Northern Pacer Withdrawals - Info?

[Darandio]

Well, we’ll see in eight weeks time, won’t we?

Considering the dispensation has been made public today to allow 24 Northern examples to run until 31st May 2020, I think we can already see!

Somehow I doubt Gary will be back though.

 

[Llama]

He is too busy at the coalface to post for now.

It's strange to think of 142s like 001 being at the NRM, I only drove it not so long back. 001 was one of the better ones to drive when I cut my teeth, it was fairly smooth, moderately quick (for a 142) and not as draughty as some in the winter.

It was easily recognisable from a distance once it came back from Devon thanks to a blue Devon flag sticker in the middle windscreen which only disappeared some time this year. It also had a dark grill recess on the cab front which only maybe one other 142 had which helped narrow down its identification.

 

[IamTrainsYT]

He is too busy at the coalface to post for now.

It's strange to think of 142s like 001 being at the NRM, I only drove it not so long back. 001 was one of the better ones to drive when I cut my teeth, it was fairly smooth, moderately quick (for a 142) and not as draughty as some in the winter.

It was easily recognisable from a distance once it came back from Devon thanks to a blue Devon flag sticker in the middle windscreen which only disappeared some time this year. It also had a dark grill recess on the cab front which only maybe one other 142 had which helped narrow down its identification.

142015 is the other one

 

[Llama]

142015 is the other one

142015 also stands out as the first 142 (Feb 2006) to have a modification whereby vehicle 55606 was fitted with a headlight in the RHS (non drivers side) light cluster and associated wiring and modified headlight switch so that either LHS (night) or RHS (day) could be selected. Prior to then, all 142s (or certainly all Northern's 142s) only had one headlight despite both light clusters looking like they would both house a headlight. This mod also reduced the occurrence of train failure due to headlight failure which was usually as simple as a blown lamp. The trial was a success and was rolled out to the rest of the 142 fleet from about late 2010/early 2011.

 

[irish_rail]

He is too busy at the coalface to post for now.

It's strange to think of 142s like 001 being at the NRM, I only drove it not so long back. 001 was one of the better ones to drive when I cut my teeth, it was fairly smooth, moderately quick (for a 142) and not as draughty as some in the winter.

It was easily recognisable from a distance once it came back from Devon thanks to a blue Devon flag sticker in the middle windscreen which only disappeared some time this year. It also had a dark grill recess on the cab front which only maybe one other 142 had which helped narrow down its identification.

A blue Devon flag? Think you are confusing it with the flag of another county obviously....!!!

 

[Llama]

Suspect it might've bleached in the sun over the years...!

 

[323 Class]

He is too busy at the coalface to post for now.

It's strange to think of 142s like 001 being at the NRM, I only drove it not so long back. 001 was one of the better ones to drive when I cut my teeth, it was fairly smooth, moderately quick (for a 142) and not as draughty as some in the winter.

It was easily recognisable from a distance once it came back from Devon thanks to a blue Devon flag sticker in the middle windscreen which only disappeared some time this year. It also had a dark grill recess on the cab front which only maybe one other 142 had which helped narrow down its identification.

Here is that dark grill

 

[Llama]

That's it. The electrification warning sticker in the middle screen was also unusual if not unique to 142001, they were usually in the secondmans side screen in the top corner.

 

[323 Class]

142028 seems to also be an oddity.
I'll let you decide what's missing.

 

[SteveyBee131]

142028 seems to also be an oddity.
I'll let you decide what's missing.View attachment 72231

Took a little while but I spotted it, it's got no steps on the cab end. Saw it on a Welsh one recently too (regrettably a picture not it person!)

 

[IamTrainsYT]

45 is missing something on the front

 

[IamTrainsYT]

Took a little while but I spotted it, it's got no steps on the cab end. Saw it on a Welsh one recently too (regrettably a picture not it person!)

142002

 

[IamTrainsYT]

Sorry forgot to attach a photo

 

[SteveyBee131]

142002

Just had a look for it again, and found another! 002 and 006 both don't have cab steps.

 

[IamTrainsYT]

Just had a look for it again, and found another! 002 and 006 both don't have cab steps.

And 142010!

 

[323 Class]

45 is missing something on the front

I see steps on that one.
Have you just fitted them?

Do you mean that little grill?

 

[SteveyBee131]

45 is missing something on the front

Do you mean the small extra air intake grille thing that many FNW 142s got? What was that in aid of anyway?

 

[IamTrainsYT]

Do you mean the small extra air intake grille thing that many FNW 142s got? What was that in aid of anyway?

I do, no idea what it’s for

 

[davart]

That was to cool the flux capacitor...

Do you mean the small extra air intake grille thing that many FNW 142s got? What was that in aid of anyway?

I do, no idea what it’s for

 

[IamTrainsYT]

Apparantly 24 pacers will be staying till 31/5/19. These are:
142004,011,013,018,023,035,036,041,043,045,047,051,055,058,061,065,068,070,071,078,087,090,094,095

 

[IamTrainsYT]

Heard nothing about northerns 144s or any of TFW or GWRs pacers, sorry

 

[superkev]

Apparantly 24 pacers will be staying till 31/5/19. These are:
142004,011,013,018,023,035,036,041,043,045,047,051,055,058,061,065,068,070,071,078,087,090,094,095

Interesting, thanks
Presumably the 23x144s will be staying too.
Even with the addition of the few remaining stored and awaited 195's that's still a huge shortfall after the pacers have gone. And, the 153s are supposed to go too.
Perhaps theres more hand me down units from elsewhere.
K

 

[ainsworth74]

Heard nothing about northerns 144s or any of TFW or GWRs pacers, sorry

Interesting, thanks
Presumably the 23x144s will be staying too.
Even with the addition of the few remaining stored and awaited 195's that's still a huge shortfall after the pacers have gone. And, the 153s are supposed to go too.
Perhaps theres more hand me down units from elsewhere.
K

If I might just quote myself from a thread on this very subject:

With regards to Northern the state of play is quite interesting as well.

Pacers

24x Class 142s - Exemption to 31 May 2020 but only when scheduled to be coupled to a compliant unit.
23x Class 144s - Exemption to 31 August 2020 but only on the following specified routes:

• Leeds to Huddersfield
• Leeds to Sheffield
• Leeds to Knottingley
• Sheffield to Adwick
• Sheffield to Huddersfield via Penistone
• Sheffield to Gainsborough Central / Lincoln
• Huddersfield to Bradford Interchange via Halifax
• Huddersfield to Castleford via Wakefield
• Doncaster to Scunthorpe
• Sheffield to York via Rotherham and Moorthorpe
• York to Leeds via Micklefield
• York to Selby / Hull / Bridlington
• Bradford Interchange to Leeds
• Doncaster to Leeds
​

So from tomorrow Northern can only use twenty-four 142s and only when scheduled* to be coupled with a complaint unit. Meanwhile they can keep all the 144s in service but only on specified routes rather than specified routes or if coupled to a compliant unit. Though to be fair I think the list includes basically everywhere that a 144 would usually go anyway so I guess there would be no utility to adding a "if coupled to compliant" unit exemption!

*Scheduled is an interesting choice of wording. I assume it's to leave the flexibility to run a 142 solo if its compliant running mate fails during the day.

Sprinters

7x Class 150 - Exemption granted until 30 September 2020
6x Class 156 - Exemption granted until 31 December 2020
20x Class 153 - Exemption granted until 31 December 2020 but only if scheduled to operate with a compliant unit or on the following specified routes:

• Huddersfield to Bradford via Halifax
• Huddersfield to Castleford via Wakefield
• Huddersfield to Sheffield via Penistone
• Doncaster to Scunthorpe
• Barton upon Humber to Cleethorpes​

I assume that the 150s and 156s are just those that haven't yet made it through the PRM compliance work that's been ongoing with their fleet mates. So I'd gamble that they'll be finished before the new deadlines approach.

The 153s also gain a stay of execution for use to strengthen other services or to operate by themselves on a handful of routes. Looking at those routes I don't see that there's any reason for concern with capacity as I believe they're all well known for carting air about even on a 153!!

EMU

12x Class 323 - Exemption granted until 31 October 2020

As with the sprinters I assume that these just haven't yet got through their PRM modifications yet so will presumably also not worry the new deadline for their compliance too much.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

Just heard some wibble on Facebook that 142036 is going to the East Kent railway.

I've marked it and 142030 as "unit to be preserved", likewise with 142033 (which is marked as converted to other use) which apparently is being used by South Wales Police. List updated as of Wednesday 1st January 2020.


Red - withdrawn.
Orange - scrapped.
Yellow - converted to other use (does not include food tins or razor blades).
Green - modified for Passengers of Reduced Mobility.
Blue - in storage.
Purple - preserved.


Class 142
001 - Unit preserved. Due to move to the National Railway Museum in York.
002
003 - In storage at Barrow
004
005 - First to be withdrawn, now scrapped (updated as of 7th December 2019)
006
007 - In storage at Barrow
008 - Scrapped (Collided with a class 87 at Winsford in 1999).
009 - in storage at Gascoigne Wood
010
011
012 - at Landore TMD? being stripped of spare parts.
013
014
015 - in storage at Gascoigne Wood
016 - Scrapped, EMR Kingsbury
017 - in storage at Worksop
018
019 - in storage at Worksop
020 - in storage at Worksop
021 - was in storage at Botanic Gardens Hull, now at Gascoigne Wood.
022 - Scrapped, EMR Kingsbury
023
024
025 - Scrapped, EMR Kingsbury
026 - was in storage at Botanic Gardens Hull, now at Gascoigne Wood.
027 - in storage at Worksop
028 - In storage at Barrow
029 - Unit preserved at Chasewater Railway.
030 - Unit to be preserved at Chasewater Railway (Is this confirmed?)
031 - in storage at Holbeck, Leeds.
032
033 - Unit being used (as what?) by South Wales Police at Bridgend.
034 - In storage at Barrow
035
036 - Unit to be preserved at East Kent Railway, said unit is still in service at Northern.
037 - Scrapped, EMR Kingsbury
038 - in storage at Gascoigne Wood
039 - in storage at Gascoigne Wood
040 - In storage at Barrow
041
042 - in storage at Gascoigne Wood
043
044 - Scrapped, second class 142 unit to be dismantled at CF Booths (the first being 005).
045
046 - In storage at Barrow
047
048 - in storage at Gascoigne Wood
049 - in storage at Gascoigne Wood
050 - Scrapped, EMR Kingsbury?
051
052 - in storage at Worksop
053 - in storage at Gascoigne Wood
054
055
056 - In storage at Barrow
057 - in storage at Gascoigne Wood
058
059 - Scrapped (Collided with buffer stops at Liverpool Lime Street in 1991.)
060 - was in storage at Botanic Gardens Hull, now at Gascoigne Wood.
061
062
063
064 - Scrapped, EMR Kingsbury
065
066 - in storage at Gascoigne Wood
067
068
069
070
071
072
073
074
075
076
077
078
079 - at Landore TMD? being stripped of spare parts.
080
081
082
083
084 - in storage at Worksop
085
086 - at Canton, stripped of spare parts.
087
088 - Scrapped, EMR Kingsbury.
089
090
091 - in storage at Worksop
092 - in storage at Holbeck, Leeds
093 - Scrapped, EMR Kingsbury.
094
095
096 - Scrapped, EMR Kingsbury. The last of the class lost for good.

Class 143
601
602
603 - set to be preserved at the Swindon and Cricklade Railway
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613 - Scrapped (Unit caught fire near Nailsea & Backwell in 2004).
614
615 - Scrapped (Unit caught fire in 2005).
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625

Class 144 - All units stabled at Neville Hill.
001
002
003 - set to be preserved at the Great Central Railway at Ruddington.
004
005
006
007
008
009
010
011
012 - 144 Evolution has full PRM modifications.
013
014
015
016
017
018
019
020
021
022
023[/QUOTE]

 

[anamyd]

The 142 Wikipedia article is now claiming that TfW Rail have a fifth "spare parts" unit - 142049. When did this one move...? Was it moved by road like the fourth, or by rail like the first three...?

 

[Swimbar]

Apparantly 24 pacers will be staying till 31/5/19. These are:
142004,011,013,018,023,035,036,041,043,045,047,051,055,058,061,065,068,070,071,078,087,090,094,095

Presumably you mean 31/5/2020

 

[Robertj21a]

Presumably all this must be wrong ?. I'm sure Gary B assured us that he had inside knowledge that they would all be scrapped by the end of February............

 

[Chris217]

All the hype over mass Pacer withdrawals!
I am pleased to hear some common sense has been executed for a change over their impending demise whilst there are still cancellations and short forms.
Hope they can be well utilised until there are enough other units to replace these aging work horses with.
Nice to hear some are being preserved too.
Many of todays younger enthusiasts probably dont remember the first gen DMUs,so this may be all that they know.
Preservation must evolve and move with the times too.
Good on all those involved in saving some Pacers for that very purpose.

 

[sd0733]

Presumably all this must be wrong ?. I'm sure Gary B assured us that he had inside knowledge that they would all be scrapped by the end of February............

To be fair that could be the official plan. These are the end dates for withdrawal so it would seem sensible if they were a worst case scenario and theres a bit of slack

 

[superkev]

If I might just quote myself from a thread on this very subject:

Thankyou, interesting.
The point I was making was I still cant get my head around how Northern can manage without the remaining 47 Pacers and 20 153s without more hand me down units.
It would be interesting to know how many dmus Northern actually need out to operate a full peak service and how many are typically in or awaiting repair/ maintenance.
Happy new year to all.
K