dangerousdids2
Member
All the heritage railways I've ever been to rotate the stock throughout the day so your never gonna just ride pacers all day.
My best memory was a 75mph non stop run from York to Scarborough round those bends, back when you could still look out of the front.They are a notable part of the railway history in the UK. Not every type unfortunately has happy memories for the public, but preservation shouldn't just be for types people liked. That said, I think any heritage railway thinking a pacer is a major draw will be disappointed.
I think though one could make an excellent exhibition piece if joined with a bus to demonstrate their origins and they are more interesting as a technical history than a positive memory one
Something like this, you mean?:I think though one could make an excellent exhibition piece if joined with a bus to demonstrate their origins and they are more interesting as a technical history than a positive memory one
That was at Brighton 150 about 30 years ago. It's on a Daimler Fleetline chassis.
Or even better, at somewhere like GCR(N) you cold have a ride on a Pacer and then a Leyland National!They are a notable part of the railway history in the UK. Not every type unfortunately has happy memories for the public, but preservation shouldn't just be for types people liked. That said, I think any heritage railway thinking a pacer is a major draw will be disappointed.
I think though one could make an excellent exhibition piece if joined with a bus to demonstrate their origins and they are more interesting as a technical history than a positive memory one
I think I already travelled on a preserved Turbostar hired by EMR...I wonder if turbostars will ever get much interest for preservation when they finally go?
The Turbostar and Electrostar have been a major if relatively unexciting part of UK railway history with the latter enabling a lot of the transition from slam door stock. So yes, undoubtedly some will be preservedI wonder if turbostars will ever get much interest for preservation when they finally go?
The demand for the SVR is too high for them to be able to run a pacer (unless doubled up and on midweek services only), I spoke to a SVR volunteer about Pacers a few weeks ago and they said it is highly unlikely they would get one.I've pondered this for a while, and with the SVR being my local heritage line that's what I'm using for my consideration here.
Pacers have been a part of my enthusiast time since the beginning, so they have a bit of a special place in my heart for that reason. They're not my favourite class though, so I'd not rush to travel on the SVR aboard a Pacer. Assuming I was there and one was on the next service, I'd definitely be interested enough to travel the line on one. It's a scenic line, and that's what I'd be interested in. The Pacer would just be the train that got me from A to B.
Would I use a heritage line that only ran Pacers? Maybe, but to be fair I don't do many heritage lines anyway. I actually can't remember the last one I did right now, it's been a while. I don't have any journeys on one listed in the last couple of years, so perhaps I'm not the most qualified to respond to this thread. I'd enjoy the nostalgia, to some extent, but I don't know. I did that London Midland 150 farewell tour in 2011, that took on the SVR and it was quite a novelty travelling the length of the SVR on a pair of 150s. If we were discussing Sprinters on heritage railways, I'd absolutely weigh in!
It retired from Northern but was an original Western Region Skipper.The 142 at the Plym Valley looked as though it could've been in service with Northern
007 looks even better in the later RR GMPTE livery.142003 looks absolutely fantastic in the old GMPTE Orange Livery
There’s no escaping the pacers! It’s pretty much railbus weekend at KWVR because as well as the 143 and 144 they also have a little dinky rail bus running in the morning! They are also running a steam service and a 101. I’m planning to go down there tomorrow!Anyone wishing to avoid the Pacers at the KWVR tomorrow can hop across the Pennines to the ELR...
...where a Pacer is in service!
Looking on the webcam at Haworth there seems to be a decent turnout for the pair of Pacers.
Goodness knows why!
Can you imagine the reaction of the public if it was a steam gala but the steam loco broke down so they replaced it with a pacer…?Do heritage railways advertise before hand that it will be a pacer running? If so, people can just do something else if not interested.
For starters the many branchlines of Devon and Cornwall, the Severn Beach Line in Bristol, the Esk Valley Line, Skipton to Morecambe, the Harrogate Line, the Penistone Line, the Pontefract Line, half of the Calder Valley Line and the South Fylde Line (Preston to Blackpool South) to name a few.Which branch lines did the Pacers save?
There’s no concrete evidence for any of that though is there, just assumption.For starters the many branchlines of Devon and Cornwall, the Severn Beach Line in Bristol, the Esk Valley Line, Skipton to Morecambe, the Harrogate Line, the Penistone Line, the Pontefract Line, half of the Calder Valley Line and the South Fylde Line (Preston to Blackpool South) to name a few.
The Pacer units are ideal for heritage railways as it does give the preserved line a lot of flexiblity over when they can run the steamers, as some lines may wish to run the steamers on Santa Specials, Halloween, Easter and maybe real ale/fish & chip specials with other diesels filling in for the rest of the time. This is important as the cost of fabricating new parts will cost a fair bit for something built in 1890 or 1923, where as something built in 1987 can simply be pressed into service to keep the revenue rolling in which in turn will keep the line open. This also allows heritage railways to create new events such as diesel galas - why limit yourself to a class 37 when you can add in a Pacer or two.
Then there is the next generation to cater for as well, the two 30 somethings who travelled on them when at "yoonee" could take their offspring to sample travelling on one.
No, it's 007. They were bought by LSL together, and its been repainted at Eastleigh. If I remember correctly, it was linked in the 'Locomotive Services Fleet (LSL) updates.' thread.Do you mean 142011? Couldn't find a pic of 007. If it is, it does look fantastic.
I’m 33, I’ve done plenty of Northern pacer journeys, I wouldn’t take anyone to any heritage railway where a pacer was the primary rolling stock. Fair enough if it was operating a second service, but I’d choose a different railway rather than go to one only running a pacer