Pacer Competition - Have they gone completely DafT

[russ p]

To be honest as a British Leyland enthusiast I will be quite sad to see the end of the 142s I know they haven't Leyland engines now but them and the 155s are the last passenger carrying vehicles to be designed by BL that are still in front line service how Leyland intended.

If I get the chance when moving 153s I always try to get the Leyland cab leading!

[Mike Storey]

8 minutes ago, dibber25 said:

New York City Transit Authority created an artificial reef with old subway car bodies.

 

Absolutely. I followed this with interest in around 2008/9, after having lived there in the 1970's and used the old, graffiti-covered darlings daily to work for some time. But not quite reefs, more stripped shells in which certain types of fish and other sealife found sanctuary, reversing much of the decimation of sealife that had occurred previously, due to on-shore industrial effects and intensive inshore fishing. The project involved several reefs, off the coast of several east coast states. But only the South Carolina one survives, I believe, which used one class of subway car. The other sites used another type, and most of those collapsed within a year. I doubt the current US administration would admit the problem existed in the first place.

 

I suspect a more useful purpose for Pacer shells would be to disrupt factory ship, bottom dredging, which has been the single greatest cause of low reproduction by fish around UK shores. But I doubt it will happen. Most of the bottom dredgers are UK registered, and the EU has been trying to ban the practice, or at least severely restrict it, for years. So let's give the Pacer shells to the EU Fisheries Commission!!

 

[Mike Storey]

9 minutes ago, russ p said:

To be honest as a British Leyland enthusiast I will be quite sad to see the end of the 142s I know they haven't Leyland engines now but them and the 155s are the last passenger carrying vehicles to be designed by BL that are still in front line service how Leyland intended.

If I get the chance when moving 153s I always try to get the Leyland cab leading!

 

It is quite hard to admit such a thing, but I too have a confession. I owe Pacers an awful lot. Every day, almost, for ten years, I commuted on them between Malton and York. I had two choices of departure, most days, from Malton - one was a classy 15x and the other would be a Pacer. I would wait for the Pacer, because everyone else would be full and standing on the other one, and I would also get a chance for a decent bacon sandwich in the Malton Station Restaurant to the Masses. I would then get a seat. Simples.  I might not be able to read, or hear myself think, as we rounded the curves at wotsit Abbey remains, and then over the crossings, and then finally past Rowntrees over the bridge chicane and then the junction, but I could eat my almost perfect bacon sandwich in a position of decorum, and the day would begin most satisfactorily. 

 

However, it would help to have had a few Black Sheeps before enduring a similar return that night. Pacers were absolutely fine, so long as you prepared yourself correctly. You mollicoddled youngsters just ain't got the ......etc, continues until Page 94.

 

 

[Mallard60022]

1 hour ago, eastglosmog said:

Why not donate a few to the Isle of Wight steam railway?  They could offer comparative rides with their 4 wheel coaching stock and we could judge whether modern travelers are as hardy as their Victorian ancestors.

Why not just let the IOW railway system use them alongside/instead of the weedy Tube things that are no good for tall geezers like me.

Feefo Fifum

[Mallard60022]

16 minutes ago, Mike Storey said:

 

It is quite hard to admit such a thing, but I too have a confession. I owe Pacers an awful lot. Every day, almost, for ten years, I commuted on them between Malton and York. I had two choices of departure, most days, from Malton - one was a classy 15x and the other would be a Pacer. I would wait for the Pacer, because everyone else would be full and standing on the other one, and I would also get a chance for a decent bacon sandwich in the Malton Station Restaurant to the Masses. I would then get a seat. Simples.  I might not be able to read, or hear myself think, as we rounded the curves at wotsit Abbey remains, and then over the crossings, and then finally past Rowntrees over the bridge chicane and then the junction, but I could eat my almost perfect bacon sandwich in a position of decorum, and the day would begin most satisfactorily. 

 

However, it would help to have had a few Black Sheeps before enduring a similar return that night. Pacers were absolutely fine, so long as you prepared yourself correctly. You mollicoddled youngsters just ain't got the ......etc, continues until Page 94.

 

 

Staple transport from my base to Sheffield until the 158s became more regular. Now back in force with the recently introduced Gainsborough Central stoppers to Sheffield I believe. Basically they were/are so clapped out that they don't get vandalised as they look as if they already have been. Going to Cleethorpes (and return) in one on a Saturday was quite amusing, but fortunately not a regular occurrence as other stock, released from weekday services, were usually available. Not done that for a while so don't know what is used for that service at the moment.

Laugh was that, when fully loaded to bursting, they sometimes had trouble restarting from certain Stations and almost died on the busy end of workday service from Sheffield to Worksop/Lincoln going up the gradient to Woodhouse. P

Edited May 30, 2019 by Mallard60022

[Zomboid]

Being a soft southerner I've only ever had one ride in a Pacer. Manchester Piccadilly to Levenshulme, on one with the low backed bus style seats. That single <10 minute experience was fine...

Edited May 31, 2019 by Zomboid

[jjb1970]

I used to use them regularly on the Tyne Valley line and made a few trips over the Settle line on them. They weren't the best trains but in some ways they've had a raw deal. They were built to be a low cost affordable train and although you couldn't say they were the best trains they did maintain rail services on a lot of routes that weren't magnets for investment and top class rolling stock.

[Reorte]

11 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

Staple transport from my base to Sheffield until the 158s became more regular.

 

I've taken them from Chinley to Sheffield when the 158 I was intending to get on has turned up crammed to the rafters and there's another train, probably a Pacer, due a few minutes later. Even though they're not exactly the most comfortable trains it's still much better than not having a seat at all.

[Mallard60022]

I have just remembered that a Pacer I was on some years back, from Leeds, was actually destined for Morecambe. Ouch! I have still not taken that interesting ride even though the service still exists I believe but I've not checked the stock used.

P

[OhOh]

Looking forward, I think, to my 1h14m Pacer ride from Saltburn to Shildon tomorrow for the Shildon MRC show at Locomotion.

[Phatbob]

Maybe somebody should turn one into a Micro-pub called "The Nodding Donkey"?

[corneliuslundie]

It was probably easier to convert GWR 4-wheel Firsts to extra rooms attached to houses, but they were even smaller - and very popular. I spotted one in a photo of Rhossili just this morning.

Which brings me to a question: no-one has mentioned that there are also a lot of Pacers in Wales. Are they owned by a different leasing company?

Jonathan

[Kelly]

16 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

Why not just let the IOW railway system use them alongside/instead of the weedy Tube things that are no good for tall geezers like me.

Feefo Fifum

 

Too big for the tunnels. 507/508s might go to IOW in place of the '38 stock, but equally redundant LU stock might too to avoid costs of rebuilding tunnels etc.

[Kelly]

Sounds like a sensible thing to do, avoids recycling costs on Porterbrook part, and potentially some local communities could benefit. Perhaps small councils should take a few and convert into community areas or libraries etc?

[PatB]

3 hours ago, OhOh said:

Looking forward, I think, to my 1h14m Pacer ride from Saltburn to Shildon tomorrow for the Shildon MRC show at Locomotion.

Funny to think that my one return trip on that line (from Darlington onwards, anyway) was so long ago that an entire generation of stock has been introduced, served and become life expired in the interim. When I went to Bishop Auckland on a miserable February late afternoon in 85 it was a rattly 1st generation DMU for me. 

[Mike Storey]

1 hour ago, Kelly said:

 

Too big for the tunnels. 507/508s might go to IOW in place of the '38 stock, but equally redundant LU stock might too to avoid costs of rebuilding tunnels etc.

 

The VivaRail Class 230's are the recommendation from SWT to the DfT, and a gauging expert has confirmed they will fit the tunnels, and just need a few tweaks to a couple of bridges and of course platforms. These would also avoid having to renew the power supply and thrid rail system.

 

But DfT still appears not to have made a decision (since Dec 2018, when it was due).

 

[96701]

On 30/05/2019 at 21:56, Mike Storey said:

 

I........ as we rounded the curves at wotsit Abbey remains,

 

However, it would help to have had a few Black Sheeps before enduring a similar return that night. Pacers were absolutely fine, so long as you prepared yourself correctly. You mollicoddled youngsters just ain't got the ......etc, continues until Page 94.

 

 

Kirkham Abbey and The Maltings perhaps?

[Mike Storey]

2 hours ago, 96701 said:

Kirkham Abbey and The Maltings perhaps?

 

Kirkham, that's the fella. Thanks.

 

As for the Maltings,  it is entirely possible probable that I frequented that establishment a few times.....perhaps a bit more than that, maybe. Other good purveyors of Black Sheep were available, of course, just not so conveniently.

 

[GeoffAlan]

I'd vote for making them into public conveniences, it's all they were ever good for.

[dibber25]

I think it's a wonderful idea! In 150 years time, someone dismantling an old village hall will 'discover' this superb old railway carriage, beautifully preserved, and pass it to a preservation society. It will almost certainly be announced that its special because Queen Victoria once travelled in it! 

[AMJ]

First prize - One Pacer

Second prize - Two Pacers

Booby prize you get to own the rest of the fleet!

[jonny777]

On 30/05/2019 at 21:24, dibber25 said:

New York City Transit Authority created an artificial reef with old subway car bodies.

 

 

An excellent idea. Strip out all the stuff which might pollute the water and lower them all into the sea not far from the coast. It is amazing how marine life thrives where there are areas to shelter or cling on to. Not only that but the body shells would prevent unscrupulous 'fishermen' dredging the sea floor for anything they can catch - which basically means ripping up everything on the bottom and ruining the local environment for generations. 

 

I think they should scuttle big ships in deeper water for the same reasons. Those who dive around genuine wrecks will tell you that the diversity around them is far greater than other more barren areas. 

[96701]

4 hours ago, Mike Storey said:

 

Kirkham, that's the fella. Thanks.

 

As for the Maltings,  it is entirely possible probable that I frequented that establishment a few times.....perhaps a bit more than that, maybe. Other good purveyors of Black Sheep were available, of course, just not so conveniently.

 

We lived in Norton from 1986 - 1991, just as we moved from York I got a job in Donny. Commuting was awful with a 45 minute wait each way in winter. If i fell asleep on a train ans woke up, I had to look at my watch to work out whether I was going to work or coming home. Life got much simpler when I got promoted to a job back in York.