Just lost my Pacer virginity

[starrymarkb]

Didn't think they were allowed to run over the third rail due to their "nodding" characteristics

2

Another enthusiast myth I'm afraid. There is no restrictions on pacers in third rail territory (They operate over it frequently around Liverpool). Mark 3 coaches however are restricted if they have long swing links!

 

[richw]

Another enthusiast myth I'm afraid. There is no restrictions on pacers in third rail territory (They operate over it frequently around Liverpool). Mark 3 coaches however are restricted if they have long swing links!

Thanks, the only place I'd ever been aware of what I posted was from numerous posts on here and another forum i use. But it seems to be said so often I took it to be correct

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk 2

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Are Pacers the units that look very much like buses from the 1970s inside and out including the seating? If so, I did have two long journeys on them a few years ago from Whitby to Middlesborough and from Leeds to Lancaster. I was surprised these were used on long journeys, I was expecting a supersprinter type train. They were very bouncy. I think they use them (Pacers) on the Exmouth and Barnstable lines now too. Not sure what's used these days on above mentioned lines from Whitby and Leeds/Lancaster? (Whenever I go to Whitby it's on the Steam Hauled services of the NYMR )

 

[pemma]

Didn't think they were allowed to run over the third rail due to their "nodding" characteristics

Another enthusiast myth I'm afraid. There is no restrictions on pacers in third rail territory (They operate over it frequently around Liverpool). Mark 3 coaches however are restricted if they have long swing links!

Indeed. I think the rumour originated not that long ago when FGW were about to take on some 142s and the management mentioned the lines they would and wouldn't be used on, with one of the latter containing 3rd rail, so certain people jumped to conclusions from that.

There was one occasion when I alighted a 507 at Chester platform 7 and boarded a doubled up Pacer around 10 minutes later from the other end of the same platform.

 

[sprinterguy]

Are Pacers the units that look very much like buses from the 1970s inside and out including the seating? If so, I did have two long journeys on them a few years ago from Whitby to Middlesborough and from Leeds to Lancaster. I was surprised these were used on long journeys, I was expecting a supersprinter type train. They were very bouncy. I think they use them (Pacers) on the Exmouth and Barnstable lines now too. Not sure what's used these days on above mentioned lines from Whitby and Leeds/Lancaster? (Whenever I go to Whitby it's on the Steam Hauled services of the NYMR )

Yep, that's Pacers all right. The Whitby branch is now solely in the hands of class 156 Super Sprinters, but the Leeds to Lancaster services are still operated by Pacers; although at least these days a lot of them are 144s, which are a bit nicer than the 142s.

 

[Lampshade]

Another enthusiast myth I'm afraid. There is no restrictions on pacers in third rail territory (They operate over it frequently around Liverpool). Mark 3 coaches however are restricted if they have long swing links!

Yep, LIV - MCO stoppers run over the Hunts Cross - Liverpool South Parkway section.

 

[northernrailer]

My local line (Hallam / Pontefract) in the mid 90s only really saw class 141, 142 and 144 use with the very occasional class 156 on the Sheffield via Barnsley service. Then come the late 90s class 150, 153, 155 and 156s become more regular visitors which did make a great change. When i use to go on Hols to Bridlington with my parents we use to catch the train to Scarborough and that was all pacer operated, got to say that im use to them now after travelling on them for the best part of 16 years.

I did once travel from Woodlesford to Sheffield on a class 142 and really did think if this train comes off the track now thats it - it was bouncing along must of been doing 60mph, it is a stretch of track somewhere near Barnsley, on the left is a farm house with a pond and a bit further along you go over a metal bridge with all trees below (looks like a kind of wood area) i am not too sure if its between Barnsley and Wombwell. Ecclesfield seems to be another part of the line where the speed limit seems higher than the rest of the line, i know it sounds daft but on some pacers you do wonder am i gunna get off alive as they bounce along and rattle about.

 

[CC 72100]

Yep, LIV - MCO stoppers run over the Hunts Cross - Liverpool South Parkway section.

I didn't realise Northern still had units in that livery, thought they were all in their complete livery. Shows my lack of knowledge of anything North of Birmingham :roll:

 

[SprinterMan]

I didn't realise Northern still had units in that livery, thought they were all in their complete livery. Shows my lack of knowledge of anything North of Birmingham :roll:

They are all in complete Northern livery, it's just an old photo

 

[CC 72100]

They are all in complete Northern livery, it's just an old photo

Ah, I see. The date and time refers to when the photo was uploaded, it doesn't belong to the actual photo. Silly me

 

[Tracked]

I did once travel from Woodlesford to Sheffield on a class 142 and really did think if this train comes off the track now thats it - it was bouncing along must of been doing 60mph, it is a stretch of track somewhere near Barnsley, on the left is a farm house with a pond and a bit further along you go over a metal bridge with all trees below (looks like a kind of wood area) i am not too sure if its between Barnsley and Wombwell.

It's near Wombwell, it goes over the old Woodhead route to Wath, which is a good cycle ride. The run into Doncaster from Sheffield used to fun on a speeding Pacer, around the bit where the avoiding line branches off when they went over the points it was a hell of a bounce

 

[SprinterMan]

It's near Wombwell, it goes over the old Woodhead route to Wath, which is a good cycle ride. The run into Doncaster from Sheffield used to fun on a speeding Pacer, around the bit where the avoiding line branches off when they went over the points it was a hell of a bounce

I do wish the old Woodhead route was still open, doing that on a 142 would be really something :P

The closest you can do today is what I did, the Hope Valley line.

 

[pemma]

I do wish the old Woodhead route was still open, doing that on a 142 would be really something :P

The closest you can do today is what I did, the Hope Valley line.

Would a Pacer have got clearance for the Woodhead route?

 

[Lampshade]

Ah, I see. The date and time refers to when the photo was uploaded, it doesn't belong to the actual photo. Silly me

Just for the record, it was 23/11/2005

 

[SprinterMan]

Not really worth creating a new thread for, so I will ask it here:

What did people think of 141s before they were withdrawn?
Were they considered worse than 142s (they certainly looked like it!)

Adam :P

 

[6Gman]

I have travelled on just about every known form of traction over the past 50 years - from non-corridor steam push-and-pull, via Class 26-hauled in a guard's van, to Pendolinos - and the only thing that has ever left me feeling travel-sick was a 142. Chester to Llandudno Junction. Absolutely vile!

 

[4SRKT]

Not really worth creating a new thread for, so I will ask it here:

What did people think of 141s before they were withdrawn?
Were they considered worse than 142s (they certainly looked like it!)

Adam :P

without doubt. 141s were appalling.

 

[northernrailer]

I never got travel on the class 141 units, they did operate on my local Line to Knottingley and Sheffield via Barnsley. I was going to travel on the Bishop Auckland to Stanhope line this year to travel on one but apparently they no longer use there class 141 units, typical!! I only really wanted to travel on one because i remember seeing them alot at my local station but when ever i travelled from it, it was always a class 142 or class 144.

The other day i travelled on 142079 from Middlesbrough to Newcastle and i must say thats the longest service i have travelled on a pacer and even though im use to them it was far too long and i was glad to get off at Newcastle. Dont get me wrong the scenary along the coast is nice, but a class 156 would of been far better.

 

[4SRKT]

The pre-refurb 141s were diabolical. The suspension was worse than anything anyone who has only experienced pacers can imagine. The brakes were none too clever either, with the buffers at platform 13 (now 8) at York taking a pounding!

 

[SprinterMan]

The pre-refurb 141s were diabolical. The suspension was worse than anything anyone who has only experienced pacers can imagine. The brakes were none too clever either, with the buffers at platform 13 (now 8) at York taking a pounding!

Were buffer hits frequent then?
Did they have to be reported or could a unit just carry on it's way?7

P.S. if anyone is interested:http://www.phantasrail.com/tehran_(4).htm

At least we now know why Iran seems to hate the West .

Adam :P

 

[4SRKT]

They weren't frequent AFAIK but they seemed to happen more than on normal DMUs. Certainly they were notorious for it among The Community at York at that time, although this may to some extent have been youthful enthusiasts keen to give these awful trains a bad name.

The refurb gave them better suspension, and allowed them to work in multiple with 142s etc. They were better after that, but their seating capacity was too low compared with the 3+2 wider units, although TBH probably no lower than 2-car pacers are these days.

 

[emoaconr]

I saw this weekend that 142s have been doing the Cheltenham-Maesteg ATW service... now that is a journey not for the feint-hearted!

I've also seen them on Cardiff Central - Fishguard Harbour services... over 2 and a half hours!!

Thankfully following the re-organisation of the Welsh operators in the early 2000's, Pacers in North Wales have been retracted to the Northern operators and ATW haven't decided to send any of their Pacer fleet up north as of yet.

Though to be fair, a Pacer does its job. They were built at a time where there weren't two pennies to rub together; if it wasn't for them, the operators have had a stock shortage problem on their hands as first generation units would have still had to have been withdrawn regardless. They are quite light inside owing to the large windows and glass doors and seem to be fairly reliable. I know the experience riding one over jointed tracks has, but I now just take it as part of the experience... the 80s are fashionable again now!

 

[The Colonel]

Today, for the first time ever, I have ridden on a pacer

Its not something to advertise . . .

Its worse than the old one about what have mopeds & fat birds got in common - both are fun to ride till your mates find out

 

[RichmondCommu]

Its not something to advertise . . .

Its worse than the old one about what have mopeds & fat birds got in common - both are fun to ride till your mates find out

Where did you get that gag from? I like that a lot.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Edale is a lovely spot. I remember sitting in a class 101 (?) unit and whilst in the tunnel you could see through to the drivers cab which was pretty amazing- gradually the light at the end would get nearer but it sure takes a while! Those units sounded like buses.

The guards vans on the 101's were fantastic for mountain bikes.

 

[455driver]

The 141s were awful pre-refurb and only marginally better post refurb.

I remember the suspension being completely coil bound as the train entered the platform and as the train stopped it would rock back and forward for ages as the spring plank had 2 coil springs on it (1 in front of the axle-box and 1 behind) but only 1 damper mounted in the centre of the axle-box so there was no damping to the individual springs.
On refurbishment they were fitted with 2 dampers so each spring was controlled to prevent the movement.

They were also fitted with brake cylinders on the chassis with Bowden cables (think very thick bicycle brake cables) connecting the cylinders and tread brakes, a little bit of wear (or too much heat) and the brakes were useless, hence the expensive conversion to direct acting brakes.

The bodies were also 8ft6in wide (the same as Leyland National buses) which meant that they could only accommodate 2+2 seating as opposed to 3+2 lowering their carrying capacity quite a lot.

The well known engine and gearbox issues, so yep very good units NOT, um I think that will do for now, my fingers are hurting!