Pacer long distance runs

[YorkshireBear]

It can be quite a challenge, if you make a plan and stick to it rigidly. Course it is easy just to wait an hour for the next train if a 15x turns up and have a pint in the meantime.

well of course Many a time ive done that, i admit i used to avoid pacers and get 150s but now im just happy to take in an old DMU

got my sights set on something a bit more ambitious after that. All the route of south pennines day ranger (except the bit that only grand central and staylybridge to stockport) riding and every type of stock within the area.

 

[142094]

well of course Many a time ive done that, i admit i used to avoid pacers and get 150s but now im just happy to take in an old DMU

got my sights set on something a bit more ambitious after that. All the route of south pennines day ranger (except the bit that only grand central and staylybridge to stockport) riding and every type of stock within the area.

That is quite ambitous!

My plan at the minute is to clear all the lines in the Northern area. Got about 70% done.

 

[tbtc]

he only has a north west rover and i dont think that goes to sheffield tbtc

Sorry, you're absolutely right

Sadly living in Sheffield the idea of a "Pacer Bash" seems a bit pointless as you can't avoid the things here - they run on every corridor out of Sheffield (Hope Valley, Barnsley, Dearne Valley, Doncaster, Worksop) apart from the MML (they used to run the token Northern service to Chesterfield, before Northern started running to Nottingham a few years ago).

 

[4SRKT]

We did a fairly leisurely pacer bash earlier in the year on a WYPTE Day Rover and it was a fun day out. Plenty of pub visits as well tho.

 

[WillPS]

Sorry, you're absolutely right

Sadly living in Sheffield the idea of a "Pacer Bash" seems a bit pointless as you can't avoid the things here - they run on every corridor out of Sheffield (Hope Valley, Barnsley, Dearne Valley, Doncaster, Worksop) apart from the MML (they used to run the token Northern service to Chesterfield, before Northern started running to Nottingham a few years ago).

There's still an early morning Chesterfield - Leeds Pacer.

 

[tbtc]

There's still an early morning Chesterfield - Leeds Pacer.

Didn't realise, cheers.

I've not been on a Pacer in Chesterfield since before Northern started running to Nottingham.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

There's still an early morning Chesterfield - Leeds Pacer.

Northern Rail still slip the occasional Pacer past my station on the Manchester Piccadilly to Macclesfield line due to a problem with a 323 unit. Pacers passing through Prestbury..I hope they do it under cover of darkness:roll:

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Are two MAC-PIC trains a day booked for 142s?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Are two MAC-PIC trains a day booked for 142s?

Shush...don't make it sound worse than it is.

 

[northwichcat]

Northern Rail still slip the occasional Pacer past my station on the Manchester Piccadilly to Macclesfield line due to a problem with a 323 unit.

It's not really a problem with a 323 unit. It's the fact that since Dec 08 the 323s have been made to stretch further due to the enhanced services meaning there's a few services at peak times completely under the wires run by 142s or pairs of 142s. Fortunately, for your line Pacers aren't cleared for Macclesfield-Stoke and would likely fail clearance so only services starting/terminating at Macclesfield could be Pacer operated.

Pacers passing through Prestbury..I hope they do it under cover of darkness:roll:

They also go through Alderley Edge, Bramhall and Hale with Hale seeing Pacers regularly.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Being in Sheffield can be a ball-ache if you want to go on a longer distance Pacer bash but not end up somewhere in Scunthorpe. Been bowled a few times on hoping for a Pacer turning up for the Penistone line or Hope Valley, only to find a 15x instead.

I understand there is an issue if you go out towards Doncaster due to not that many Pacers to/from Doncaster but I would have thought from Sheffield, for a long distance Pacer run you could do:
* Sheffield-Leeds via Rotherham
* Wait at Leeds for next 144 to Victoria and catch it.
* Plenty of options to go out and back to Manchester on Pacers (Southport, Wigan, Liverpool, Chester, Preston)
* Return to Victoria do Victoria-Huddersfield
* Huddersfield-Sheffield.

 

[tbtc]

I understand there is an issue if you go out towards Doncaster due to not that many Pacers to/from Doncaster

The half hourly Sheffield - Rotherham - Doncaster service (extending to/from Lincoln, Adwick, Scunthorpe) is run by single 153s and Pacers.

Presumably there are also Pacers on the Doncaster - Goole - Hull stopper (though its been a while since I saw anything on that duty).

 

[YorkshireBear]

The half hourly Sheffield - Rotherham - Doncaster service (extending to/from Lincoln, Adwick, Scunthorpe) is run by single 153s and Pacers.

Presumably there are also Pacers on the Doncaster - Goole - Hull stopper (though its been a while since I saw anything on that duty).

usually 158s on doncaster hull stoppers but pacers are increasingly creeping back in

 

[142094]

I understand there is an issue if you go out towards Doncaster due to not that many Pacers to/from Doncaster but I would have thought from Sheffield, for a long distance Pacer run you could do:
* Sheffield-Leeds via Rotherham
* Wait at Leeds for next 144 to Victoria and catch it.
* Plenty of options to go out and back to Manchester on Pacers (Southport, Wigan, Liverpool, Chester, Preston)
* Return to Victoria do Victoria-Huddersfield
* Huddersfield-Sheffield.

Depends on what type of bash you are looking to do - some people don't care if they get the same unit all day, although I try to avoid this as it soon gets a bit boring.

Sheffield is a strange one, as there are a couple of good routes which lead to places where you are just about guaranteed to get a 14x - Hope Valley and Penistone line being the two main, although I had forgotten that Leeds - Sheffield sometimes brings the odd Pacer. Main problem is that if you get bowled on the hourly Penistone/Hope Valley, you have to either pick a Scunthorpe/Adwick service and stay on that unit, or wait an hour for the next one. At least at places like Leeds and Manchester you can get on a few different routes and change along the way to bag a different unit. Newcastle and Middlesbrough are also quite good for this, although if you want to get back to Newcastle from Middlesbrough or Darlington when using a 14x you are forced to go the long way via Sunderland.

 

[4SRKT]

Isn't the Sheffield > Leeds via Castleford stopper nearly always a pacer? You see 15x units often enough on the via Moorthorpe local, but pacers are the name of the game on the Hallam line.

 

[northwichcat]

The half hourly Sheffield - Rotherham - Doncaster service (extending to/from Lincoln, Adwick, Scunthorpe) is run by single 153s and Pacers.

Presumably there are also Pacers on the Doncaster - Goole - Hull stopper (though its been a while since I saw anything on that duty).

What I was trying to get at is you can't really do a circular route sticking to Pacer lines if you go off in the Doncaster direction. You go to Doncaster and onwards to Adwick/Lincoln/Scunthorphe, then you have to turn around and go back.

 

[Lad Brookes]

My local service (well, the part west of Preston)! It does mostly use bus-bench seated 142 Pacers, although 150s make regular appearances (and occasionally 156s).

End-to-end it is SLOW.

I did Rishton-Colne-Blackpool South last week. Almost 3 hours on the same Pacer!

It's a shame I don't track my mileage by class- I would've picked up a fair amount on a 14x last Thurs/Fri.

From memory:

Wakefield-Knottingley
Knottingley-Leeds
Leeds-Sowerby Bridge
Rishton-Colne
Colne-Blackpool South
Blackpool North-Preston
Lancaster-Heysham
Heysham-Lancaster
Preston-Rishton


Still can't decided if I love or hate the things- suspect I'd not be a fan if it was my regular commute.

 

[northwichcat]

Isn't the Sheffield > Leeds via Castleford stopper nearly always a pacer? You see 15x units often enough on the via Moorthorpe local, but pacers are the name of the game on the Hallam line.

When I used that line it was a 144 in one direction and a 142 in the other which is why I suggested it. However, my suggestion works using any 142/144 operated service between Sheffield and Leeds.

 

[Lad Brookes]

The afternoon one is booked for a 156 - yes a 156! Although it does do a Warrington Bank Quay-Lime Street run after and then works an evening peak service to Manchester Oxford Road.

Fairly sure the afternoon one was a 14x two weeks ago (October 4th).

 

[tbtc]

usually 158s on doncaster hull stoppers but pacers are increasingly creeping back in

158s?

Thats a bit "over the top" for that route. A shame that most of Northern's 150s and 156s are on the west side, that'd be more appropriate for that kind of route IMHO

 

[YorkshireBear]

158s?

Thats a bit "over the top" for that route. A shame that most of Northern's 150s and 156s are on the west side, that'd be more appropriate for that kind of route IMHO

yep certainly it used to be solid 158s to my knowledge but last 4 times ive been t doncaster its been a pacer but i cant get there as often now a days.

 

[142094]

Isn't the Sheffield > Leeds via Castleford stopper nearly always a pacer? You see 15x units often enough on the via Moorthorpe local, but pacers are the name of the game on the Hallam line.

Seems to be getting mixed up these days, seen a few 15xs on it so depends.

 

[Robinson]

From observations at Manchester the Leeds via Brighouse services are usually Pacers.

 

[4SRKT]

From observations at Manchester the Leeds via Brighouse services are usually Pacers.

Almost always, except the very first working out of Manchester at 06:58 (return working of 05:08 Leeds > Bradford > Manchester) which is a 158.

 

[phil8715]

I did Rishton-Colne-Blackpool South last week. Almost 3 hours on the same Pacer!

It's a shame I don't track my mileage by class- I would've picked up a fair amount on a 14x last Thurs/Fri.

From memory:

Wakefield-Knottingley
Knottingley-Leeds
Leeds-Sowerby Bridge
Rishton-Colne
Colne-Blackpool South
Blackpool North-Preston
Lancaster-Heysham
Heysham-Lancaster
Preston-Rishton


Still can't decided if I love or hate the things- suspect I'd not be a fan if it was my regular commute.

Are you from Rishton? I live there.

My worst pacer mileage was from York to Leeds then Leeds to Accington on the last York Blackpool, but we had to change trains Leeds. This was circa 2006.

 

[4SRKT]

I did Newton Abbot > Exmouth then back to Exeter Central with only a 3 minute break on the same bus seat 142 earlier this year. This was even less fun than it sounds.

I'm a pacer fan generally, but bus seats are grim, grim, grim.

 

[Lad Brookes]

Are you from Rishton? I live there.

My worst pacer mileage was from York to Leeds then Leeds to Accington on the last York Blackpool, but we had to change trains Leeds. This was circa 2006.

No, but the in-laws do, so I stay there quite regularly and use it as a base for trips out and about, ticking off branches and real ale pubs!

 

[Bevan Price]

Depends on what type of bash you are looking to do - some people don't care if they get the same unit all day, although I try to avoid this as it soon gets a bit boring.

Newcastle and Middlesbrough are also quite good for this, although if you want to get back to Newcastle from Middlesbrough or Darlington when using a 14x you are forced to go the long way via Sunderland.

And some of these continue across Newcastle to/from Carlisle, although only Hexham - Carlisle is in the NW Rover area. (About half the workings between Newcastle & Carlisle are 156's)

 

[142094]

And some of these continue across Newcastle to/from Carlisle, although only Hexham - Carlisle is in the NW Rover area. (About half the workings between Newcastle & Carlisle are 156's)

The 06.56 off 'Boro to Carlisle always used to be a Pacer until the timetable change split the journey into a MBR - NCL and NCL - CAR journey. There is still a working each way once per day with goes the full length of MBR - CAR and vice versa, but not sure if this is a Pacer or not. Will have to have a look out the next time I'm at Central.

 

[4SRKT]

2x 153 on the 08:24 Lancaster > Leeds this morning. Never seen that before. 150s occasionally but almost always a 142 or 2-car 144.

 

[YorkshireBear]

2x 153 on the 08:24 Lancaster > Leeds this morning. Never seen that before. 150s occasionally but almost always a 142 or 2-car 144.

Never seen that either that seems very strange... maybe they were being moved around.