Update: Northern Class 144

[Shaw S Hunter]

Of the Pacers, the "least-worst" are in my opinion the Northern Spirit refurbished 142s.

They're the best of the 142's I think.

Unless you are travelling with a buggy or push-bike. Those sets have no stowage area and as such are utterly useless in this day and age. And while the seats may *look* comfortable that's not the reality for anyone much over 5'6" tall. The sooner those sets go the better!

 

[yorksrob]

Unless you are travelling with a buggy or push-bike. Those sets have no stowage area and as such are utterly useless in this day and age. And while the seats may *look* comfortable that's not the reality for anyone much over 5'6" tall. The sooner those sets go the better!

Were someone inclined to do so, it would be relatively straight forward to remove some seats to form a stowage area.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

Unless you are travelling with a buggy or push-bike. Those sets have no stowage area and as such are utterly useless in this day and age. And while the seats may *look* comfortable that's not the reality for anyone much over 5'6" tall. The sooner those sets go the better!

I'm 5'7" and to an extent, I find the seats comfortable. Its just the leg room that does it for me as my knees are jamming into the seat in front. Now this lass I'm trying to pull is 5'5", so she'll find it more comfortable than I do.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Were someone inclined to do so, it would be relatively straight forward to remove some seats to form a stowage area.

... thereby reducing the seating capacity still further. They really are hopeless units these days for any operation in/out of the north's major centres.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Unless you are travelling with a buggy or push-bike. Those sets have no stowage area and as such are utterly useless in this day and age. And while the seats may *look* comfortable that's not the reality for anyone much over 5'6" tall. The sooner those sets go the better!

As I stated, it was an opinion. I'm 5'8" and have no issues with the seats. The bike/pushchair issue is not something that affects me- though I agree that ideally those issues would be dealt with. At least the end is in sight with regard to Pacers in the North, but I'd hope that the ones we have to put up with the longest are the ones I consider the best of a bad bunch! In reality the 142s as they're run down in late 2019 will most likely be withdrawn as they reach limits on when exams are due- rather than which ones have the best seats.

I'm 5'7" and to an extent, I find the seats comfortable. Its just the leg room that does it for me as my knees are jamming into the seat in front. Now this lass I'm trying to pull is 5'5", so she'll find it more comfortable than I do.

Good luck, I guess...

... thereby reducing the seating capacity still further. They really are hopeless units these days for any operation in/out of the north's major centres.

I agree, but we are where we are. Complaining about Pacers is pointless. There's a saying: "you can only defecate with the hind-quarters you've got". We'll just have to put up with the Pacers for another 2 years or so, but at least the end is in sight. The light at the end of the tunnel is the light of an oncoming 195, one could say!

 

[theblackwatch]

I'm not sure this is big news, these release dates were published in the Northern franchise agreement (see pages 146-148) last year and appeared in Rail Express and other mags last summer.

Given the 144s could be modified to work beyond 31/12/19, removing them from service earlier than the 142s would given the opportunity to undertake the mods in time to enable them to replace, for example, the Valley Lines 142s at the end of 2019.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

144s playing up at Huddersfield this morning. 013 in platform 4 with a fault of some sort. 023 in to recover and form the 1101 but crew unable to release brakes on 013 after 5 attempts. 023 now set to run solo, so no 5-car mega-pacer for me today... 013 currently stuck near the split between 4a/b. Hopefully they'll get it shifted before 1745 when the only service through the whole of p4 is due! 023 just departing now 13 down.