The joy of Pacers.

[daccer]

ive never had the joy of a trip in a pacer but going from various forums one would be led to believe that when they are finally gone 90% of the railways issues will disappear with them. The only thing in their defence I can muster is that railway history is littered with examples of over engineered very expensive failures. The Pacer concept is probably the most extreme example of cheap and cheerful working and allied to its longevity probably represents money well spent. still all good things must come to an end..

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

If step-access is said to be something to eradicate on the bus fleets, it should also be something to eradicate on the passenger-carrying railway rolling stock.

 

[overtonchris]

Love the thread title

I have a love/hate thing with pacers. My natural urge is to snarl at them but and I think it's because I now live many hundreds of miles from them, I do kind of like them.

I used to get a 142 to and from college about ten years ago. Now I did whoop and jump for joy when I looked down the line of a morn and see a 150/153 or heaven sent a 156. That is understandable though.

Back then whatever TOC it was - Frist North Western? got hold of a Valley lines livered 142 for a few months. Wow, that thing was something else. Remember how amazed I was the first time that turned up and I got a ride on it's 'proper' seats and not the usual bus seats. I was all confused - 'A 142 but it looks like a real train inside?!'

I do believe i'll miss them when they do go.

There is certainly nothing else like them!

What can be said that is good about them? - A Northern commuter can say to his South Eastern counterpart that they can keep their shiny, long, modern, safe train. For his has a toilet.
Also that area behind the driver's cab by the doors is quite roomy. Bikes and pushchairs, even both at the same time are not a problem for this area.
Gives the pacer a nice open feeling.

Ending on a serious note though. Death traps, we all know what happened at Winsford. It is a disgrace that they allowed anywhere near mainlines and proper trains. A proper train and a pacer smash into one another and the folk on the proper train will rue the spilt coffees, the folk in the pacer will be dead - the lot of 'em.

Death trap on wheels aside, God bless the crazy, bus come train, nodding, rattling, bouncing things.

Bodie, this really made me smile. I've got a similar feeling about the little devils - without your experience of travelling (suffering?) on them, me being a dedicated "suvverner". I did however do a trip last October from Leeds to Blackpool on a 142 (I was expecting a 158, but what do I know?).....Well, STUFF Alton Towers....the pacer gave a much scarier ride!!!... and for soooo much longer!! I actually enjoyed it - nice big windows, cracking views, bags of space, very friendly chatty Northern guard AND the thing run to perfect time.

Saying all that though, I'm not sure I'd want a packed- out commute on one every day - especially not with a hangover!!!!!!

 

[43074]

I was on a 143 in Devon last year and was pleasantly surprised, actually enjoying the experience! The big windows gave some fantastic views along the sea wall and the ride quality was not as bad as I was expecting it to be.

I haven't had the experience of travelling on a 142 yet though, so that could change my opinion!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

In idle moments where day-dreaming can occur, I have often wondered if Carlsberg had made Pacers, if they would have been the best in the world..

 

[FQ]

I was on a 143 in Devon last year and was pleasantly surprised, actually enjoying the experience! The big windows gave some fantastic views along the sea wall and the ride quality was not as bad as I was expecting it to be.

I haven't had the experience of travelling on a 142 yet though, so that could change my opinion!

You should have got on a class 43 HST because then you can put your head out of the window and get a much better view of the sea and you can actually hear the sea instead of your brain sloshing out through your ears on a 143.

 

[Beveridges]

Not only are Northerns trains rubbish they haven't made the best out of the interiors. If they are keeping the old rubbisb rolling stock at least refurbish it to the standard of the other TOCs.

 

[TheKnightWho]

You should have got on a class 43 HST because then you can put your head out of the window and get a much better view of the sea and you can actually hear the sea instead of your brain sloshing out through your ears on a 143.

Until your brain really does slosh out of your ears when you hit something trackside.

 

[43074]

You should have got on a class 43 HST because then you can put your head out of the window and get a much better view of the sea and you can actually hear the sea instead of your brain sloshing out through your ears on a 143.

Until your brain really does slosh out of your ears when you hit something trackside.

Indeed, as much as I enjoy travelling on HSTs I don't normally lean out of the windows at 90+mph... I tend to prefer to arrive at my destination alive and well, thank you very much fishquinn

 

[Emyr]

Didn't Quentin Blake illustrate a suitably gory guide to railway use that highlighted that hazard?

 

[RichmondCommu]

You should have got on a class 43 HST because then you can put your head out of the window and get a much better view of the sea and you can actually hear the sea instead of your brain sloshing out through your ears on a 143.

This reminds me of the Young Ones and in particular Vyvyan!

 

[GatwickDepress]

Didn't Quentin Blake illustrate a suitably gory guide to railway use that highlighted that hazard?

Yup, for Roald Dahl's Book of Railway Safety. A very "cars are evil, trains in the good old days, playing football in the park, jumpers for goalposts, marvellous" kind of vibe to it imo.

This page has that picture about halfway-down. I love his expression!

 

[krus_aragon]

In idle moments where day-dreaming can occur, I have often wondered if Carlsberg had made Pacers, if they would have been the best in the world..

Probably...

 

[Emyr]

142022, proper seats, 2+2... shame I was standing.

 

[Jones]

http://www.pacerpreservationsociety.co.uk

They have their fans

 

[yorksrob]

There was someone on here a while ago who said they preferred travelling on a pacer to an EPB.

One tries to understand both viewpoints, but sometimes the leap in understanding is just too vast to be comprehensible !

 

[Dunc108]

One thing I find is 143 and 144s look more like other trains compared to the 142s has anyone else noticed this?

Yes I have to agree on that one. Even though both classes 'bounce' 144s have a noticeably better ride than a 142. It wouldn't surprise me if the 143s & 144s survived the longest in traffic of the Pacer fleets.