Interesting 'Pacer' feature on BBC Magazine

[Tracked]

Quote:
Originally Posted by kevconnor View Post
The article notes the pacers have a good safety record. However, wasn't one of them totalled at a crash at winsford and wasn't there something particular about that incident to raise causes for concern on their structural integrity?

If you smack a Class 87 and 9 Mk3s into anything at 100mph or thereabouts, it isn't going to come off well (remember the complete destruction of an entire Turbo coach at Southall). The Pacer's body sheared from the underframe, which I believe was as designed[1] but was later felt not to be so good in practice, so mountings were upgraded to prevent it in future. You can see the bolts for this in the doorwell.

I don't think the one at Liverpool Lime Street was going that fast though:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dmc1947/6116474437

 

[furnessvale]

I don't think the one at Liverpool Lime Street was going that fast though:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dmc1947/6116474437

Classic photo showing the effect of the weakening of the body structure by the door aperture.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm again not convinced a 156 or similar would have come off much better.