A reputation acquired early in their lives when a greater proportion of their journeys were over jointed track. On continuous welded rail they’re ok
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Class 142s 3s and 4s opinions
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A reputation acquired early in their lives when a greater proportion of their journeys were over jointed track. On continuous welded rail they’re ok
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RailUK Forums
Actually, I don't think I've ever been on a pacer outside of the North so couldn't say, although I presume the 143's are similar toour 144's.
In terms of 150's the Great Western ones that were refurbished for longer distance journeys are far and away the best examples.
Ashley Hill
Established Member
I loved working on DMUs and it was a nasty surprise when the Skippers arrived (142s). They were soon removed from the Gunnislake and Looe lines due to excessive noise,flange and rail wear. If I remember correctly they had cable(?) brakes which would stretch giving some unusual braking. We later had the 143s,again like 142s these were OK on mainlines or branches with good track and did good work around the Bristol area before moving west. For a while we regained some 142s and I must admit I preferred them to the 143s. 153s were a complete waste of time though.
There's an awful lot of rose-tinted specs going on there. 101s from Carlisle to Newcastle rode atrociously at any significant speed at all, complete with bouncy seats to launch you all over the place. Pacers were in improvement in ride on that line, even if the full distance was a bit of a chore in one!
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
I've done the whole route in one and there's little that gives a better view through what is a massive wall of glass.
Pacers were an improvement on 1st generation DMUs - people who haven't ridden on one forget that.
Ashley Hill
Established Member
Having travelled on many class's of DMU and worked with them too I found their ride superior to pacers especially on jointed track. Pacers bang and bounce around,are noisy and can hunt alarmingly at speed. Great fun for pacer fans but not for Joe Public. And you could see out of the front of most DMUs unless at night or the drivers shy.
xotGD
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Your bouncy seats are my comfortable seats. And if you could nab one of the armchairs in the ex-First Class section of the trailer, pure luxury!
Then along comes a 143 with bus seats. Seats that are fine for a 20 minute journey on the bus into town, not on a 90 minute trip across the north Pennines.
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
Pacers had daily diagrams that took them part-way along the Calder Valley, there was even a Blackpool run in the 1990s that was often 158+142, sometimes it got a 141.
They weren't frequent up the valley, but they were regular...
DGH 1
Member
I Don't mind travelling on pacers, I think any train is better than no train when you need one and i find some modern trains with no opening windows and air con a bit claustrophobic. Apart from early reliability issues that are well documented i think they've done far more than was ever expected of them.
Having said that getting stuck on one on the tight curve at Gateshead heading towards Heworth one day was a bit worrying, but lots of power on and off got us moving, shortly after automatic greasers were installed and it didn't happen again.
On another occasion travelling on a Newcastle ( i think) to York service, travelling down the ecml was the only time i've felt vulnerable on a train whilst being passed by Express's at speed and buffeting the unit something rotten, i thought the bus doors were literally going to be ripped off.
Having said that getting stuck on one on the tight curve at Gateshead heading towards Heworth one day was a bit worrying, but lots of power on and off got us moving, shortly after automatic greasers were installed and it didn't happen again.
On another occasion travelling on a Newcastle ( i think) to York service, travelling down the ecml was the only time i've felt vulnerable on a train whilst being passed by Express's at speed and buffeting the unit something rotten, i thought the bus doors were literally going to be ripped off.
I have never been on an ATW Class 142 or 143. However, I believe that both were refurbished with Chapman seats. I am finding that because these seats are bulky and I am 6ft 1" there is no room for my knees and I have to sit side ways with my knees in the gangway.
I went on a Northern (ex GWR) 153 and a refurbished 156 that had this problem last Saturday. Maybe for regional stopping services, we would be better going back to the bench type seats that were fitted in the Class 108 DMUs: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk_tom/11666751624
Everyone to their own opinion, but I remember the Class 101s and 108s very well. I recall the bad bogie hunting and harsh ride over jointed track that gave me headache, (as they only had leaf spring suspension), even though the 108 was my favourite first generation DMU.
I believe that due to competitive tendering, BR got the 144s cheaper than the 142s.
Mrs. Fortescue
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Dreadful. Soon as we are rid of the damn things, the better.
xotGD
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Using the word 'Dreadful' on a railway forum is open to misinterpretation!
Using the word 'Dreadful' on a railway forum is open to misinterpretation!
Pacers are dreadful in the best possible taste.
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