Pacers coupled to Sprinters in regular workings?

[DRS Crewe On A Mission]

Thank you for letting me know. That's very interesting.

 

Very rare to see and ride on a Northern 158 on the Leeds to Harrogate line.

 

However something I have been noticing over the past couple of weeks are that the Northern Rail passenger trains in Yorkshire do seem to be getting refurbished both internally and externally. I think it was 150270 in Leeds station the other week that I noticed had new high bright lighting fitted possibly LED alike some DB 66s now have. It also had new destination boards because the writing was brighter, a different style and font. The ends on the unit also seem to have a fresh application of yellow on them. Internally new seat covers have been applied, the floor and radiators thoroughly cleaned, new handrails fitted, new glass panels fitted in between doors and seats, new handles fitted. It did look very smart and it was well needed as the 150s can be very grubby both internally and externally a lot of the time. I think 153363 has received the same treatment.

 

Both looked very clean, tidy and fresh! Well done Northern Rail fitters!

[richardw1970]

There is at least one booked working for 142(or144) + 150 on the Harrogate line each week day. 1629 Leeds to York and 1805 return. The mention of the morning 158 working is most likely there to maintain Harrogate Crews traction knowledge on them.

[ColinK]

There was a pacer plus 153 south through Arnside about 1605 yesterday.

[jessy1692]

There is at least one booked working for 142(or144) + 150 on the Harrogate line each week day. 1629 Leeds to York and 1805 return. The mention of the morning 158 working is most likely there to maintain Harrogate Crews traction knowledge on them.

Sounds about right, travelling from Harrogate to Pannal Mon to Fri mixed formations are common, you can normally tell if a 158 if on my train in the morning as it's late, seems there are not enough doors! Looks to be on the 09.21 once every couple of weeks

Cheers

James

[Talltim]

A 142/158 combo in platform 12A at Leeds today, after arriving from Huddersfield

[Claude_Dreyfus]

A bit of Sprinter/Pacer multiple action last weekend at Huncoat station; just outside of Accrington.

 

 

 

150268 + 142046 on the Colne - Blackpool South service.

 

142064 + 150119 going the other way; on a corresponding service.

Edited July 4, 2017 by Claude_Dreyfus

[TravisM]

I remember when I was working at Westbury, one of our drivers brought back a 158 ECS from Bristol Temple Meads late one night which was booked with a 153 tucked on the back and was to be split on arrival at Westbury.  As Westbury drivers didn't bring units in from Phillips Marsh (or didn't at the time) and because of a platform mix up, didn't see the train arrive and also the station was in darkness, so when he found the train, he was anxious to get back to finish and assumed that the usual 153 was on the back.

 

On the trip back, he couldn't understand why the 158 was sluggish and wouldn't get to maximum speed, so when he went to split the units, he discovered that instead of the booked 153, he was horrified to find there was a 143 instead, panting for breath, overheating engine and gearbox.  No wonder the 158 was sluggish as a 90mph unit was attached to something that had a maximum speed of 75mph.  I dread to think what it what it looked like as it must have seemed the 158 was dragging the 143, like a parent with a petulant child.

 

Julian Sprott

[Titan]

I remember when I was working at Westbury, one of our drivers brought back a 158 ECS from Bristol Temple Meads late one night which was booked with a 153 tucked on the back and was to be split on arrival at Westbury.  As Westbury drivers didn't bring units in from Phillips Marsh (or didn't at the time) and because of a platform mix up, didn't see the train arrive and also the station was in darkness, so when he found the train, he was anxious to get back to finish and assumed that the usual 153 was on the back.

 

On the trip back, he couldn't understand why the 158 was sluggish and wouldn't get to maximum speed, so when he went to split the units, he discovered that instead of the booked 153, he was horrified to find there was a 143 instead, panting for breath, overheating engine and gearbox.  No wonder the 158 was sluggish as a 90mph unit was attached to something that had a maximum speed of 75mph.  I dread to think what it what it looked like as it must have seemed the 158 was dragging the 143, like a parent with a petulant child.

 

Julian Sprot

 

Since 153's are also 75mph units he should have been driving at no more than 75mph anyway?

[Coryton]

Since 153's are also 75mph units he should have been driving at no more than 75mph anyway?

 

Don't spoil a good story...

[great central]

Don't spoil a good story...

A good few years ago I heard a story about a regular ECS working where a 153 was attached to a 170 which was,of course, a 100mph unit. Driver forgot the 153 was on the back..........

[RichardV]

A good few years ago I heard a story about a regular ECS working where a 153 was attached to a 170 which was,of course, a 100mph unit. Driver forgot the 153 was on the back..........

 

In recent years, it's been common for London Midland to use 153+170 formations on Birmingham New Street to Rugeley services, so this is entirely plausible. Not that there's anywhere much to get a speed up on that route, I expect.

 

Regarding Pacers coupled to Sprinters, when coming home from a day trip to Southport with my girlfriend in September, we arrived at Southport station to find the next train to Manchester was 142+156. She'd never been on a Pacer before, so I offered her the chance to sample one. For some reason, she declined to do so.

[Talltim]

A 142/158 combo in platform 12A at Leeds today, after arriving from Huddersfield

IMG_1316.JPG

This service was the same yesterday, but today Northern's random unit generator threw up a 150+142 combo

[Mark Saunders]

The last one to Saltburn last night was a 142 plus 156.

[w124bob]

Like big jim I've worked various combo's almost from day one in th NW,I think the issue around gearboxes was in the early "Selfchange" era and once they were changed out for the same type as other sprinters it sorted it's self out. I once worked a Sunday Manchester/Bradford York job with a 158, on arrival at Bradford Interchange was asked to couple to a 142 and work through to York. Not only did I forget about the 142 I didn't stop at Ulleskelf either as it was not a stop for my train and no one mentioned it at Bradford. Never heard a word .

[Steamport Southport]

Or the screaming of the passengers.........    

 

 

 

 

Jason

[The Johnster]

I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my Uncle Ted, not screaming in terror like his passengers....

[big jim]

I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my Uncle Ted, not screaming in terror like his passengers....

copyright 'an audience with ken dodd' 1991

 

tbh that the reply i normally give if someone asks me how id like to die

[Mark Saunders]

copyright 'an audience with ken dodd' 1991

 

tbh that the reply i normally give if someone asks me how id like to die

 

I always thought it was a Bob Monkhouse!

 

Mark Saunders

[big jim]

I always thought it was a Bob Monkhouse!

 

Mark Saunders

Could well be but I do remember ken dodd saying it

[The Johnster]

I 'ad that Bob Monkhouse on my train once...

 

To explain before anyone misinterprets; when I was a guard in the spare link at Canton in the early 70s, we had a Sunday passenger turn which involved taking a dmu, class 119 or 120, to Cheltenham, laying over for 2 hours in Lansdowne sidings over lunchtime, then working to Worcester to form a service to Cardiff via Hereford.  Bob would get on at Cheltenham and travel to his local station, Malvern.  He was often 'tired and emotional' and would be rapidly asleep in his first class seat; staff at Malvern were used to him and always ready to help him off the train.  I found him a charming and very pleasant man, though sometimes a little confused.

 

My other celebrity was the DJ, Pete Murray (remember him?), who unsuccessfully attempted to seduce me.  To be fair, I was drop dead gorgeous then and he was very polite about it when I turned him down!

 

Pacers are regularly coupled to Sprinters in South Wales.

Edited November 8, 2017 by The Johnster

[Coryton]

Pacers are regularly coupled to Sprinters in South Wales.

 

Indeed - on the Valley Lines two Sprinters coupled together are a rare sight - presumably there aren't enough to go round.

 

4 coach trains are almost invariably two Pacers or a Pacer and a Sprinter.

[w124bob]

One nightly ecs working which crossed my path regularly was departure from Preston to Newton Heath. Invariably it usually contained at least one failure from earlier in the day and the units would be scattered all over the station so a fair bit of shunting took place to get the train together. The Virgin staff had gone home and just left a printout from control taped to the tiny cubby hole under the stairs on 1&2 platforms. We would arrive from Colne usually with a 153 or 142 then the driver would start getting the rest together,it sometimes took an hour hoping everything coupled up and brakes came off. Depart around midnight usually with the max number of 5 units of anything NH based often via Parkside, Chat Moss or Wigan NW Lostock jnc or Atherton all speed NH. It was not unknown for the train to exceed the rule of 5 units(10 cabs), just following control instructions 153×2 looks like a 156!

[FelixM]

Two photos I just found on flickr:

 

Crossing the Mite by chris, auf Flickr

 

High and dry... by chris, auf Flickr

[peanuts]

iirc was there not a time just after the introduction of the 158 on the calder valley lines that 142 were added on due to the 158s vanishing off the signalbox diagrams this would be back in the early 1990s 

[60091]

Although they're not a regular site on the line, Northern do strengthen some Sunday services on the Tyne Valley Line. The preferred combination is 142+142 but a 142 with a 156 does occasionally turn up. 

 

142/156 Hexham 11/2017.

 

I also remember Pacer/Sprinter combinations were a regular sight on the Settle-Carlisle Line during the mid 1990s.

Photos from 1996...