sprinterguy
Established Member
Ah, so it is, I hadn't spotted that previously. My apologies.142 001 is on the list for NRM.
Ah, so it is, I hadn't spotted that previously. My apologies.142 001 is on the list for NRM.
It really is a fabulous livery.Yes, there are a variety of 156 units with different liveries. This one was seen early July, passing one of the local industrial delights.View attachment 50008
Personally I'd be happy for them to keep a 142 back in order to strengthen Whitby runs on summer Saturdays. Better than trying to crowd everyone in a 156.
My fear is that with all these new trains, such services will still be left without any passenger capacity increase.
Well that's just tough, the franchise agreement and government commitment says they are going lets just leave at that and get rid of them.
Well that's just tough, the franchise agreement and government commitment says they are going lets just leave at that and get rid of them.
Then they need to come up with some other more imaginative way of relieving capacity on the line then.
The law also requires them to be modified at a considerable expense or withdrawn by the end of 2019.
But if they were used to strengthen services on which a compliant unit was already provided ... ?
Well once all the new trains and cascades are in place you would hope that they would be able to double up 156's on any grossly overcrowded services, but at the end of the day Northern's improvements in capacity aren't going to cover every eventuality, there's clearly a balance to be struck between cost and capacity on what is a highly subsidised franchise, although I expect in your world you would just have a bottomless pit of money to throw at the Railway.
It would be a brave person that puts all their faith in the automatic displays. This week I travelled on a 156 that was one stop behind from Croy to Glasgow. One of the pairs of 365s didn't have a clue what it was doing until it got to Falkirk. As for the door release chime, on some units it's painfully loud. Units such as the 377s or the S stock are fine but recent conversions like the 150s and 156s are ridiculous.Still not legal. Remember wheelchair users are one small part of PRM requirements, how are going to ensure a person who is deaf or hard of hearing travels on the unit with visual PIS? Or the elderly person with two walking sticks (and who can't use the Pacer toilet) boards the unit with the accessible toilet?
I highly doubt they'll stick to that schedule - providing they are all gone by the end of 2019 that is all that matters.According to the Northern Pacer withdrawal timetable, Northern are due to release 10 x 144s next Saturday (15th Sept) as they go off-lease. Is this still happening?
According to the Northern Pacer withdrawal timetable, Northern are due to release 10 x 144s next Saturday (15th Sept) as they go off-lease. Is this still happening?
It was due to be 5 x 2 coach 144s on 15th September, 2 in October, 4 in November and last 2 on 5th November. 5 x 142s in October and 19 in November. The 3 coach 144s by end of March and the remaining 142s in monthly batches until October 2019. None of the withdrawals can start until Manchester to Preston is wired and can't be completed until the 769s or an alternative arrives. Northern could the quickly catch up with 35-40 pacers could going off lease shortly after EMUs takeover Manchester-Preston services.
You've got to remember that the 144s are the bread and butter of local services in South Yorkshire, and so far, there isn't really a replacement never mind anything over in Lancashire. A 3 car 144 is bad at the best of times on a peak time Sheff to Huddersfield or Sheff to Leeds.
A 3-car 144 is also the best to be had on Hudds to Sheff, as nothing bigger will fit many platforms until they get extended: particularly P2 at HUD. The plan is that 150s freed up (directly or indirectly) by the Bolton wires will replace Pacers on both sides of the Pennines...You've got to remember that the 144s are the bread and butter of local services in South Yorkshire, and so far, there isn't really a replacement never mind anything over in Lancashire. A 3 car 144 is bad at the best of times on a peak time Sheff to Huddersfield or Sheff to Leeds.
Hope Valley line seeing mostly 150s now with seemingly as many 156 workings as Pacers.
There appears to be more 156 workings in the Newcastle area not sure if some allerton 156s have been transfered to Heaton.They are booked for a 150 now, owing to some services skipping stops so they can take advantage of the higher 'SP' speed limits.
I hope they stay for 5 more years.
Realistically they will be around for at least another 3. A climbdown is imminent
But ALL of Northern's current diesel fleet can use SP speeds, can't they? Can Pacers not*? If so I'm shocked that such knowledge has evaded me for so long!They are booked for a 150 now, owing to some services skipping stops so they can take advantage of the higher 'SP' speed limits.
I can't see them staying long as I hear Northern have just about run out of siding space with all the latest hand me downs. I've lost track but they must have aquired well over 40 dmus of 153, 150, 156, 158 and 170.
K
But ALL of Northern's current diesel fleet can use SP speeds, can't they? Can Pacers not*? If so I'm shocked that such knowledge has evaded me for so long!
*= by which I mean, are they not permitted to? If they simply "don't have the legs" that's another matter!
In terms of DMUs, fifteen* 150s, five 153s, two 158s and ten 170s have transferred to Northern so far, so 32 units in total. The additional 156s haven't arrived yet, and on top of those, there are also another five 150s, six 158s and six 170s due to transfer too.
* - Technically, it's sixteen if you include 150209, but the net gain of 150s is fifteen.
It was due to be 5 x 2 coach 144s on 15th September, 2 in October, 4 in November and last 2 on 5th November. 5 x 142s in October and 19 in November. The 3 coach 144s by end of March and the remaining 142s in monthly batches until October 2019. None of the withdrawals can start until Manchester to Preston is wired and can't be completed until the 769s or an alternative arrives. Northern could the quickly catch up with 35-40 pacers could going off lease shortly after EMUs takeover Manchester-Preston services.
There were certainly more 156s through Middlesbrough when I was there on Thursday compared to the previous norm.There appears to be more 156 workings in the Newcastle area not sure if some allerton 156s have been transfered to Heaton.
The 170's coaches are longer too, so a 3-coach 170 can carry roughly the same number of people as 4 coaches of pacer units. With the advantage that they can't get short-formed.The 170s are 3 coaches long so in reality on a like for like direct replacement basis then you are gaining an extra coach.