Ultimate pacer ride for charity

[Zoe]

I'll send out a few feelers but to tell you the truth, I'm not expecting much! Perhaps if you could get the publicity sorted beforehand, they would jump at the chance! Besides, for a company like Northern, it wouldn't cost that much to send one of their 142's a thousand or so miles in terms of national publicity generated. The sticking block would be the people to drive the thing as far as I'm concerned

It was a typing error, I wasn't suggesting doing any publicty or even having direct involvement myself. I typed the word "I" by mistake when I should have typed the word "it" in the first post.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Anyone though about H&S on this? Mind you, wear a high vis vest and you should be OK.

 

[strange6]

Anyone though about H&S on this? Mind you, wear a high vis vest and you should be OK.

Providing you had a qualified traincrew on board at all times, you would just be normal passengers so I couldn't see that being a problem

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Providing you had a qualified traincrew on board at all times, you would just be normal passengers so I couldn't see that being a problem

Maybe more the nature of being onboard with refuelling/rewatering etc taking place, and the duration of time the Pacer would be working.

 

[junglejames]

Whilst nowhere near as good publicity wise, wouldnt it be a lot easier if you just tried something like Scotland to London on a Pacer? Admittedly not as spectacular, but if you can still get the money for charity, it could be an easier task.

If doing Wick/ Thurso to Penzance though, then im with Zoe that it should be part of a John O Groats to Lands End journey.

To be honest though, I just cant see it. Knowing how NR time charter trains, and with it being a 75mph pacer, Wick to Penzance will take absolutely ages.

 

[Blindtraveler]

My suggestion for a fitter as one of the crew was to help with problems related to health and safety, breakdowns etc. . I think that even if we were to de-train for fueling then as long as we didnt leav the station boundries i.e. The carpark (for those of you that like a puff) then the attempt would stil be valid. One end of the rail network to the other, on the same unit and remaining observed on rail stations called at for the purposes of servicing the unit.

 

[Anon Mouse]

London Kings Cross to Edinburgh would be interesting

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Paths though, on the ECML, WCML and many others you'd be loooped every single time. I doubt you'd get it done in 24 hours!

 

[Blindtraveler]

needs really to be the whole way, end to end. Been workin it out and i reccon incl refuling etc it would take around 27 hours. Dont ask me how i drew this, il never be able to explain!

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Maybe a stock change could be done en-route from a 142 to a FGW 143 or something, just so NT don't have to get a 142 all the way back from Penzance (and might be easier to send from Newton Heath to Wick rather than Exeter depot to Wick!)

It would have to start at Wick at night time at silly O' clock just so there is a path free (Just like the SRPS tours do running overnight to Wick)
Would need Pilots as already mentioned (many tours use pilots anyway to guide drivers on unfamiliar routes) but after Cheltenham/Bristol it should really be a problem, but I don't know if any drivers still sign Penzance on 143s (after all, a 143 did make it from Cardiff - Penzance, 143621 I think?)

 

[34002salisbury]

i think to make it better it would just ahve to be one train. If this did ever happen does anyone have a charity in mind. I have one but i'll let you guys start up a list

 

[strange6]

i think to make it better it would just ahve to be one train. If this did ever happen does anyone have a charity in mind. I have one but i'll let you guys start up a list

BBC Children in Need. You would get good national TV exposure as well as local exposure too!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

The only route I can think of for this is:
Wick (you may be talking 0400/0500 in order to get a path)-Inverness-Elgin-Aberdeen-Dundee-Perth-Cumbernauld-Wishaw-Carstairs-Carlisle (then in all honesty I would have to say Cumbrian Coast or S&C, I doubt you could do it via Shap)-Preston-Warrington-Wolves. Then the fun starts. Can you get a path through Birmingham. It would deffo have to go via Camp Hill, maybe through Walsall and Sutton Park-Temple Meads-Exeter-Plymouth-Penzance, though long strectches of SLW in the Highlands and pathing in the North West/West Midlands could snnoker you.

 

[Ivo]

The only route I can think of for this is:
Wick (you may be talking 0400/0500 in order to get a path)-Inverness-Elgin-Aberdeen-Dundee-Perth-Cumbernauld-Wishaw-Carstairs-Carlisle (then in all honesty I would have to say Cumbrian Coast or S&C, I doubt you could do it via Shap)-Preston-Warrington-Wolves. Then the fun starts. Can you get a path through Birmingham. It would deffo have to go via Camp Hill, maybe through Walsall and Sutton Park-Temple Meads-Exeter-Plymouth-Penzance, though long strectches of SLW in the Highlands and pathing in the North West/West Midlands could snnoker you.

Mainly to avoid pathing issues, and to make for a more scenic route, I was thinking the following (lifted directly from Page 1, barring Wick):

Wick - Inverness - Aviemore - Perth - Stirling - Cumbernauld - Carlisle - Settle - Hellifield - Preston - Warrington BQ - Chester - Shrewsbury - Hereford - Newport - Bristol TM - Taunton - Exeter SD - Plymouth - Penzance

It also means that many of you will be able to experience a Pacer in a lengthy tunnel for the first time!

I would suggest doing this for Children in Need, but for the route to work best it would need to be undertaken during the summer. This is because paths are limited north of Perth (both ways), and unless we go at night we will struggle. But what is the point of going at night if it is pitch black? Thus, by going in June, it would be much clearer, even if we left at 04:00. Thus, unless (very) delayed coverage would work, this idea would fall flat.

I'm sure paths could be found for this. This route avoids the sections that are likely to cause problems (Shap and Birmingham especially).

Or, alternatively, we could revise the route between Preston and Chester, and divert via Ormskirk. It would require the removal of the buffers [assuming there are some there], but otherwise this section could be the overnight part, and there could be a media stop at Liverpool Central (by which I mean the media hop on board and talk to us for a while; it would also make an ideal rest stop if Merseytravel agree); we could then use the Halton Curve and resume the above route at Chester. This idea would avoid the WCML through Wigan and Warrington, whilst also making for a good opportunity for a "pit stop".

 

[Minilad]

Are pacers even cleared for all the sections you want to run ?
I don't want to sound like a killjoy or anything because I think it would be a bit of a giggle but there would be just too many obstacles to overcome, and some I think would just be way to much.
But I would volunteer to crew it either as a route conductor or driving with a traction conductor if it went over my patch !!

 

[34002salisbury]

so how much would it cost to accualy hire out a 142/3/4 and get the paths?

 

[strange6]

Are pacers even cleared for all the sections you want to run ?
I don't want to sound like a killjoy or anything because I think it would be a bit of a giggle but there would be just too many obstacles to overcome, and some I think would just be way to much.
But I would volunteer to crew it either as a route conductor or driving with a traction conductor if it went over my patch !!

Jolly good of you! have you signed for a 142/143?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

so how much would it cost to accualy hire out a 142/3/4 and get the paths?

Nothing hopefully!

 

[HST Power]

Nothing hopefully!

Really? How much did you bribe them?

 

[strange6]

Really? How much did you bribe them?

Well, considering it would be for charity (BBC Children in need hopefully) I would be appealing to their better nature! Afterall, the total cost would be a drop in the ocean compared to their turnover AND they would be getting good publicity!

 

[HST Power]

Do you have any idea about when it might take place? Depending on work, there's a possibility I could do it.

 

[strange6]

Do you have any idea about when it might take place? Depending on work, there's a possibility I could do it.

Next year at the earliest. Much too late for this year! I'll give it a good go though

 

[HST Power]

Excellent! Keep us all posted!

 

[strange6]

Excellent! Keep us all posted!

Will do! The first thing is to get the opinions of the people at the top! i.e would it be viable? I'm certain that if we could arrange something then we would get no shortage of volunteers from railUKforums.co.uk. I'm sure some of the mods and admins would volunteer

 

[142094]

I'd volunteer to sit in the cab

 

[strange6]

I'd volunteer to sit in the cab

Usual railway rules would apply!

 

[HST Power]

That's a shame. Even being a Pacer, I wouldn't mind a drive myself!

 

[gedj2]

well, I've recently applied for a carriage cleaning job, if I got it I'd gladly do the cleaning on route

 

[strange6]

That's a shame. Even being a Pacer, I wouldn't mind a drive myself!

I know what you mean but there's always Open BVE you know! Very realistic!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

well, I've recently applied for a carriage cleaning job, if I got it I'd gladly do the cleaning on route

You would be more than welcome to be one of the many who would suffer by sitting on their bums for over 24 hours!

 

[Ivo]

You would be more than welcome to be one of the many who would suffer by sitting on their bums for over 24 hours!

First off, at no point did you say we would have to sit the whole time. I would be expecting all kinds of things happening, with people moving up and down constantly (and not just to access the toilet!), with games like Monopoly available as well (that would be an interesting game to play on a bouncy Pacer...!). And I would suggest that the rear cab door is jammed open, so that people can look out the back.

Anyway, you've already had two offers of help for this; don't we [blindtraveler and I] get a place in the group? There's no need to start appealing to celebrities, because otherwise (a) it'll just become a media fest and nothing else and (b) none of us will get a look in!

 

[HST Power]

I know what you mean but there's always Open BVE you know! Very realistic!

I've got RailWorks 2, which satisfies my needs to drive trains very well!
And I still play TRS2004!!