Pacers on Long Distance Routes

[Elybob]

I've heard stories of Pacers formerly operating on very long routes - Carlisle to Preston via Barrow, Manchester to Maesteg

Just wondering if anyone ever did these journeys for their full duration? And if so, how did your knees fare?

 

[humbersidejim]

I’d had a number of rides from Lancaster - Leeds via the Bentham Line on a 144.

A bit bouncy and noisy, but pleasant in the daytime with the lovely views out of their large windows. I generally preferred the experience to a cramped 150.

Generally speaking, I found any journey over an hour a bit wearing on a Pacer. The noise and vibration from the lack of bogies really grated after a while.

 

[ScottGallagher]

Millom to Lancaster many times, didn't mind at all, those has the original seats as well.

 

[Mat17]

Depends on the pacer and the refurb it had (or not as the case may be).

Merseyrail Pacers, anything over 5 minutes duration was torture.

 

[Whistler40145]

Leeds to Blackpool North on a Sunday, before the luxury of 158s

 

[Ash Bridge]

I’ve done Barrow to Manchester on a 142 during the late 80s, I do remember though that the ride quality on the west coast main section from Carnforth to Leyland was quite acceptable and the thing went like a rocket, the bad points were the seats (original) and the very high noise level. Also travelled on a 142 worked Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno via Knutsford service, fortunately only as far as Chester!

 

[LowLevel]

The bus seated ones were alright if you had room to spread a bit, same as the Eastern ones.

The Merseytravel ones were awful. I remember route learning Manchester to Sheffield via Bredbury on one and luckily I had a spread of 3 seats to myself as I literally had to sit sideways.

 

[yorksrob]

I've done Leeds to Lancaster on a Merseyrail 142.

To make things worse, the toilet was out of use and it was full of festival returnees.

 

[SeanG]

Hull to Holyhead was known to get pacers in their early years.

I think that there used to be a Whitby - Whitehaven which was a pacer

 

[Whistler40145]

Hull to Holyhead on a Pacer sounds like sheer hell

 

[D6130]

Leeds-Carlisle and return - 113 miles each way - back in the days (late '90s/early noughties) when most of the S&C was still worn-out 1940s/1950s jointed track. They were usually coupled to a 156 for Summer seasonal strengthening....but every now and then we would be presented with a single 142/144, or a pair of them.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Stockport to Navigation Road was quite far enough!

 

[Spartacus]

In Northern Spirit days there was a Leeds - Lincoln via Huddersfield all stations that was regularly a Merseyrail 142! A 'mere' 102 miles but with seats that belonged in a primary school, and leg room to match, and much of the journey on jointed track, it must have been a nightmare. It wouldn't surprise me if someone did it throughout though.
A curiosity was there were that many stops it could potentially leave Leeds before they were all announced. I'm certain it would be at more stations if there were modern announcements.

 

[Taunton]

Just wondering if anyone ever did these journeys for their full duration? And if so, how did your knees fare?

This is normally nothing to do with the mechanical capabilities, but just that the interior designer has squeezed the seats up too much, to pack too many seats in.

Just the same has been done on the new SWR Class 701, so it's not a feature of the rolling stock per se

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I've heard stories of Pacers formerly operating on very long routes - Carlisle to Preston via Barrow, Manchester to Maesteg

Just wondering if anyone ever did these journeys for their full duration? And if so, how did your knees fare?

Sounds like hell to me. No way would I ever do that. My longest was Preston to Man Picc

 

[Iskra]

I’ve done Cleethorpes-Sheffield, Carlisle-Leeds, Lancaster-Leeds, Newcastle-Carlisle, Sheffield-Huddersfield, Leeds-Sheffield, Chester-Manchester, Manchester-Sheffield.

I’d rather a pacer than a 150, as least pacers had decent views and personally I wouldn’t have minded the 144’s staying in service on commuter routes- better a 3-car 144 than a 2-car 150.

The most painful (literally) journey I’ve ever done in the UK was Carlisle-Carnforth on a 153.

 

[Mat17]

In Northern Spirit days there was a Leeds - Lincoln via Huddersfield all stations that was regularly a Merseyrail 142! A 'mere' 102 miles but with seats that belonged in a primary school, and leg room to match, and much of the journey on jointed track, it must have been a nightmare. It wouldn't surprise me if someone did it throughout though.

I did the Leeds-Sheffield section of that route, thankfully on a 144 though. I NEVER would have done it on a Merseyrail 142, I'd gone for a different service.

 

[HullRailMan]

In the last couple of years of Arriva Northern pacers made scarily regular appearances on Bridlington - Sheffield runs. I once did it on a Merseyrail example - 2.5 hours of sheer hell.

 

[308165]

Leeds-Carlisle and return - 113 miles each way - back in the days (late '90s/early noughties) when most of the S&C was still worn-out 1940s/1950s jointed track. They were usually coupled to a 156 for Summer seasonal strengthening....but every now and then we would be presented with a single 142/144, or a pair of them.

I remember arriving at Carlisle from Glasgow at some point in the mid 90s to find a pair of three car 144s for the onward trip to Skipton.

 

[dazzler]

As far as long distances on a Pacer are concerned, I have done: Lancaster-Leeds via Bentham (Cl. 144), Liverpool Lime Street-York (Cl. 142) and Huddersfield-Prestatyn and back (Cl. 142).
I think the worst one as far as the riding characteristics went was the Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Victoria section across Chat Moss. That is the closest I have ever come to being seasick!

 

[D6130]

I remember arriving at Carlisle from Glasgow at some point in the mid 90s to find a pair of three car 144s for the onward trip to Skipton.

At least you had a good view of the scenery....or was it raining?

 

[Lemmy282]

Did the journey from Leeds to Morecambe on a 142 on the Bentham Line which was jointed track. Made the mistake of sitting over the rear wheel set in the first coach, unbelievably rough ride. The train was full, so I couldn't move to a different seat, and the jarring did nothing for my back!
I made sure I was sitting in the middle of the carriage for the return journey.

 

[D6130]

Did the journey from Leeds to Morecambe on a 142 on the Bentham Line which was jointed track. Made the mistake of sitting over the rear wheel set in the first coach, unbelievably rough ride. The train was full, so I couldn't move to a different seat, and the jarring did nothing for my back!
I made sure I was sitting in the middle of the carriage for the return journey.

Driving those contraptions on the Bentham line did for my back....to the extent that I had to take ill-health early retirement at the age of 55. I still have major back problems and always will have.

 

[philjo]

I have had several rides Leeds-Lancaster or vv. via Bentham which as mentioned above was lively on the jointed track sections, and the squeal on the sharp curve at Carnforth!

I remember a journey in mid-1990s of a service from Scarborough direct to Sheffield via York & Sherburn in Elmet which was also lively on some of the higher speed sections.

 

[Thornaby 37]

Stockport to Navigation Road was quite far enough!

Altrincham to Navigation Road was far enough for me

 

[Lemmy282]

On my trip to Morecambe mentioned above I did the one train each way trip to Heysham. Now there was some flange squeal!!

 

[John C]

I travelled on 142088 from Carlisle to Shipley over the S&C back in 2018 when it was drafted in to cover a Leeds service due to disruption at the Yorkshire end of the line earlier that day. https://www.flickr.com/photos/railphotosonline/46358001762/

 

[Bletchleyite]

I've done Carlisle to Barrow on one. Was quite good to be honest, I sat in the side facing seat by the door, which meant effectively infinite legroom and a lovely picture view of the coast through the massive windows.

 

[Trackman]

I've done Carlisle to Barrow on one. Was quite good to be honest, I sat in the side facing seat by the door, which meant effectively infinite legroom and a lovely picture view of the coast through the massive windows.

Yes, great seats. , I'm sure they put those seats 'out of service' or whatever.. basically you couldn't pull the bench down, even though it was tempting you to do so. Might have been a rogue unit I've stumbled across.

I've heard stories of Pacers formerly operating on very long routes - Carlisle to Preston via Barrow, Manchester to Maesteg

Just wondering if anyone ever did these journeys for their full duration? And if so, how did your knees fare?

I did Manchester to Preston when they first came out before modifications. Never mind your knees, it was your teeth and back.
It became a fun thing after a while whilst going over points, the whole train would bang against the undercarriage, well axles or whatever with a very loud metallic hard 'thud', that you felt.

Makes me think of another story, when North Western trains did a service to Euston, someone said to me 'I'm not spending 5 hours on a pacer to Euston!'

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yes, great seats. , I'm sure they put those seats 'out of service' or whatever.. basically you couldn't pull the bench down, even though it was tempting you to do so. Might have been a rogue unit I've stumbled across.

If you raised them for a bike they locked in the up position. There were clips on both sides, push them and it'd come back down.