Can we expect pictures of it being broken up, since it is kind of a historic moment. And also will you be selling any bits taken off it to the 'general public' such as spotters like me?
Many thanks for the response!
Just a thought - it would be really interesting to read a review of how the process works with an emphasis on how much is eventually recycled. With all the focus on sustainability these days, together with the undoubted public interest in the withdrawal of Pacers, it might be a good PR exercise too for all involved to demonstrate that the units don't just end up in a big hole in the ground (although there are probably many passengers who might be quite happy with that ending!) Would it be worth reaching out to one of the railway magazines (Rail would probably be the most suitable), to see whether they are interested?
As much as I don't like Pacers, I think Northern should have at least got some sort of permit to keep enough of them running until the issues with the CAF stock have been resolved
There were three vehicles offered for that project and they were all from class 144, not 142. Suggestions are currently being reviewed and the vehicles will be donated sometime during early 2020:
Northern have a derogation in place to operate class 142 and 144 units into 2020, and it's already been confirmed earlier this week that there'll be more 142s still with Northern in early 2020 than they'd hoped.
05/12/2019 in Network
The scrapping of Pacers has begun, with Northern 142005 moved by road to C F Booth’s at Rotherham for disposal. This was a two-day operation (December 3-4).
The ‘142’ was the first to be stood down by the operator, in August. Since then 18 classmates have been taken from traffic as CAF Class 195 diesel units replace them.
On December 3, Northern confirmed that 55 Class 142s would be withdrawn by the end of the year, a figure lower than intended.
When Arriva took over the franchise in 2016, it declared it would rid itself of 102 Class 14x Pacers by the end of the decade. However, delays to the introduction of new trains, combined with delays to electrification, means that 23 Class 144s and 11 Class 142s will be retained. A further 12 Class 142s are to be kept in ‘warm storage’.
On December 3, Northern confirmed that the handback of Angel Trains Class 142s had begun, with nine moving to Worksop over three days, for temporary storage. The first three officially handed back were 142016/022/025. These were followed by 142037/052/064/088/093/096. All had been in warm storage at Heaton.
- For the FULL story, read RAIL 894, published December 18, and available digitally on Android, iPad and Kindle from December 14
Services would have been cut in frequency for sure, and it would have been harder to reverse those cuts without the Pacers... but outright closure would have been a step too far even then, I believe. The Bradford Forster Square axis may well have gone, along with Forster Square itself.
Todays Heaton to Worksop pacer train cancelled as was Mondays.
Northern don't pay for anything. These units are off lease, and are therefore being moved on behalf of Angel Trains, and are being operated by Freightliner. Unused paths are ten a penny.
