Could/should Pacers be kept warm for summer rural services?

[Meerkat]

How much does lukewarm storage for a Pacer cost, ie kept at a week or twos readiness but protected from deterioration?
Also are any of them PRM compliant with the toilet locked out and if not is there a lot to do?
I am wondering whether it is at all viable to keep some knocking about to hang off the back of fully compliant trains for peak season on lines such as Whitby.
I guess no one might want to run the risk of “Northerners betrayed - Pacers still in use!!” hysteria from bored ill informed local media....

 

[pompeyfan]

Warm storage doesn’t tend to work as crew need to maintain their competency on them.

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

If I'm honest, I've softened towards Pacers since actually March 2018 when I caught a 150+142 combo, 16:22 from Manchester Piccadilly to Bolton.

Despite many people disliking Pacers, they'd be really useful to be kept as capacity boosters for special events on busy routes worked by 15x stock - I'm sure if people were faced with standing on a packed 15x or getting a seat on a Pacer then I think a seat would be favoured.

 

[PHILIPE]

The 143s have got to go, no ifs and buts due to legislation, but there will be a short derogation allowed due mainly to late delivery of various stock. The DFT allocate stock and they do not allow spare stock to be held for just in case situations.

 

[hexagon789]

How much does lukewarm storage for a Pacer cost, ie kept at a week or twos readiness but protected from deterioration?
Also are any of them PRM compliant with the toilet locked out and if not is there a lot to do?
I am wondering whether it is at all viable to keep some knocking about to hang off the back of fully compliant trains for peak season on lines such as Whitby.
I guess no one might want to run the risk of “Northerners betrayed - Pacers still in use!!” hysteria from bored ill informed local media....

Rather like the practice of storing lines of Mk1s for seasonal traffic it's rather uneconomic for trains to just sit for about 8-9 months of the year. The cost for storing them wouldn't be cheap and that money would have to be re-coupled somehow.

Also, I'm not sure Pacers are suitable for summer traffic even on rural lines, not ideal for conveying luggage/bikes etc

 

[Meerkat]

They can do events and leaf fall coverage too....(getting desperate)
Is storage that more expensive than any other solution to summer problems (whilst obviously being more expensive than no solution!)
I was thinking of adding them onto ‘proper trains’ rather than running alone (makes reliability slightly less crucial). Rip out some seats and have them as the cyclists carriages!

 

[Aictos]

How about keeping them in service but as crowd busters running as 3 x Class 14Xs?

 

[4-SUB 4732]

If the Government was mildly sensible, it would use that "Train Fleet 2019 Ltd" vehicle through which they own the 365s to own about 12 Pacers, all of which would have the 144e with some bike racks, luggage space and no toilets. They'd be available for use by a pool of companies e.g. Northern, Wales, Western and maybe even East Midlands sufficient to operate during leaf fall, summer seasonals, football additionals (etc.).

They are well beyond having any nominal book value so they must, surely, be worth little more than scrap value and therefore the Government can recoup their value over a 'new' nominal book value of 5 years after refurb.

 

[LOL The Irony]

I think it's best to wait for EMR to get rid of their 156's & 158's and then have spares that are cycled into service.

 

[option]

Would it be cheaper to build some new 'carriages' that are really lightweight & could be coupled onto/into anything?
No toilets, luggage racks, fancy displays etc. If you need to power it, stick an electric motor on it.

 

[adamedwards]

Sounds like the 153 ScotRail van project, see other thread.

 

[Doomotron]

Could they be kept? Probably not. If they're going to be kept in service they'll need expensive PRM upgrades or a derogation, plus the PR risk is unmeasurable.

Should they? Yeah, why not?

 

[AndrewE]

There is also the problem of retaining traction knowledge for the traincrews. 8 months in storage, put them out on a variety of trains... even if they do work, what is the likelihood of one being at the front of a strengthened train and the driver can't drive it? If something can go wrong then it will!

 

[Meerkat]

There’s always some smart arse ruining things with boring practicalities

 

[yoyothehobo]

Maybe if the warm storage involves a well placed match...