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It is amazing how quickly time flies. I remember seeing a 142 for the first time whilst travelling on a first generation DMU to Southport in the summer of 1986. At Burscough bridge one passed on the bridge above the Southport line on it's was from Preston to Ormskirk. It was in the Provincial...

I have looked at several old fleetbooks that I have from the 1980s and 1990s. I can only ascertain that 142001 - 50 were built in 1985 and 142051 - 96 between 1986 and 1987. It is difficult to know the exact year that many of the 142051 - 96 batch were built in.

142001 - 50; 1985. 142051 - 96; 1986 - 87.

Have Northern's remaining four 142s been laid up due, to the reduced timetable owing to the Corona Virus?

Newton Heath's 142027 was running in 1996 still in chocolate and cream with yellow new doors. Were there problems with the original doors on 144s as they were replaced too?

I am pleased to hear that 142001 and 142004 are going to be repainted into GMPTE orange livery. However, it won't be 100% authentic, as I believe that these two units had been repainted into the new GMPTE livery before having the new two leaf doors. The repainting of 142s in the mid 1990s was...

The Class 144s entered service in the WYPTE red and cream livery, (only the Class 141s carried the green and cream). Around 1994, four Class 144s were repainted in RR livery (I can't remember which units they were but may have been 144011-14). Later on, they all received the later red and cream...

The same group of scientists in Queensland were on BBC News earlier in the week saying that they also are developing a vaccine. It needs further testing and approval, but being very optimistic, they could have it ready in June. I have felt for a number of weeks that people are not taking...

It needs further testing, but researchers in Queensland, Australia are confident that they have found a cure for the Coronavirus. Here is the link...

I recall that BR was having problems like this all the time causing major disruption to services and the substitution of loco hauled trains or other DMUs in the late 1980s. The SCG 'boxes had the forward/reversing gear on the input side of the gearbox which was a major design flaw. As the...

I seem to recall reading that the 140 had an SCG gearbox that was developed from the R14 but was not the R500. The R500 was developed from this gearbox. Although the sound quality is poor, a video of the Class 140 being trialled on Youtube seems to show that it sounds more like a first...

The TL11 engine was used a lot in Leyland buses and coaches from the early 1980s, so parts should still be obtainable. It was an updated and turbocharged version of the O.680, which itself was an enlarged version of the highly regarded O.600 from after WWII. I believe that until recently copies...

Back on topic, I have heard that driver training on the two Northern 769s was suspended earlier in the week as both units failed and returned to Allerton on electric power. Can someone confirm this?

I read a little while ago that refurbished axles for first generation DMUs cost around £20k each. At least the Pacers now entering preservation have gearboxes common to Class 15x and the 142s had new Voith final drives a few years ago. I have no interest in steam (except model railway models of...

There is more a shortage of DMUs than EMUs. A bi mode unit would probably be the best option, but may take longer to be delivered. Extra 195s could be delivered a lot quicker. The CAF factory in Wales can have 195s completed around 70 days after receiving the bare body shell.

They are having 144011 when it is withdrawn by Northern.

Then there must be more than the remains of one unit in the pile then. 142064 was a FNW refurb that retained the original bench seats.

Looking at the unit number in the rubble, it is not very clear, but the end number is definitely a 4. It is definitely a Merseyrail unit. As 142044 was scrapped a while ago, it would have to be 142054.

The current RAIL magazine has an headline on the front cover that Northern may be on the point of ordering more new trains. This puts even more uncertainty on the 769s future with Northern.

One of the Merseyrail seat backs is clearly visible. It can't be 142064.