Pace Yourself - photos of the final(?) Pacer countdown

[DavidLong]

22 hours ago, Owd Bob said:

Great to see the Atherton line so busy again David even if it is just DMU's and an occasional 66. Just wondering what will replace the 142's on this line? Seeing as how the platforms at a few stations are being lengthened, a few of the old HST sets would be great around here. Hard to think that this route was nearly closed in the '80's. Shame that Daisy Hill and Atherton have'nt got any wheelchair or pushchair access yet despite local campaigns to get them put in. Hag fold has a ramp but who'd leave a car parked around that estate all day

Wigan Wallgate. Early '90's.

 

 

Snow! We don't get much of that sort of thing these days. One day this winter and, I think, the same last winter. I suspect that the only replacements for Pacers through Atherton will be 150s and 156s which we get now. I was hoping that we might get some of the ex-Scotrail 170s (Air con! Luxury!) but the Yorkies seem to have snaffled them. The 319 conversions (Class 765) will probably run the via Bolton services to Southport to get some more value from the electrification and I'm not holding my breath for any of the new Class 195.

 

By the way, Bob, that list of different classes were those that I saw on the circular jaunt which was Atherton - Wigan - Liverpool - Bidston - Wrexham - Chester - Bank Quay - Wigan - Atherton. The Class 66 was light engine at Bank Quay. There is a freight that comes through Atherton, in fact it ran yesterday, which is one of the twice daily turns between Teesside and Knowsley Freight Terminal. It follows a variety of routes during the week but the Tuesday return to Teesside seems to pass Atherton just before 14.00 if running to time. Must get out and photograph it!

 

Finally a small reminder of what we used to have on Southport - Manchester trains. Not a great photo but about what you would expect from a Kodak Brownie pointing into the evening sun. No date as I was never good at noting dates but probably about 1966.

 

 

David

Edited March 6, 2019 by DavidLong

[Owd Bob]

Cheers David, some great info' for the future there. Saw the class '66' yesterday at Crows nest Junc' I'm trying to make at least one regular weekly visit to see some of them pass by, i even bought a new shed book last week and even 'Copped' the 66 yesterday. .....and saw a few more of these.

Looking East. 142 062 comes off the Bolton line at Crow Nest Junc' Hindley. 1.55pm. 5-3-'19.

[DavidLong]

Next up is not one from the North West but one that I came across at Hull Paragon last July. It is the solitary Class 144 that had an extensive refurb by Porterbrook in the hope that it might meet the PRM-TSI standards and possibly mean a future for some of the Pacers and if not in the UK, possible elsewhere. More details here:

http://www.railtechnologymagazine.com/Rail-News/porterbrook-unveils-refurbed-class-144e-evolution-pacer

 

 

I've always thought that the Barclay Pacers were better looking than the Class 142s, more rounded shape than the rather severely angular lines of the latter.

 

David

[eastwestdivide]

Also interior photos of the super-Pacer on page 1 of the thread

[Mark Saunders]

22 minutes ago, DavidLong said:

Next up is not one from the North West but one that I came across at Hull Paragon last July. It is the solitary Class 144 that had an extensive refurb by Porterbrook in the hope that it might meet the PRM-TSI standards and possibly mean a future for some of the Pacers and if not in the UK, possible elsewhere. More details here:

http://www.railtechnologymagazine.com/Rail-News/porterbrook-unveils-refurbed-class-144e-evolution-pacer

 

 

I've always thought that the Barclay Pacers were better looking than the Class 142s, more rounded shape than the rather severely angular lines of the latter.

 

David

 

It is the chassis on the class 143 that is Barclays contribution rather than the body from Alexander coach builders for the 143 & 144 units.

 

The chassis for the 142 & 144 units is the same from BREL.

 

Mark Saunders

[31A]

Four wheelers for the Harrogate line this afternoon:

 

 

[jessy1692]

Funny that i was just thinking i havnt seen a 142 bouncing about Harrogate forca while

[31A]

I was a bit surprised as well!  The 1411 was a 2-car 158.

[boxbrownie]

Saw one in Cornwall today......well actually it was caught on the lunchtime news about the short platform fiasco.....

 

But the little devil sneaked in for a “photobomb” at the end of the piece 

[woodenhead]

Last time we had a thread about a train about to disappear from the network it rose like a phoenix from the ashes.

 

Lets hope it doesn't repeat here

[vulcan product fan]

At Doncaster today 142012 passes 43320 in todays sunshine 

[eastwestdivide]

The pointy train and the boxy train!

[sir douglas]

im wondering if the NRM should be thinking about buying a pacer as they are part of our railway heritage

[Ian Smeeton]

I am wondering whether they would think twice if offered one free, gratis, gift wrapped and delivered.

 

Regards

 

Ian

[Northmoor]

10 hours ago, sir douglas said:

im wondering if the NRM should be thinking about buying a pacer as they are part of our railway heritage

If you look at the definitions of policy for selection by the NRM, the difference between a Pacer and LEV1 (the prototype, which is already in the National Collection), is negligible.

[Market65]

I’m sure I heard it said that 142001 was to be preserved as part of the National Collection. If so there’s a chance it might have some time in the NRM. Please correct me if I’m wrong.

 

Best regards,

 

Rob.

[bimble]

A new one; 142032 being taking up the M6 on Monday,

 

 

 

And an older one with 144017 at York station back in 2015

 

[dvdlcs]

With the Class 140 still in existence(?) and various Class 141 units still around, it would be nice to have an example each of Class 142, Class 143, and Class 144 preserved too.

 

Could there be hybrid units created, e.g. 142 driving car / 144 trailer / 143 driving car, like the 1950s DMUs that they replaced? Was there any significant evolution between the classes or were they simply from different builders - I can spot the difference between the 142s and the others, but the 143s and 144s look the same, at least to this untrained eye.

[boxbrownie]

Well what do you know, here they are again.........getting a lot of airtime now they are threatened

 

[D9020 Nimbus]

Pacer use does seem to be decreasing. In 2017 and 2018 when I travelled to New Pudsey for Narrow Gauge North the trains from Leeds to New Pudsey were invariably 3-coach 144s; this year one was a 3-car 158, the return was 153 (ex-GWR green) + 150. Also saw a 2-car 158 but no 144s on this route.

 

Did see a 142 + 144 combination in Leeds though—not sure I've seen that before.

[eastwestdivide]

Some pics of Pacer bike acccomodation.

 

From 2005, a 144 on the Penistone line. It doesn't fit, bungee strap my own:

 

 

From 2010, a 142 at Sheffield on a Hope Valley service I think. One of the former First Northwestern ones with the bigger luggage rack that has bike attachments underneath. These were like heavy-duty bike locks (similar to the one by the water bottle on the bike, but covered in plastic). They had a carabiner at the end, useful for holding them in place, but the wire did tend to fray next to the carabiner - I had the scars to prove it. 

 

From 2005, a 142 with Arriva Trains Northern interior (those with the laid-back seats). Bike against fold-up seat with limited attachments for bungee straps. I usually stood in front of it, perching on the crossbar.

 

 

[TravisM]

Were or are the 142’s and 144’s ever used on the S&C or is that the preserve of Sprinters?

[eastwestdivide]

9 hours ago, jools1959 said:

Were or are the 142’s and 144’s ever used on the S&C or is that the preserve of Sprinters?

Yes. A quick search of google images/flickr shows a few.

Were they ever the booked traction over the Settle-Carlisle?

[Reorte]

3 hours ago, eastwestdivide said:

Yes. A quick search of google images/flickr shows a few.

Were they ever the booked traction over the Settle-Carlisle?

I used it quite often about 20 years ago (there's a depressing where does the time go thought!) I couldn't guess as to numbers but Pacers turned up semi-regularly in multiple with 156s. IIRC, but don't take this as gospel, they were more likely for busy times to help handle the Leeds - Skipton commuter traffic. I don't think many people were sat in the Pacer north of Skipton; I did consider it once or twice for the large windows but always plumped for more comfortable seats instead.

[eastwestdivide]

Slightly off the beaten track, a Northern service diverted from Rotherham to Woodburn Junction via the Tinsley area a few weeks back. The wires are for the tram-trains, which ran to an amended timetable to give more room for diverted trains.