Pacers on Long Distance Routes

[D6130]

My recollection of Lancaster to Leeds on a pacer was how much the front carriage would rise above the height of the trailing one. Then of course it would drop by the same amount. Definitely most prevalent before Settle Junction.

Yep....worn-out 60 foot - or in some cases 45 foot - rails with dipped joints. Lovely!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Sometime in the late 2010s (I forget exactly when) I used a Northern voucher offer for a trip along the Blackpool South branch. 158 from Batley to Huddersfield, then a pair of Merseytravel Pacers through to Manchester Victoria... and what was the stock for the run from Victoria to Kirkham & Wesham... of course, yet another pair of Merseytravel Pacers!
Two different trips so it doesn't qualify for the thread directly- but by the time I got to Kirkham I was rather more familiar with my own knees than I'd have liked! I could have changed to the Sprinter at Preston, but I'd been to Preston dozens of times so wanted to chalk off a new station.

 

[billio]

Yes, someone had the bright idea of putting the heating modules on the roof, with the heater vents in the ceiling.....and as everyone knows, hot air goes downwards (not!)

I seem to remember a pipe that ran down the side of the carriage at floor level. These were warm and might just have warmed one foot.

 

[D6130]

I seem to remember a pipe that ran down the side of the carriage at floor level. These were warm and might just have warmed one foot.

Open to correction, but I think that was only installed when the units were refurbished in the late 1990s. Prior to that the only 'heating' was from the vents in the ceiling connected to the roof-mounted pods half-way along the vehicle....just like on the equally notoriously cold and draughty Leyland National buses on which their design was based.

 

[Fisherman80]

Ive travelled many times from Leeds to Carlisle and Morecambe on 142s and 144s.
During the 90s it was quite common to see 156 and 14x combo,particularly on Saturdays.
Back then the Settle to Carlisle was mostly jointed track which made for a lively ride on a Pacer!

 

[yorksrob]

A three carriage 144 was the mainstay of the Leeds - Morecambe service for many years and I found this perfectly fine.

 

[Train Maniac]

I remember having a fair amount of fun on a Pacer from Cardiff to Severn Tunnel Junction back in 2019, the doors made a right BANG when a IC125 blasted past!

 

[Mat17]

I remember having a fair amount of fun on a Pacer from Cardiff to Severn Tunnel Junction back in 2019, the doors made a right BANG when a IC125 blasted past!

The original bi-fold doors would have blown right open.

 

[marty56110]

During the days of Arriva Trains Northern I remember a Newcastle to York via Durham Coast and Middlesbrough, which was normally operated by a Pacer. Travelling down the ECML at 75mph with a 225 blasting was quite something when sitting near the doors!

Edit - Photo of the service leaving Middlesbrough

2003-10-15 142066 (1300 Newcastle-York) 158802 (ex Manchester Airport) Middlesbrough

Explore John Carter 1962's 69872 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

 

[peteb]

Not the longest distance, but most definitely the fastest, I once rode a Pacer from Bristol to Worcester. I'm not sure if this was a 90mph Express Sprinter (Class 158) or a regular 75mph Sprinter diagram, but I would guess that a Pacer would struggle to keep up with even the latter when there's sustained running at maximum speed (because of increased friction on curves, etc.?). Needless to say, we lost time but not for want of trying. When I alighted at Shrub Hill the thing was red hot!

I think it was a 75mph diagram as I've done the same route Worcester to Bristol some years ago. It was quite exhilarating charging down the main line!

 

[Ken H]

A three carriage 144 was the mainstay of the Leeds - Morecambe service for many years and I found this perfectly fine.

The 144's were a class above the 142's. I used to travel Gigg - Bingley or Gigg -Leeds back then. Seeing a 142 coming made my heart sink, but

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Surprised no one's mentioned the story of a pacer substituting a HST from Exeter to Paddington...

 

[pinkmarie80]

Carlisle to Barrow and vice versa- did that trip many a time. Wasn’t a fan of the Pacers.

 

[Bikeman78]

I've heard stories of Pacers formerly operating on very long routes - Carlisle to Preston via Barrow, Manchester to Maesteg

Just wondering if anyone ever did these journeys for their full duration? And if so, how did your knees fare?

Pacers never went to Manchester from Cardiff. They got as far north as Craven Arms a few times.

 

[Rescars]

Pacers never went to Manchester from Cardiff. They got as far north as Craven Arms a few times.

Though sadly no Pacer working through to Lydham Heath and Bishop's Castle. That would have been quite a trip! Just an impossible dream

 

[Sid Edwards]

Sadly on one occasion I caught what I think was a once a day working from Liverpool Lime Street to Millom and found it was a class 142.

Slightly earlier in the day I travelled from Wrexham Central to Bidston in a first generation dmu with rain coming in through the leaking roof.

I preferred travelling inside in the rain than the long journey in the pacer!

 

[Sun Chariot]

Leeds-Carlisle and return - 113 miles each way - back in the days (late '90s/early noughties) when most of the S&C was still worn-out 1940s/1950s jointed track. They were usually coupled to a 156 for Summer seasonal strengthening....but every now and then we would be presented with a single 142/144, or a pair of them.

Last night, I was looking through my late-1980s photos. Sure enough, within my S&C related ones, a few 142+156 combos on those very workings.
The constant drone of the Pacer engines, up the 1 in 100....

 

[scragend]

Well I never, a bit late to try it now.

Yes, it was always a good trick for those in the know to get a seat. My dad & I used to commute to Manchester on a two-coach Pacer. Quite often it would be full and standing by the time we boarded at Hindley but the side seat would be up. We'd take one clip each, flip it down and Bob's your uncle. Was always surprised that no one saw and cottoned on.

 

[Kaliwax]

I had a pacer ride on a Middlesborough to Carlisle run once, it was horrible. To top it off it was an ex First North Western 142 as well, those was my favourite 142s but still a long time on any 142 is awful

 

[Trackman]

Yes, it was always a good trick for those in the know to get a seat. My dad & I used to commute to Manchester on a two-coach Pacer. Quite often it would be full and standing by the time we boarded at Hindley but the side seat would be up. We'd take one clip each, flip it down and Bob's your uncle. Was always surprised that no one saw and cottoned on.

I had a good look at one once to try and figure out what was going on, couldn't suss it.
Tried looking for a pic, but unable to find one so I can see where these clips are.

 

[Vespa]

Once did Liverpool to Blackpool North that was agony as my bum became numb, the tail bone wasn't much better and I couldn't sit properly because the bus seat padding was far too thin to support me, good thing I had a North West rail rover ticket that day as I took a different route back in a more modern DMU and better seating I think it's one of the Sprinter type train not sure on the actual set number.

Pacers are really only suitable for journeys no more than 30 minutes to either Liverpool or Manchester.

 

[chorleyjeff]

I've heard stories of Pacers formerly operating on very long routes - Carlisle to Preston via Barrow, Manchester to Maesteg

Just wondering if anyone ever did these journeys for their full duration? And if so, how did your knees fare?

Lancaster to Carlisle via Barrow.
Knees not a problem ( I'm 6'3'' )
But serious pain in the arse.
WCML was blocked.

 

[Kaliwax]

Lincoln to Hull was another fun journey on a pacer, usually an ex Arriva Trains Northern 142 when I saw it/

 

[Bikeman78]

Last night, I was looking through my late-1980s photos. Sure enough, within my S&C related ones, a few 142+156 combos on those very workings.
The constant drone of the Pacer engines, up the 1 in 100....

They are quieter than 150 or 156 though. Better power to weight ratio too. In fact a 143 has the same to power to weight as a 175.

Pacers were fun between Barnsley and Meadowhall when it was all jointed track. It sometimes seemed as if the carriages were having a contest of sorts to see which could throw the other off the tracks.

Wigan to Manchester 25 years ago was fun. Going over Crow Nest Junction at speed was an experience I will never forget. I'd just been on the roller coaster at Blackpool. The Pacer was definitely better value for money.

 

[Sun Chariot]

They are quieter than 150 or 156 though.

The Pacers I've endured, they were certainly noisier in the passenger area, than in a 150.

Exmouth branch, late 1980s: the Skippers (as were) stuttered their way up the 1 in 37, from Exeter St David's to Central. And they were like bucking broncos along Exmouth's branch.

Manchester Victoria - Rochdale, 2005 to 2008: I always felt a sharp intake of breath when a Pacer appeared, versus a 150 or 155.
Always bouncy and noisy in a 142, along that route.

 

[Irascible]

Exmouth branch, late 1980s: the Skippers (as were) stuttered their way up the 1 in 37, from Exeter St David's to Central. And they were like bucking broncos along Exmouth's branch.

I seem to remember an awful trip to Barnstaple in one, that was thankfully the only time and what a shock after either some rather comfortable if a bit smelly Mk1s, or a slightly less comfortable & slightly more smelly 117 ( I avoided going to Barnstaple by train the entire time FGW used the similar units )

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Technically the Class 140 unit ran in-service on the HoWL for a period of time, so Shrewsbury-Swansea must be close to the record. More if the train originated at Crewe, as several HoWL services did.

 

[hexagon789]

Technically the Class 140 unit ran in-service on the HoWL for a period of time, so Shrewsbury-Swansea must be close to the record. More if the train originated at Crewe, as several HoWL services did.

Ditto the West Highland.

 

[D6130]

Ditto the West Highland.

Did the class 140 really run service trains on the West Highland line? I travelled on it once from Glasgow Central to Largs and back on a staff familiarisation trip....but it would have been totally unsuitable for the five and three quarter hour journey from Glasgow to Mallaig, both from the passenger comfort point of view and its difficulty in rounding the numerous sharp reverse curves.

 

[hexagon789]

Did the class 140 really run service trains on the West Highland line? I travelled on it once from Glasgow Central to Largs and back on a staff familiarisation trip....but it would have been totally unsuitable for the five and three quarter hour journey from Glasgow to Mallaig, both from the passenger comfort point of view and its difficulty in rounding the numerous sharp reverse curves.

Appears I was mistaken, it was a demonstration tour and not service train (unlike the 210001 runs and those if the prototype 150 and 154 which did replace service stock on normal services on a variety of duties) but it did make it to Mallaig and back on the demo run.