-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Pacers As Crowd Busters?
- Thread starter RichmondCommu
- Start date
- Status
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
tbtc
Veteran Member
I think that 153s would be an easier "fix" for the kind of services that the OP is talking about - being able to quickly add capacity to services operated by other DMUs whilst having corridor connections to enable passengers to access the universal toilet (etc) in the other coaches of the service.
Given the 2020 deadline for accessibility, I know that you don't need to make every coach/toilet accessible to all (as long as the train is accessible) but I don't know whether having a separate non-compliant DMU coupled to the "compliant" train would be okay or not.
At least with a 153+156 combination, you can move through the train to access the "accessible" toilet, but obviously that's not going to be an option with a Pacer (given the lack of corridor connection).
If it wasn't for the looming accessibility laws, I'd be in favour of keeping some spare stock sat around, but it's not going to be as straightforward as the BR days of being able to keep Mk1s sat in sidings for fifty weeks of the year just to dust them down for the summer excursions. Can't get away with that kind of thing now - things are more complicated.
Bit of a non-starter... from the perspective of someone who needs an accessible toilet, a Mk3 gangway is no different than none at all.
Paul180
Member
I could think of somewhere warm to put them, but it wouldn't be storage
Yes so can I. You can use then to replace the Strategic Steam Reserve hidden off the secret siding in Box Tunnel
RichmondCommu
Established Member
Yes so can I. You can use then to replace the Strategic Steam Reserve hidden off the secret siding in Box Tunnel
That doesn't actually exist. Sorry and all that.
RichmondCommu
Established Member
That's a fair point and it will be interesting to see what happens to the seven? Anglia class 153s when they are no longer wanted.
RichmondCommu
Established Member
I remember seeing rows of those at Edge Hill in the late 1970s. Of course the issue with that was you also needed spare locos.
RichmondCommu
Established Member
Who, your children, or the brothers?
At times the three children and the Chuckle Brothers.
RichmondCommu
Established Member
Part of my point was with more EMU's being introduced to the north west there might be some spare capacity at Newton Heath for the storage of up to a dozen units.
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
Another problem with keeping a handful of 144s for occasional crowd-busters is that if they've been sat for 5 months in a siding between uses, will crews have retained competency on them?
RichmondCommu
Established Member
Well that's a good point. I guess you would have to try and use them on once a week services such as Stockport to Stalybridge to try and keep up driver knowledge.
Yes so can I. You can use then to replace the Strategic Steam Reserve hidden off the secret siding in Box Tunnel
Yeah, it's in the Woodhead Tunnels.
RichmondCommu
Established Member
Nope I'm afraid they're just full of power lines.
cjmillsnun
Established Member
- Joined
- 13 Feb 2011
- Messages
- 3,275
To be fair, all but 6 442s have found work. It is likely the others will be stripped for spares and the coaches or would be pressed into service with the others, as no one is going to want a fleet of 6 units on their own.
northwichcat
Veteran Member
Although only one depot would retain knowledge.
RichmondCommu
Established Member
That's true but at least that would be start as it would perhaps cover the Hope Valley and Blackpool South. They could also perhaps be used to strengthen services at Christmas in the Manchester area.
RichmondCommu
Established Member
Perhaps they could if they can operate in tandem with other units.
If you kept them for strengthening, you would probably have good use for them during the summer months to the resorts, and strengthening services into the Cities during the run up to Christmas.
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
Actually something in that idea , provided the hire cost is a bit more than scrap value.
As they will be beyond fleet service, perhaps their ownership could be passed to the TOC for a token sum, as with the Lymington CIG's
Yes so can I. You can use then to replace the Strategic Steam Reserve hidden off the secret siding in Box Tunnel
No, the other ones.
RichmondCommu
Established Member
No, the other ones.
Ah the original ones. The ones that were full of power lines until the state of the tunnels started to deteriorate. Hmm maybe there are no trains in there either.
Of course, if you were someone who had a reason to know that it does exist that's exactly what we would expect you to say....
RichmondCommu
Established Member
Common sense tells us that it doesn't exist.
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
Some of the ex Kent Coast 4CIGS were leased to SWT for about a £1 a week or so , for a while. God that must have hurt !!!!
When has common sense ever played a role in Governmental policy? If it did we wouldn't be having this discussion as the Pacer fleet would've been replaced in the early 1990s.
I'd happily lease a 4 CIG for a pound a week (if I could lease a siding for the same amount to keep it in !)
RichmondCommu
Established Member
Well it was common sense to make the most of every single asset on the railway. Pacers are generally very unpopular but people still travel on them.
- Status