Pacer allocations in the Manchester Area

[barrow trains]

In August I'll be heading up to the Manchester area hoping to bash some Pacers before they go. Anyone got any suggestions for lines that Pacers (especially 142's) give some nice bounce (jointed track and some track flange would be good aswell) on them? Greatly appreciate any suggestions, thanks.

 

[185143]

Parts of Piccadilly-Ardwick are jointed track, as is the line through Westhoughton (though it may not be anymore. Been a while since I've been up that way).

Screechig round curves wise, you'll struggle to beat Skelton Junction between Stockport and Navigation Road!

 

[northwichcat]

as is the line through Westhoughton (though it may not be anymore. Been a while since I've been up that way).

I recall ride quality on the Southport line was very bad when I rode it a few years back but apparently the track has been improved since. Plus from May there won't be as many Pacers running to Southport as now.

Screechig round curves wise, you'll struggle to beat Skelton Junction between Stockport and Navigation Road!

I think Manchester to Greenbank (via Stockport and Navigation Rd) gives you the full Pacer experience - 75mph running, low speed running between stations close together, 15mph running over a viaduct that would apparently be safe to run Sprinters at 50mph over and bouncing over level crossings only used by farmers and the deafening squeal on a tight curve.

 

[barrow trains]

Thank you for both replies, how likely will it be that a 142 will be on the Manchester to Chester runs on a Saturday in August?

 

[gazthomas]

Not quite Manchester, but Carnforth to Lancaster down the West Coast Main Line is quite an experience in a Pacer!

 

[td97]

Wigan via Bolton services are a good bet, and the devils have recently made an appearance on the Clitheroe line.

 

[billh]

Marple Wharf Junction and curve to Rose Hill , plenty of screech there. For rock and roll you need Hyde Junction on the same route.

 

[Grannyjoans]

Most Wigan to Stalybridge services.

Thank you for both replies, how likely will it be that a 142 will be on the Manchester to Chester runs on a Saturday in August?

Very likely, the Chester via Altrincham route is still very much Pacer dominated territory

 

[KevinTurvey]

They sometimes appear Manchester Oxford Rd - Liverpool stoppers too.
If you are prepared to go a little further afield Preston - Colne, and Preston - Ormskirk are a fairly high pacer probability, and the Ormskirk line does have a fair bit of jointy track.
How much this will change after the May timetable switch is anyones guess.

 

[Altfish]

Thank you for both replies, how likely will it be that a 142 will be on the Manchester to Chester runs on a Saturday in August?

You'll be unlucky if it isn't. At the moment the line is mainly 142s with an occasional 150. Unless trains start cascading from elsewhere I imagine it will still be the same in August.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

There's Man Vic to Huddersfield which sees the odd Pacer or two - great to hear the roaring and the power whilst blasting through Stannage Tunnel.

 

[Chester1]

Have I suddenly moved into a bizarre parallel universe? Pacer tourism?!

 

[Eccles1983]

Vic to blackburn via tod curve.

The curve itself in a 142 is close to unbearable screeching, and then from gannow jct to rose grove is a close to a mile of jointed track. Also throw is accy viaduct for some 10 mph squealing.

Then you have summit tunnel, full 70 -75mph areas for a decent distance between summit and rochdale, and the climb from vic up the bank in a 142 is an experience for itself.

 

[AM9]

Vic to blackburn via tod curve.

The curve itself in a 142 is close to unbearable screeching, and then from gannow jct to rose grove is a close to a mile of jointed track. Also throw is accy viaduct for some 10 mph squealing.

Then you have summit tunnel, full 70 -75mph areas for a decent distance between summit and rochdale, and the climb from vic up the bank in a 142 is an experience for itself.

Agree, did Vic to Hebden Bridge a couple of years ago. Quite a dash (75mph) over some bouncy track. What was good was the great view all around. For a more gentle holiday jaunt, Preston to Blackpool South was very nostalgic, (not of Pacers as it was the first time for me) of years gone by in East Anglia.

 

[47802]

Have I suddenly moved into a bizarre parallel universe? Pacer tourism?!

Each to their own I guess, I think its fair to say that I wont be making any farewell trips of taking any photo's, although i'm sure I can come with suggestions for an amusing death for them.

 

[Clip]

I was on one the other day from chorley to Manchester it was tied up to a 150 I think and I purposely sat in the pacer. Great fun

 

[47550]

Most Wigan to Stalybridge services.



Very likely, the Chester via Altrincham route is still very much Pacer dominated territory

Had a 156 on it last week ..rare luxury ! Agree that it is usually a Pacer with the odd 150 though.

 

[northwichcat]

Had a 156 on it last week ..rare luxury ! Agree that it is usually a Pacer with the odd 150 though.

On weekdays at present the 08:17 Manchester to Chester, 09:59 Chester to Manchester and 12:17 Manchester to Chester are booked to be operated by a 156. There's supposed to be a set swap (involving a Lime Street crew) meaning there isn't a further working to Manchester booked for a 156 but if the set swap doesn't happen the 156 would work back to Manchester in passenger service. And of course as 156s are cleared for the route and crews sign them there's a chance a 156 could appear on a Mid-Cheshire diagram even if it's not expected to.

how likely will it be that a 142 will be on the Manchester to Chester runs on a Saturday in August?

At present on Saturdays one of the diagrams is a 2 car 150 and most of the others run as 4 car sets (using mainly a mix of 142s and 150s.) However, apparently from May most services will 2 car with Northern keeping a few sets available for strengthening for special events and some weeks they'll be used on Mid-Cheshire and other weeks they won't, given by the time there's the RHS Show, Foodies Festival, Chester Races and both football and cricket at Old Trafford (which results in a significant number of people changing between Northern and Metrolink at Altrincham) they'll be quite a lot of Saturdays when something is happening close to the line so it might be that the exact services Pacers are used on vary from week to week and not just on the Mid-Cheshire line.

On the new times if you just want to ride trains and nothing else it'll probably work best to do either Manchester to Mouldsworth and Mouldsworth to Manchester or Manchester to Plumley and Plumley to Manchester as that way you can go back around 10 minutes after arriving. Plumley could be covered by a GM Wayfarer but Mouldsworth couldn't.

 

[Altfish]

I've seen two trains on the mid Cheshire line today (Saturday) and both were 142s

 

[northwichcat]

I've seen two trains on the mid Cheshire line today (Saturday) and both were 142s

Some are showing on Journey Check as being formed of 2 carriages instead of 4 due to a shortage of train carriages.

 

[Altfish]

Some are showing on Journey Check as being formed of 2 carriages instead of 4 due to a shortage of train carriages.

Yes, they were two coaches

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I went all the way from Leeds to Lancaster in a pacer a while back, also did Saltburn to Bishop Auckland in one, that was fun.

 

[mjn]

Manchester to Sheffield via New Mills is a good one. Great views through the Peak District, lots of stops and a few long tunnels including Totley.

 

[randyrippley]

Not quite Manchester, but Carnforth to Lancaster down the West Coast Main Line is quite an experience in a Pacer!

If you're going that way, might as well do the whole Lancaster-Leeds route on a Pacer. What are the chances then of a return Leeds-Blackburn and Blackburn-Manchester providing them?

 

[Eccles1983]

Leeds - blackburn. No chance. 158 territory.

 

[northwichcat]

Manchester to Sheffield via New Mills is a good one. Great views through the Peak District, lots of stops and a few long tunnels including Totley.

Certainly it's a picturesque line but I don't think trains running the all stops on the Hope Valley have much chance of getting anywhere near their top speed.

 

[northwichcat]

If you're going that way, might as well do the whole Lancaster-Leeds route on a Pacer. What are the chances then of a return Leeds-Blackburn and Blackburn-Manchester providing them?

Leeds-Blackburn is extremely like to be a class 158. Manchester-Blackburn could be a Pacer or Sprinter, I think at the moment all Clitheroe-Blackburn-Manchester services are booked as Sprinters so if that remains the same then you'd avoid them if you want to maximise your chances of getting a Pacer.

 

[HOOVER29]

I was at Manchester Piccadilly yesterday for mainly the 350/4’s & the 319’s.
Unit wise I photographed numerous members of the 142, 150, 156, 158, 175, 185, 220, 221, 323, 350 & 390’s. By a country mile the worst were the class 142. Seeing them bounce their way out of Piccadilly was hilarious. They’ve given us cheap honest service over the years & don’t owe us anything so it’s not a moment too soon that they are getting replaced.

 

[barrow trains]

Thank you for all these suggestions, was looking into getting a GM Wayfarer ticket, does this cover enough track for a few good 142 bashes?

 

[mjn]

Yes. I bought one yesterday and was out from 07:00 until 22:00. Lots of pacer rides!