Northern Pacer Diagrams - Summer 2020

[pauljclark555]

I'm planning a trip to Hope Valley next week, do we still have pacers on the Sheffield route?
If we do still have pacers, do we think this will change from 14th September when the Rose Hill service is suspended - or rather replaced by the West Coast Railways replacement service hopefully for more than the one-week trial (which will be equally worth a visit)?

 

[Rail Ranger]

I'm planning a trip to Hope Valley next week, do we still have pacers on the Sheffield route?
If we do still have pacers, do we think this will change from 14th September when the Rose Hill service is suspended - or rather replaced by the West Coast Railways replacement service hopefully for more than the one-week trial (which will be equally worth a visit)?

Pacers are supposed to be moving from the Sheffield route to the Mid Cheshire Line from 14th September.

 

[pauljclark555]

Went to Hope valley on Wednesday. Pacer from MAN to Rose Hill - followed by an unexpectedly long walk to Marple Stn! Note that the Rose Hill branch will now not be closing for 2 months (but will they continue to run pacers on it?). Despite an enjoyable lunch at Grindleford Stn cafe, no sign of any pacers going through to Sheffield, but I did catch one later in the afternoon from New Mills back to MAN

 

[peters]

Note that the Rose Hill branch will now not be closing for 2 months (but will they continue to run pacers on it?). Despite an enjoyable lunch at Grindleford Stn cafe, no sign of any pacers going through to Sheffield, but I did catch one later in the afternoon from New Mills back to MAN

Posted in another thread that the limited Rose Hill service will be primarily so that children can use the train to get to and from their schools, so bear that in mind if you only want to use the service to travel on a Pacer before they get scrapped. The first service is 07:43 from Piccadilly, it was previously said one of the Pacer+Sprinter combinations would go back to the depot after arriving at Piccadilly from Chester at 07:26. Coincidence?

 

[Andy Pacer]

Posted in another thread that the limited Rose Hill service will be primarily so that children can use the train to get to and from their schools, so bear that in mind if you only want to use the service to travel on a Pacer before they get scrapped. The first service is 07:43 from Piccadilly, it was previously said one of the Pacer+Sprinter combinations would go back to the depot after arriving at Piccadilly from Chester at 07:26. Coincidence?

Good use of the unit(s). Makes me wonder why they couldn't have offered some form of skeleton service.

 

[TheSel]

Good use of the unit(s). Makes me wonder why they couldn't have offered some form of skeleton service.

Difficulty in getting the skeletons to wear face masks?

 

[Andy Pacer]

Difficulty in getting the skeletons to wear face masks?

Haha touche!

 

[peters]

Good use of the unit(s). Makes me wonder why they couldn't have offered some form of skeleton service.

Although, given usually the train which arrives from Chester at 07:26, would go back to Chester at 07:41 and carry a number of Knutsford Academy pupils there may be well some questions about why Rose Hill needs 2 trains 20 minutes apart, while Knutsford Academy pupils are expected to get to Knutsford before 8am.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Pacers are supposed to be moving from the Sheffield route to the Mid Cheshire Line from 14th September.

Good: guarantees 4-car working (though I think everything on the Mid-Cheshire has been booked 4-car since the timetable reduction in March)

 

[peters]

Good: guarantees 4-car working (though I think everything on the Mid-Cheshire has been booked 4-car since the timetable reduction in March)

Yes and in some cases the 4 car sets have been as full as possible without people from different households sitting next to each other.

If the Pacers aren't allowed out unless attached to another unit, could that mean a cancelled service instead of a service running with just 2 cars if there's a fault? For instance, if the interior lights fail on the Sprinter and it's a service after sunset then presumably passengers can't travel on that train.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Yes and in some cases the 4 car sets have been as full as possible without people from different households sitting next to each other.

If the Pacers aren't allowed out unless attached to another unit, could that mean a cancelled service instead of a service running with just 2 cars if there's a fault? For instance, if the interior lights fail on the Sprinter and it's a service after sunset then presumably passengers can't travel on that train.

Aye that'll be the downfall. Pacer is actually quite reliable. The Lada/Trabant of the railway world

 

[peters]

Aye that'll be the downfall. Pacer is actually quite reliable. The Lada/Trabant of the railway world

I've found they can be very slow to move off in autumnal conditions and very draughty in cold weather, so maybe Pacers being reintroduced in September is not the best month for them to return.

 

[Andy Pacer]

If the Pacers aren't allowed out unless attached to another unit, could that mean a cancelled service instead of a service running with just 2 cars if there's a fault? For instance, if the interior lights fail on the Sprinter and it's a service after sunset then presumably passengers can't travel on that train.

One would have to assume to which is a shame.

 

[warwickshire]

142094 is in service on the kirkby diagram today. 142078 should return afternoon hope valley after fuel at longsight and 142090 on the rose Hill However 142018 and 142070 didn't go to newton Heath they are both at adwick Depot.

 

[Andy Pacer]

Sorry if this has been asked already, but are any of these Pacers diagrammed on Saturdays?

 

[SteveyBee131]

If all goes well they're Monday to Saturday diagrams. Don't forget they change tomorrow though.

 

[Andy Pacer]

If all goes well they're Monday to Saturday diagrams. Don't forget they change tomorrow though.

Yes I realised that, but thanks anyway! May head out next Saturday on a GM ticket

 

[peters]

Just a reminder there is a separate thread for the Pacer diagrams from 14 September: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/northern-rail-142-from-september-the-14th.

 

[Andy Pacer]

Just a reminder there is a separate thread for the Pacer diagrams from 14 September: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/northern-rail-142-from-september-the-14th.

Excellent I'll take a look. Thanks.

 

[ed1971]

Just a reminder there is a separate thread for the Pacer diagrams from 14 September: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/northern-rail-142-from-september-the-14th.

The link does not seem to be work.

 

[Andy Pacer]

The link does not seem to be work.

Northern Pacer Diagrams - Summer 2020

Moderator note: Split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/northern-pacer-withdrawals-info.166981 i've been sent this by a friend on discord, which shows the 142 diagrams he's managed to find using known ECS movements. https://pastebin.com/CgkjMBk5 1. 5S01 Stockport Car MD to New...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[ed1971]

On Monday 14th September, Thursday 17th September and today, Saturday 12th September, I observed that all 3 Manchester Victoria to Kirkby diagrams had class 142s on them.