Liverpool Transpennine services

[WestCoast]

Just imagine if all the air fleet carriers had their normal high quality planes, then one carrier ran their services with the plane version of a Pacer

That actually has happened on some routes, where larger aircraft have been replaced by smaller "regional" planes which aren't suited to the longer distances. It's very common in the USA.

 

[northwichcat]

That actually has happened on some routes, where larger aircraft have been replaced by smaller "regional" planes which aren't suited to the longer distances. It's very common in the USA.

Is Flybe taking over from BA Connect an example of that? (I'm not saying it is I just noticed they used little planes with propellers on the front on routes BA used to run.)

 

[WestCoast]

Is Flybe taking over from BA Connect an example of that? (I'm not saying it is I just noticed they used little planes with propellers on the front on routes BA used to run.)

Sort of, although Flybe operate the smaller 70/80 seater "turboprop" aircraft (Dash 8 Q400) on thin routes where BA Connect would have used a similar type of aircraft, probably an even smaller Embraer 145 (45 seater).

Sometimes these aircraft will end up on longer routes (often in the Ski Season) which they struggle on (they take longer) and don't offer enough luggage space. That compares to a pacer on a long route - although to be fair these aircraft aren't quite that bad!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Getting back on-topic though, on EMT Derby - Crewe a 2-car pacer (preferably with ex-ATN seating) would actually be preferable to a rammed, sweaty single 153 on Summer Saturdays with the Alton Towers traffic! :cry:

Plus, I don't see the problem with Pacers serving Manchester Airport, most services are 185s or 323s so it doesn't really matter. 142s give an authentic experience to tourists! They are no worse than a bouncy Piccadilly Line Carriage with hardly any luggage space from Heathrow.....

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Sort of, although Flybe operate the smaller 70/80 seater "turboprop" aircraft (Dash 8 Q400) on thin routes where BA Connect would have used a similar type of aircraft, probably an even smaller Embraer 145 (45 seater).

Sometimes these aircraft will end up on longer routes (often in the Ski Season) which they struggle on (they take longer) and don't offer enough luggage space. That compares to a pacer on a long route - although to be fair these aircraft aren't quite that bad!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Getting back on-topic though, on EMT Derby - Crewe a 2-car pacer (preferably with ex-ATN seating) would actually be preferable to a rammed, sweaty single 153 on Summer Saturdays with the Alton Towers traffic! :cry:

Plus, I don't see the problem with Pacers serving Manchester Airport, most services are 185s or 323s so it doesn't really matter. 142s give an authentic experience to tourists! They are no worse than a bouncy Piccadilly Line Carriage with hardly any luggage space from Heathrow.....

Please read my last post...I am trying to say that Manchester Airport is trying to provide an image as a modern international airport with rail connections with modern stock.

To say that Class 142 Pacers give an authentic experiance to tourists will certainly NOT achieve that expectation. What next...cabin crews with flat caps and a ferret in their trousers. :roll:

 

[WestCoast]

Please read my last post...I am trying to say that Manchester Airport is trying to provide an image as a modern international airport with rail connections with modern stock.

To say that Class 142 Pacers give an authentic experiance to tourists will certainly NOT achieve that expectation. What next...cabin crews with flat caps and a ferret in their trousers. :roll:

No, I understood your post, I was just saying that the bulk of services are not operated by pacers. Plus, TPE are most definitely the main operator, with modern stock. I don't want to see pacers being removed from the airport and put on longer runs that are mainly operated by 156s.

Pacer's aren't ideal by any means of course, but Northern don't have all that much choice. 3 180s and 4 156s are being removed in favour of more 142s and 150s. Having said that, I am beginning to prefer the 142s (certainly the ones with the green higher backed seats) to the 150s with "packed-in" all facing bay seats - it's actually more comfy on the 142s!hock:

As for the flat cap and ferret cabin crews I'm afraid Leeds/Bradford Airport has beaten Manchester to it - see here.

 

[tbtc]

Please read my last post...I am trying to say that Manchester Airport is trying to provide an image as a modern international airport with rail connections with modern stock

Good luck to them. I'm sure Manchester/ Leeds/ Newcastle etc would like to provide an image as a modern international city, but the simple truth is that we are stuck with these trains, no point being snobby about it.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Good luck to them. I'm sure Manchester/ Leeds/ Newcastle etc would like to provide an image as a modern international city, but the simple truth is that we are stuck with these trains, no point being snobby about it.

...thank's for that. I'm just off to shoot some poachers...whilst the maid "donkey-stones" the mansion steps:roll:

 

[northwichcat]

They are no worse than a bouncy Piccadilly Line Carriage with hardly any luggage space from Heathrow.....

LU trains can be crammed, plus I imagine the gates are awkward to get through with luggage. However, LU stock is not bouncy compared to a Pacer. Quite a few units sway or bounce when running including 185s but the Pacers are the Kings of bouncing.

 

[WestCoast]

LU trains can be crammed, plus I imagine the gates are awkward to get through with luggage. However, LU stock is not bouncy compared to a Pacer. Quite a few units sway or bounce when running including 185s but the Pacers are the Kings of bouncing.

LU stock such as the '73 stock doesn't offer a brilliant experience though? Noisy, screechy on corners and can be quite jerky when approaching and leaving stations.

Regional Railways North West and East were pleased with their new shiny pacers and sprinters in the 1980s when the South East had ageing slammers. Although they were arguably better quality!

 

[YorkshireBear]

185's often give me motion sickness, i can cope with a pacer bouncing up and down its the rolling i cant deal with so i would rather ride a 142 from sheffield to manchester than a 185, i usually go for the EMT service intentionally

 

[WestCoast]

185's often give me motion sickness, i can cope with a pacer bouncing up and down its the rolling i cant deal with so i would rather ride a 142 from sheffield to manchester than a 185, i usually go for the EMT service intentionally

The 185s sway a little bit but I'd have never imagined it would be that bad? Although to be fair I've never really had much motion sickness in my life. I did the Grindleford tunnel on a "ex-Merseytravel" 142 a few weeks ago and it was damn rough: vigorous shaking, extremely loud and of course bouncing! The 185 was bliss compared to that...

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

That actually has happened on some routes, where larger aircraft have been replaced by smaller "regional" planes which aren't suited to the longer distances. It's very common in the USA.

The distances travelled by the "regional" planes in America, due to the actual physical size of that country, are not comparable in distance to the "short hop" British city to city flights. They are far longer.

Even so, these smaller planes would NOT be allowed to fly in America if they were the air equivalent of Pacer units.

The only comparison that I see between planes and Pacer units is that the Pacer units can mimic air turbulance when fully in "bouncing" mode. I think that particular part of the Pacer "sensation" has been reported countless times.