TfW says goodbye to last Pacer trains
Transport for Wales has said goodbye to the last Pacer trains after more than 30 years of service, marking the end of an era for Britain’s railways.
The final Class 143 trains - 143601 and 143609 - ran their last services on the South Wales valleys network on Saturday 29 May, having operated the equivalent of over five trips to the Moon and back during their working lives.
The Pacers have now been replaced by larger, more modern trains with better accessibility. TfW is also pressing ahead with building brand new trains for the Wales and Borders network and the South Wales Metro, which will begin to enter service in 2022.
TfW began withdrawing its Pacers back in December 2020. However, not all of them are heading for the scrapyard. One Pacer has already been donated to the Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway in Carmarthenshire, and several more will be donated to heritage railways and community projects over the coming weeks.