Whether its 323s or 331s your getting a better deal than the trains they both replace
Whether its 323s or 331s your getting a better deal than the trains they both replace
Only if Northern actually put them out as double sets.
Which they will do soOnly if Northern actually put them out as double sets.
Only if Northern actually put them out as double sets.
Which they will do so
Because there aren't enough diesels to cover for electric shortages, as the units used are often pulled from another diagram which has two units as that is all that there is - in the case of Liverpool services it's the Cheshire lines that suffer when an electric goes - so it's 'better' to have two services running short rather than cancelling one.Northern isn't comfortable with short-forming, why doesn't it substitute four-car DMU sets, rather than two-car, when necessary?
If Northern isn't comfortable with short-forming, why doesn't it substitute four-car DMU sets, rather than two-car, when necessary?
Because there aren't enough diesels to cover for electric shortages
The Pacers were intended to be replaced directly or indirectly by a cocktail of new 195s, cascaded 150s and some electrification (which would also increase overall capacity). The electrification isn't happening so they're getting 769s instead, but both those and the 195s are running late. The first 195s are now in service but it was said a couple of weeks ago that some Pacers will continue beyond the original December deadline.That answer was predictable enough, but here's the next question. If Northern hasn't enough DMUs to cover for EMU shortages (or, for that matter, DMU shortages), how come it's withdrawing Pacers? Is no train at all better than a Pacer?
Maybe someone has been doing some forward thinking. The cascades aren't due until 2021If electrification had been completed as intended (Lostock - Wigan, Windermere and Vic - Stalybridge) there would have been more than enough work for the extra emus.
The Pacers aren't compliant with disability regulations after the end of this year, and there is additional public and political pressure to remove them from service when Northern have publicly promised, on several occasions, their withdrawal by the end of the year.That doesn't explain why Pacers are being withdrawn before their replacements are available.
The pacers being the class 144The Pacers were intended to be replaced directly or indirectly by a cocktail of new 195s, cascaded 150s and some electrification (which would also increase overall capacity). The electrification isn't happening so they're getting 769s instead, but both those and the 195s are running late. The first 195s are now in service but it was said a couple of weeks ago that some Pacers will continue beyond the original December deadline.
That doesn't explain why Pacers are being withdrawn before their replacements are available.
The Pacers aren't compliant with disability regulations after the end of this year, and there is additional public and political pressure to remove them from service when Northern have publicly promised, on several occasions, their withdrawal by the end of the year.
At this late stage I assume that Northern are fairly keen to be seen to be doing something about the Pacers before the year is out, and as an additional incentive probably don't want to be paying leasing costs on them any longer than they have to, now that the new trains are belatedly entering service (Though I'm unsure if any 142s have been returned to Angel Trains yet?).
The pacers being the class 144
As it stands only one has been withdrawn so far, if anything it was a publicity move to confirm that the pacers are going.That doesn't explain why Pacers are being withdrawn before their replacements are available.
The plan is that the 142s will still be gone by the end of 31st December, with 86 195/331 units in service by then - there is a considerable ramp up of the new units coming into service planned - 5 diagrams next week, with 21/10 & 11/11 & 15/12 being major dates in the introduction calendar.I think it's beginning to be accepted that some 142s will continue beyond the deadline, too.
Having travelled on 323s 4 times this week (Stoke return and Sandbach return) I can confirm that they are in need of a refit. Seats are ok but looking dated, and sometimes the windows don't close properly. However they are a massive improvement over 319s!
234 at Wolverton...
Should leave 234 like this, loved that livery.
Should leave 234 like this, loved that livery.
The later "template" PTE liveries (both GM and West Midlands) were dull IMO, especially as they were designed in the bright and vivid decade that was the 90s. I'd have liked to see a 323 in a variation of the orange and brown GMPTE colours though.
At least we already know what to expect with the northern refurbishment. I would say the seat covers are at least far from dullAgreed!
Dull?! Centro was bright green and yellow, it was anything but dull!