Trivia: Longest journey on a 153 or pacer

[Failed Unit]

Maybe this should be put in the quiz forum, but then I don't know the answer to this myself. The 153's (solo) and pacers were designed to be the saviour of the branch line but does anyone know the longest service they have operated in terms of time. I am meaning diagramed rather than emergency cover.

For the pacer I would like to open the bidding with Carlisle - Middlesbrough

For the 153 we could have Aberystwyth - Lincoln Central which operated under Central trains. The train left at 5:20 arriving at Lincoln Central at 11:06. It operated solo throughout the journey. nearly 6 hours.

Manchester Airport - Skegness could also be a contender. But if I recall that was only a short 4.5 hours!

On the pacers
Lincoln - Huddersfield used to be possible in just under 3 hours, Lincoln - Hull is 3 hours 20, but realisitically can't be counted as no-one would do it as it is via Sheffield.

Carlisle - Middlesbrough maybe at about 3 hours? Again not sure if that is possible now but their used to be quite a few pacers daigramed for this branch line service in the not too distant past.

 

[Lampshade]

Mine's not a long journey, rather five short ones on 142s:

Bolton > Manchester Victoria > Wigan Wallgate (via Atherton) > Manchester Piccadilly > Marple > Manchester Piccadilly (on the GMPTE challenge)

Going to Preston once I got a 142 from Manchester Victoria but bailed at Salford Crescent and caught the next 185.

 

[Tugzrule]

142 yesterday working the 1512 Carlisle to preston via the cumbria coast. 4 and a half hours anyone?

 

[Failed Unit]

142 yesterday working the 1512 Carlisle to preston via the cumbria coast. 4 and a half hours anyone?

Without a toilet

That used to be a regular diagram in the past, but I think now the 156's seem to rule the route. Newcastle - Carlisle / Middlesbrough used to be a 156 mainstream route but both of these seem to have been downgraded recently (or at least when I have travelled on them). Try to make sure I pick the service operated by Scotrail trains now so I know I will avoid the pacer.

I the days of ATN Pacers sometimes used to cover the 158's on the transpennie express services (although I am not counting emergency workings otherwise Penzance - Swindon vice HST would win hands down!)

 

[ailsa]

Worcester to Southampton via Swindon must be a contender, often worked by a 153.

 

[Mike Redding]

1 hour 10 mins from Whitehaven to Carlisle on a 153 was certainly enough for me. They (or rather the 155's) obviously weren't designed for anyone over 5ft tall.

 

[Aictos]

The longest I've spent on any single Pacer was Paignton to Exmouth via Exeter then Exmouth to Barnstaple again via Exeter and finally Barnstaple to Exeter!

 

[TDK]

Maybe this should be put in the quiz forum, but then I don't know the answer to this myself. The 153's (solo) and pacers were designed to be the saviour of the branch line but does anyone know the longest service they have operated in terms of time. I am meaning diagramed rather than emergency cover.

For the pacer I would like to open the bidding with Carlisle - Middlesbrough

For the 153 we could have Aberystwyth - Lincoln Central which operated under Central trains. The train left at 5:20 arriving at Lincoln Central at 11:06. It operated solo throughout the journey. nearly 6 hours.

Manchester Airport - Skegness could also be a contender. But if I recall that was only a short 4.5 hours!

On the pacers
Lincoln - Huddersfield used to be possible in just under 3 hours, Lincoln - Hull is 3 hours 20, but realisitically can't be counted as no-one would do it as it is via Sheffield.

Carlisle - Middlesbrough maybe at about 3 hours? Again not sure if that is possible now but their used to be quite a few pacers daigramed for this branch line service in the not too distant past.

Manchester Pic to Maesteg about 4 years ago with ATW

 

[northwichcat]

142s have appeared on Manchester to Holyhead under FNW and Blackpool North to Chester via Stockport under Northern.

Northern Spirit put a 144 on a Manchester Airport-Cleethorphes journey.

I don't think the longest 153 service is really an issue as a 153 is half a 155 with a 155 effectively being an an alternative to a 156.

 

[Failed Unit]

Manchester Pic to Maesteg about 4 years ago with ATW

On a pacer or 153? Whatever can't have been pleasent.

 

[royaloak]

142 yesterday working the 1512 Carlisle to preston via the cumbria coast. 4 and a half hours anyone?

Without a toilet

142s do have toilets, quite spacious ones actually, and I mean the small cubicle with the sink in, not the rest of the 2 coaches before anyone says that!

 

[northwichcat]

Going to Preston once I got a 142 from Manchester Victoria but bailed at Salford Crescent and caught the next 185.

People do something similar on Manchester to Chester services, they miss the ATW service via Warrington (usually a 175) and then go to the platform where the Northern service is and ask the conductor what time it arrives at Chester/Manchester, when they realise they only get there 15/20 minutes quicker and it's a 142 then they don't bother boarding it.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

142s do have toilets, quite spacious ones actually, and I mean the small cubicle with the sink in, not the rest of the 2 coaches before anyone says that!

But the doors don't shut on quite a few of the Northern ones and on some of the ones where the doors do shut the toilet doesn't flush.

 

[Failed Unit]

142s do have toilets, quite spacious ones actually, and I mean the small cubicle with the sink in, not the rest of the 2 coaches before anyone says that!

Was carrying over a joke from this thread, appologies,

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=30484&page=2

disclaimer pacer trains are no more / less likely toilets locked out of use then any other class

 

[northwichcat]

Manchester Pic to Maesteg about 4 years ago with ATW

On a pacer or 153? Whatever can't have been pleasent.

I'm doubting that would be a Pacer as ATW's 142s are all based in Cardiff and probably wouldn't be cleared for most of their routes.

Was this a direct service or did it involve a change?

 

[philjo]

I once did Scarborough-Sheffield via York & Sherburn in Elmet in a Pacer - that was a few years ago before TPE took over the York-Scarborough services.

Leeds-Morecambe via Skipton & Lancaster is a another regular long route.

 

[francisoldfield]

a pair of 153's once worked norwich to liverpool i think with Central Trains...

 

[Capybara]

Was carrying over a joke from this thread, appologies (sic),

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=30484&page=2

disclaimer pacer trains are no more / less likely toilets locked out of use then any other class

Off-topic I know but perhaps it's just me. I really don't mind Pacers. I use the Harrogate lines quite often and the time my heart really sinks is when a 150 combination or, worse, a single 150 turns up. Now they really are like toilets and the seating is really cramped. A 142 or 144 is perfectly fine, and preferable, for a journey of 40 minutes or so.

 

[Jeff Worsnop]

142 yesterday working the 1512 Carlisle to preston via the cumbria coast. 4 and a half hours anyone?

Got bum ache on a Lancaster Barrow Carlisle pacer. Journey seemed to last for ever. Did it because the direct route was closed due to an "incident". Good view but painful.

 

[dk1]

My longest 153 would have to be Cardiff to Torquay though i have known them work Liverpool through to Norwich.

A colleague once endured a Pacer from Middlesborough to Preston via Hartlepool, Hexham & the Cumbrian coast!!

 

[142094]

06.57 Middlesbrough - Carlisle has been a 142 diagram for quite a while now, I did it a couple of weeks back and it was a good journey. It also then works a Carlisle - Newcastle service straight back.

Perhaps it is just the west, but over here in the east our 142s are usually clean and have working toilets. Thumbs up to the Heaton crews.

 

[AlexS]

A single dogbox has worked Liverpool to Norwich fairly recently, certainly in EMT's stewardship..

To rival the Aber-Lincoln one, there was also a Skeg-Aber booked for a single unit.

 

[SWT Driver]

You've got a few in the WoE courtesy of FGW who regularly replace a 158/150 with one.

A trip such as Plymouth-Penzance & v.v or Penzance to Gunnislake via Plymouth both in excess of 2hrs.

 

[fgwrich]

You've got a few in the WoE courtesy of FGW who regularly replace a 158/150 with one.

A trip such as Plymouth-Penzance & v.v or Penzance to Gunnislake via Plymouth both in excess of 2hrs.

Ah, but last summer there was an 150 Replacement...

143 On the Bristol Temple Meads to Penaznce & return service!

And Dogbox's have worked Weymouth / Southampton Central to Worcester & Great Malvern services...

But What would you rather have? No service or a pacer ? Wait 2 Hours for nothing or a 142/143?

And yep, i like FGWs 142s,143s & 153s...The 153 Refurb is pretty much the nicest and the best of all 153 refurbs - even if some people don't like the Richmond seats fitted to 10 of them! The other three are Chapman...

 

[Polarbear]

There used to be a Central Wales diagram a few years back that started in Cardiff & went through to Holyhead, (via Crewe).hock:

I'll confess to having travelled on that service from Shrewsbury to Chester on one occasion - all the while thanking my luck stars I'd not had the misfortune to jump on at Cardiff!

Oh, and it was all shacks too, at least from Swansea.

 

[royaloak]

143 On the Bristol Temple Meads to Penaznce & return service!

Did a 143 from Plymouth to Penzance to do the last SWT service up last December, it was actually quite a nice run down.

 

[SWT Driver]

I'm just trying to work out whether you're a Sadist, Sadomasochist or just plain loopy!

 

[royaloak]

goo goo gaa gaa

 

[SWT Driver]

Ah yes. The first signs of 455illitis.

 

[royaloak]

Suits me, better than that german crap!

 

[Failed Unit]

But What would you rather have? No service or a pacer ? Wait 2 Hours for nothing or a 142/143?

.

The pacer of course, may not be as keen on a 153 as the train could run but not physically be able to board it. Substitutions are fair enough, but some of these examples are mainline / long distance service diagramed for units which were only designed to work on branch / low utilised services. In the case of the Skeg - Aber and Aber - Linc services they are single coach trains linking small towns such as Nottingham and Birmingham.

I know EMT have ran the dogbox on Norwich - Nottingham services recently, I am sure some EMT staff think that is an improvement on some of the 158's they have however