First batch of withdrawn ‘Pacers’ begin new lives

NOW the last days of ‘Pacers’ are here (RM Jan, p97) the National Railway Museum has added

No. 142001 (DMS No. 55542 and DMSL No. 55592) to the National Collection.

A spokesperson said the type “represents the reality of commuter travel from the 1980s until today”.

The two-car set has been donated by Angel Trains and Northern and was the first of 96 ‘Pacers’ built by BREL at Litchurch Lane, Derby, between 1985 and 1987.

The later Class 143 and 144s, which are also all now being withdrawn, featured upgrades to fittings and performance.

‘Pacer’ four-wheel railbuses, with Leyland National bus bodies, were simple to build, run and maintain, and have provided essential rail transport for commuters in many parts of Northern England, Wales and the West Country since the early-1980s.

Static use

In addition to finding further operational use on heritage railways, three ‘Pacers’ are being donated by Porterbrook to various community organisations in the north by means of the Government-run Transform a Pacer competition.

There are 17 organisations in the running to receive vehicles, including schools, community groups and heritage centres, so these will survive in a variety of static uses, but not really ‘preserved’.

It does not appear to have been stated if they will retain their wheels and underframes requiring a length of track on which to stand.

Set No. 142033 (55574 and 55624) from Northern/Angel Trains has also avoided scrapping, by being delivered in December to the old South Wales Police rugby club ground at Waterton, Bridgend, for emergency services training.

■ See extended story in Traction & Stock news (p98) regarding other ‘Pacer’ placements in preservation.

ALISTAIR GRIEVE Two ‘Pacer’ sets have been delivered to the Chasewater Railway and are seen at Brownhills West on January 12 with Class 08 No. 08359 alongside. No. 142029 (55570 and 55620) arrived just before Christmas and No. 142030 (55571 and 55621) in early January. No. 142030 should have been No. 142003 (55544 and 55594), but this was dispatched to Barrow-in-Furness for storage in error by Northern. No. 142030 was offered instead, not because of its similar number, but because it also retains the original bus seats, like No. 142029, which is what the railway wanted. These have been bought to supplement the railway’s coaching stock as they are ideal for use in the low season or at short notice, as well as enabling other coaches to be taken out of traffic for maintenance. Both units will be repainted, and while ’030’s livery has yet to be finalised, ’029 will be finished in the original, as-delivered pale blue.

NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM Left: Northernliveried ‘Pacer’ set No. 142001 arrived at Locomotion, Shildon on December 18, initially for static display. The intention is to keep the vehicle operational to provide passenger rides on the museum line at a later date.