production of the TL11 engine in 1988 around the time of the Leyland Bus management buyout, there are not many TL11 engines around now. However, until more recently a Polish company, Jelcz did make copies of Leyland engines. One is shown here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-C2fHDxZykc It would be good to have one of the GMPTE orange livered 142s restored to original condition with Deans four leaf doors, TL11 engines and SCG R500 gearboxes. However, it probably would be difficult for a preserved railway to operate one as the gearboxes were so unreliable. Weardale Railway had a lot of trouble with their Class 141 and scrapped it. Also, the 142s have had their original final drives replaced by Voith units. Would this be a barrier to re-fitting an SCG gearbox?

The Leyland TL11/SCG drivetrain was my favourite too. After March 1991 (when all later classes of Pacer had got Voith gearboxes), i used to go to West Yorkshire a lot to have rides on the Class 141s. Their early withdrawal in 1995-98 was a big disappointment to me.

144017 hit 37681 head on at Skipton in January 1992. The Pacer's front end was rebuilt, but the 37 was scrapped. All Class 142s, 143s and 144s had Voith transmission fitted by late March 1991, but still retained Leyland TL11 engines. The TL11 engine was not very well matched to the Voith gearbox and they were very noisy and slow. At college, we used to dub them as being 'Voith-Bugged' because of this. A 144 pulling away at 0:29 secs illustrates the point. The Cummins LT10R engines fitted later had better acceleration and were much quieter.

On weekdays, the 09:35 Kirkby to Manchester Victoria usually has a 142 on it. Yesterday it was 142043 coupled to a 150. Until two Saturdays ago, the Saturday 10:35 Kirkby to Manchester Vic also had a 142 on it. However, on the last couple of Saturdays it has just been a single 150/1. You were lucky to capture 142078 with 150131 yesterday. That service would later be the 2:35pm departure from Kirkby to Manchester Victoria. From my observations, it is usually formed of a single 150. There are reports circulating that there are no more workings for 142s after 14th January.

Apart from trespassers on the lines, I recall reading that in 1987 a woman got caught in the doors of a 142 and dragged to her death at St. Annes On Sea station. The 142s then had the original Deans four leaf doors.

The Class 142 withdrawals seem to be having a negative affect on services: Today, only four 142s were in service and the 10:35am Kirkby to Manchester Victoria was short formed with a single 150/2. Usually on a Saturday it is a 150 and 142. There were quite a lot of cancellations today. Among them were:- The 11:55 Manchester Vic to Wigan Wallgate (apparently due to 'more trains than usual undergoing repair'). The 18:00 Stalybridge to Manchester Vic. The 18:26 Manchester Vic to Kirkby (apparently due to 'problems with lineside equipment'). The 20:10 Wigan Wallgate to Blackburn. All of the Southport services that I saw were only two carriages and very full.

From observations, it appears that the 10:35 and 16:35 services from Kirkby to Manchester Victoria (11:01 and 17:01 from Wigan Wallgate) are formed of a 142 and a 150 on Saturdays only. I have noticed that on weekdays it is a single 150. The 15:35 weekdays from Kirkby to Manchester Victoria, (16:01 from Wigan Wallgate), seems to usually be a 142 coupled to a 150 or a 156. It was a 142 and 150/1 today. Can anyone confirm if this is the same train that forms the earlier 09:35 from Kirkby to Manchester Victoria?

Good shot of the 399. I can't help but think that a diesel version of these would make an ideal Pacer replacement!

Yesterday, two 142s coupled together were on the Kirkby line seen at Pemberton station at 18:23. I did not get the unit numbers as it was dark and I was driving. Today I have only seen 150/1s on the line.