Most scenic or closest to London Pacer journeys.

[RailWonderer]

Hello all,
Apologies if this is in the wrong sub forum (I went for general), from London what is the fastest way to get to a station that has pacers serving it? Also what are some scenic or unusual pacer journeys I can make before PRM phases them all out at the end of this year? Northerners here must think I'm mad but a bus on rails is simply a novelty to me. Thanks.

 

[cactustwirly]

Hello all,
Apologies if this is in the wrong sub forum (I went for general), from London what is the fastest way to get to a station that has pacers serving it? Also what are some scenic or unusual pacer journeys I can make before PRM phases them all out at the end of this year? Northerners here must think I'm mad but a bus on rails is simply a novelty to me. Thanks.

You've got Exeter - Barnstaple/Exmouth/Paignton which are both scenic and fun (Barnstaple line has lots of jointed track!)

There's also the Cardiff Valley lines, which are scenic

 

[telstarbox]

Is Sheffield to Manchester (the stopping service) still a Pacer route? If so it's definitely scenic.

 

[urbophile]

Hello all,
Northerners here must think I'm mad but a bus on rails is simply a novelty to me. Thanks.

Not only a bus on rails, but one of the most basic, noisy and smelly vehicles ever. I remember the bus equivalent rattling around the dual carriageways of Skelmersdale in the 1980s. Since then even our near-dysfunctional bus operators have replaced them half a dozen times, while you can still experience the joys of the Pacers sweeping as inexorably, but much less elegantly or swiftly, as wildebeeste over the West Lancashire plain. But I suppose they do have a certain curiosity value!

 

[Parallel]

Pacers regularly work between Maesteg and Cheltenham Spa via Cardiff Central. I find Caldicot - Lydney quite scenic. Cheltenham may be the closest to London they currently operate to, though I did catch one from Westbury within the last couple of years running the Friday only (FO) Westbury - Exeter St David’s train as the booked 153 was not available, so a pacer was sent ECS from Exeter to Westbury then ran back in service.

 

[bspahh]

Hello all,
Apologies if this is in the wrong sub forum (I went for general), from London what is the fastest way to get to a station that has pacers serving it? Also what are some scenic or unusual pacer journeys I can make before PRM phases them all out at the end of this year? Northerners here must think I'm mad but a bus on rails is simply a novelty to me. Thanks.

Geoff Marshall commented on this video that the closest Pacer to London is from Retford, I'm guessing on the Sheffield-Lincoln line

 

[davetheguard]

You've got Exeter - Barnstaple/Exmouth/Paignton which are both scenic and fun (Barnstaple line has lots of jointed track!)

There's also the Cardiff Valley lines, which are scenic

Actually, there isn't that much jointed track now left on the Barnstaple line; it's gradually disappearing. Get that journey in soon if you want the full Pacer experience!

 

[East74]

Not really a journey except for a one mile length of preserved line in Essex, but there is an operational Pacer, class 141 at the Colne Valley Railway near Halstead.

 

[Failed Unit]

Geoff Marshall commented on this video that the closest Pacer to London is from Retford, I'm guessing on the Sheffield-Lincoln line

Be careful with this one. Haven’t seen one in Lincoln for a while since the May timetable change. Not saying it doesn’t happen just you are safer to head to Sheffield or Doncaster for your fix.

 

[Zamracene749]

A couple of peak time Pacers per day run along the scenic Tyne valley line between Carlisle and Newcastle. Pacers work many of the Hexham to Middlesbrough services via the underrated Durham coast line, one oddity is the once daily Hexham to Danby service, this covers a good part of the scenic Esk valley line too. Another less travelled line is the Goole- Snaith Leeds service, twice per day and very rural at the east end. Finally in the north east, if you want to experience all out full throttle pacer thrash on the ECML, the 22.22 service from Newcastle to Darlington is the only NT service to work that route southbound. It'll be in the dark (although you will see glorious Durham cathedral lit up at night) but the experience is worth it. Avoid thursday and friday nights though- it can get pretty crammed with student revellers heading back to Durham!

 

[randyrippley]

most scenic?
surely Morecambe (or Lancaster) to Leeds?

 

[Bertie the bus]

Anybody who wants the full Pacer experience should travel from Leeds – Morecambe. Longish journey, plenty of jointed track, good scenery and a screech you have to hear to believe on the curve at Carnforth. Both Leeds and Lancaster are also easily accessible from London. Next best IMO would be the already suggested Sheffield – Manchester.

 

[dazzler]

Anybody who wants the full Pacer experience should travel from Leeds – Morecambe. Longish journey, plenty of jointed track, good scenery and a screech you have to hear to believe on the curve at Carnforth. Both Leeds and Lancaster are also easily accessible from London.

Do the Leeds - Lancaster line before the end of March and as a bonus you get a freezing gale howling around your legs below the seats, coming through the 2" wide gap round the doors.

 

[njamescouk]

Barnsley to Huddersfield gets the odd pacer, surprisingly picturesque up towards Huddersfield, deep valleys full of old mills, huge viaduct at Lockwood etc etc.

 

[DanTrain]

Is Sheffield to Manchester (the stopping service) still a Pacer route? If so it's definitely scenic.

Now and again, but you’ll be hard pushed to find one these days, mostly 150s.

As for nearest to London, I’d recommend either Sheffield or Leeds to be sure of finding some

 

[Iskra]

Is Sheffield to Manchester (the stopping service) still a Pacer route? If so it's definitely scenic.

Usually a 150, but 142's do appear sometimes.

most scenic?
surely Morecambe (or Lancaster) to Leeds?

This.

Barnsley to Huddersfield gets the odd pacer, surprisingly picturesque up towards Huddersfield, deep valleys full of old mills, huge viaduct at Lockwood etc etc.

Odd pacer? Sheffield-Huddersfield is as solid a 144 turn you will ever find. Sometimes a 142. But 15X are pretty rare. I did see a 158 on it one evening in November though.

Tyne Valley isn't a bad shout either.

Pacers are quite good on scenic lines as they are easy to see out of.

 

[randyrippley]

Do Pacers still get used on Leeds-Blackburn-Preston? Thats a fairly spectacular route

 

[Bertie the bus]

Scenic in parts but tediously slow. The only Pacer diagram in recent times was introduced last May and at this time of the year would be in complete darkness for the whole journey. I doubt it has survived anyway as the service is now York - Preston.

 

[Roger100]

Carlisle to Whitby on Sundays has varied scenery, if you can stand nearly 4 hours in a 142 (although it might be a 156). But there are snags - the 2N06 from Carlisle leaves Whitby as 2N21 about 20 minutes after it arrives, so don't miss it because there's only one other train from Whitby that day. Otherwise Pacers through Hartlepool do some nice squealing either side of the station, and there's a good selection of semaphore signals and signal boxes in that part of the world.

 

[Andy Pacer]

Is Sheffield to Manchester (the stopping service) still a Pacer route? If so it's definitely scenic.

As others have said it's a mix of 142 and 150, I caught the 0833 off Sheffield yesterday morning and it was 142011.

 

[Iskra]

Do Pacers still get used on Leeds-Blackburn-Preston? Thats a fairly spectacular route

Virtually always 158’s.

 

[Bletchleyite]

As others have said it's a mix of 142 and 150, I caught the 0833 off Sheffield yesterday morning and it was 142011.

The Southport line can end up with double 150s or 142s, that can be a mix too.

If you can get to Manchester and hang around for a bit you should be in with a chance, though it's harder than it was now services are split between Vic and Picc. If you go to Vic you should see one within a couple of hours, then buy a ticket to wherever it's going, or check Picc platform 1 to see if one is waiting to go to Sheffield (they sit there quite a while).

Another place you've got a fairly good chance of one is the Blackpool South-Preston-Ormskirk-Preston-Colne-Preston-Blackpool South circuit. Though that also sees 150s and 156s (and possibly double 153s if you like bogied British Leyland action), I'd expect at least one 142 to be there.

 

[Kite159]

Exmouth to Paignton has good views of the River Exe & Dawlish.

 

[RailWonderer]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions everyone, I think I'll head to Piccadilly on a pendolino, then scoot to platform 1 for the Manchester to Sheffield stopping service via Hope Valley, since it is a 1 hour ride, check Victoria also and see if there is a pacer, then return on a 185 if I've had enough pacer rattling for the day. I don't think I can stomach a 2 hour pacer from Lancaster to Leeds and anything north of that I can't do in a day trip. Cheltenham is meh, and the Welsh lines are a bit too far also.
The way I understand it, about 140 pacers exist but they are quite spread out around the north and far south west, they aren't confined to a few specific routes so no guarantees.

Carlisle to Whitby on Sundays has varied scenery, if you can stand nearly 4 hours in a 142

How can they put a pacer for a 4 hour journey? Insanity.

 

[30907]

How can they put a pacer for a 4 hour journey? Insanity.

Nobody would use it for a throughout journey!

 

[CHAPS2034]

The Southport line can end up with double 150s or 142s, that can be a mix too.

If you can get to Manchester and hang around for a bit you should be in with a chance, though it's harder than it was now services are split between Vic and Picc. If you go to Vic you should see one within a couple of hours, then buy a ticket to wherever it's going, or check Picc platform 1 to see if one is waiting to go to Sheffield (they sit there quite a while).

If you go to Manchester Victoria and don't see a Pacer within 30 minutes I would be most surprised.And some of them are on quick turn-arounds too. Probably best to get a ticket out to Salford Crescent and wait for one to go there. It's only a 5 minutes journey. It's an island platform, so you probably wouldn't have to wait long to find one going back into Victoria.

At Piccadilly as others have said the Sheffield stopper is often a 150. However there is a good chance of a Pacer on the Rose Hill Marple and New Mills Central services which usually go from Platforms 1-3

On the other side of the station the hourly Alderley Edge - Wigan and vv service through Platforms 13/14 can be any combination of units but quite often is a 142 attached to something else - even another 142 sometimes.

Have fun