Pacers running scheduled express services

[Tim R-T-C]

Waiting at Leeds the other day, I noticed this 142 unit on a fast York service, which is 1T92, the 0933 weekday departure. According to OpenTrainTimes this working is specifically allocated to a 14x unit (although it looks to be essentially a positioning move as the train arrives into Leeds from Selby on a stopper and at York forms a stopping service to Hull) still I was wondering if there were any other 1xxx headcode express workings nationwide that were allotted to Pacers or is this a one-off?

 

[Stonesourscotty]

They can work the fast Wigan boltons and Liverpool-Blackpool? don't know there headcodes but there limited stop express esque

 

[Eagle]

Do we count emergency workings? FGW 143s have been substituted onto Intercity services a number of times when an HST is sick.

They can work the fast Wigan boltons and Liverpool-Blackpool? don't know there headcodes but there limited stop express esque

Blackpool North to Liverpool South Parkway has headcodes in the 2Fxx range southbound and the 2Nxx range northbound.

 

[D365]

Pacer on InterCity?

 

[Eagle]

You'd better believe it. Obviously it didn't get anywhere near London, it got as far as it needed to put its passengers onto another IC service.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Do we count emergency workings? FGW 143s have been substituted onto Intercity services a number of times when an HST is sick.

I'm sure there are some interesting stories there, but I'm keen to find out if any other 1xxx works are specifically booked for Pacers.

 

[asylumxl]

I want to take this now...

 

[455driver]

I want to take this now...

So do I! hock:

 

[Geeves]

1J01 - 06:53 - Southport - Victoria
1J02 - 08:00 - Wigan - Victoria

and

1F01 - 17:06 Victoria - Southport
1F02 - 17:40 Victoria - Southport


I cant say for certain that any of these jobs are specifically booked for 142s though but 80% to 95% of the time will be 2X142. Traveling in style!! Theres also a few class 1 express jobs from the Airport to Livepool that sees 142s on although not so much these days.

 

[PHILIPE]

ATW 142/143s working Cardiff to Fishguard Harbour services.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

1J01 - 06:53 - Southport - Victoria
1J02 - 08:00 - Wigan - Victoria

and

1F01 - 17:06 Victoria - Southport
1F02 - 17:40 Victoria - Southport

Thanks. Going by OpenTrainTimes, 1J01 is allocated to a Sprinter and 1J02 seems to have changed to 2J02 now, but 1F01 and 1F02 at allocated to Pacer units. So that makes three workings on the current timetable.

 

[sprinterguy]

They probably weren't "Class 1", but the once regular Pacer jaunts up the ECML from Darlington to Newcastle via Durham were always exceptionally lively, as the units were ragged to within an inch of their lives in order to eke out every available mile per hour.

 

[yorksrob]

Seen them whiz through Normanton on the Sheffield express a couple of times.

 

[ainsworth74]

They probably weren't "Class 1", but the once regular Pacer jaunts up the ECML from Darlington to Newcastle via Durham were always exceptionally lively, as the units were ragged to within an inch of their lives in order to eke out every available mile per hour.

They still exist! Get yourself on the 0720 or the 0822 from Darlington and you can still sample some quality 142 action on the ECML. But as you correctly assume their headcode is 2 rather than 1.

 

[IanXC]

Waiting at Leeds the other day, I noticed this 142 unit on a fast York service, which is 1T92, the 0933 weekday departure. According to OpenTrainTimes this working is specifically allocated to a 14x unit (although it looks to be essentially a positioning move as the train arrives into Leeds from Selby on a stopper and at York forms a stopping service to Hull) still I was wondering if there were any other 1xxx headcode express workings nationwide that were allotted to Pacers or is this a one-off?

I have been on the 0933, the strange thing is that 8 minutes behind is a 158 on a Blackpool North working, which becomes an all shacks stopper after Leeds!

Surely the service from Blackpool North could go ahead as an express, with the 142 picking up the stops at Crossgates, Garforth, East Garforth, Micklefield and Church Fenton? Passengers from the 158 would have a sensible connection to the stopper in the unlikely event they were making that kind of journey.

 

[O L Leigh]

They probably weren't "Class 1", but the once regular Pacer jaunts up the ECML from Darlington to Newcastle via Durham were always exceptionally lively, as the units were ragged to within an inch of their lives in order to eke out every available mile per hour.

From my distant memory, Pacers ragged at 75mph on the ECML's CWR were noisy but smooth. No pogo-ing like they do on secondary or local lines. Almost comparable to a Sprinter (except for the bench seating they had at the time).

O L Leigh

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Going back to the long-ago days of the early lives of the class 142 Pacers, did they ever stand in for other units along the North Wales coast line on services from the Manchester area ?

 

[YorkshireBear]

They still exist! Get yourself on the 0720 or the 0822 from Darlington and you can still sample some quality 142 action on the ECML. But as you correctly assume their headcode is 2 rather than 1.

Bucket list entry added.

 

[callum112233]

They can work the fast Wigan boltons and Liverpool-Blackpool? don't know there headcodes but there limited stop express esque

Yeh, they work Wigan-Rochdale. Stopping at Wigan, Bolton, Salford Crescent, Salford Central, Victoria. Then onto Rochdale, stopping at all stops in between.

It's not much faster than the stoppers for getting to Victoria though because it stops for a few mins outside Victoria whilst it waits for the Victoria-Blackpool north to vacate platform 6.

 

[D6975]

I have been on the 0933, the strange thing is that 8 minutes behind is a 158 on a Blackpool North working, which becomes an all shacks stopper after Leeds!

Surely the service from Blackpool North could go ahead as an express, with the 142 picking up the stops at Crossgates, Garforth, East Garforth, Micklefield and Church Fenton? Passengers from the 158 would have a sensible connection to the stopper in the unlikely event they were making that kind of journey.

I think it has to go fast to York in order to get there in time for its next working, the 10:20 York - Hull. If it left Leeds behind the 158 and ran all shacks it wouldn't have a prayer of getting there in time.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Going back to the long-ago days of the early lives of the class 142 Pacers, did they ever stand in for other units along the North Wales coast line on services from the Manchester area ?

Plenty of pictures of 142s in North Wales, but this picture apparently records a Llandudno-Hull service at Chester.

 

[142094]

Not mentioned but there is also the Newcastle - Darlington and Newcastle - Middlesbrough via ECML return late night workings (depending on what day of the week) which are usually 142s.

I've also seen a picture of a 143 in the old bay at Berwick when there used to be what could be claimed as 'local services' along a long stretch of the ECML from Newcastle.

 

[TGV]

We are using the term "fast service" with a little imagination here aren't we?

EDIT: I've never been on one of those things before, so I'm not sure on what all the fuss is about.

 

[transmanche]

Not mentioned but there is also the Newcastle - Darlington and Newcastle - Middlesbrough via ECML return late night workings (depending on what day of the week) which are usually 142s.

And of course the hourly sprints up the ECML from Newcastle to Morpeth (plus the token service to/from Chathill).

 

[1D53]

Thanks. Going by OpenTrainTimes, 1J01 is allocated to a Sprinter and 1J02 seems to have changed to 2J02 now, but 1F01 and 1F02 at allocated to Pacer units. So that makes three workings on the current timetable.

The 'timing load' for 1J02/1F01/1F02 are all set as Pacer but they are actually booked 150 traction. 1T92 is the only Class 1 actually booked as a Pacer.

 

[shedman]

I was lucky enough to go Leeds to Heaton on a 142 and returned on a 153 a few month back. Both got straight runs on the ECML fasts and the 142 was a great ride as mentioned earlier

 

[ATW Alex 101]

We are using the term "fast service" with a little imagination here aren't we?

EDIT: I've never been on one of those things before, so I'm not sure on what all the fuss is about.

People don't like Pacers because they're noisy,dirty,slow and just generally rubbish. They are made for suburban routes really and not much else. They are also notorious for "nodding" on uneven line, also less notorious for it's squeaking and scraping on curves

 

[theblackwatch]

Many years ago (in the early '90s) I was at York and saw a 142 arrive and depart on a Newcastle-Liverpool service. I'm unsure if it actually went all the way though.

There've been a couple of instances of a 'Pacer' working a Paignton-Paddington service, although they only got as far as Bristol or Swindon.

 

[Lewisham2221]

People don't like Pacers because they're noisy,dirty,slow and just generally rubbish.

Hardly traits specific to Pacers!

 

[TGV]

I bet they're quieter than a TGV-R powercar on full juice!