British Rail Class 142
Encyclopedia
The British Rail Class 142 is a class of Pacer
diesel multiple unit
s used in the United Kingdom. 96 units were built by BREL
in Derby
between 1985 and 1987. They were a development of the earlier Class 141
which were introduced in 1984.
They were initially built for use on rural branch lines. However, as of September 2011 they are mainly used on busy commuter routes in the major cities in the north of England, with some also in use on local services around Cardiff and on Devon branch lines.
Under the Disability Discrimination Act drawn up in the mid 1990s, all public transport will need to be accessible by 2019. Pacers are unable to meet this requirement so will have to be withdrawn by the end of 2019.
bus, many fixtures and fittings of the bus can be found on the trains. Each train has a seating capacity
of any number between 102 and 121 passengers per twin-car set. In theory there should be 106 or 121 seats per unit. However, many units have had seats removed to provide additional space for wheelchair access. The same engines and mechanical transmissions were used as on Class 141
, as well as the double-folding external doors.
Excessive flange squeal on tight curves has been a problem on many routes operated by 142s, caused by the long wheelbase and lack of bogies. The rough ride which can result has led to the units being nicknamed (along with the related ) Nodding Donkeys. The 142s were officially known as "Skippers" when they were briefly allocated to Cornwall in the mid-1980s. They were transferred elsewhere when they proved to be unsuitable for the sharply curved branch lines there.
unit derailed while on route from Blackpool to Liverpool in June 2009.
Detail modification is the replacing of the unreliable double folding doors with standard rigid folding examples used on Class 143 and 144 Pacers. The trains have also had new fire extinguisher equipment fitted, and more importantly, the replacement of the cable worked brakes by direct acting brakes.
Fifteen Valley Lines
operated Pacers have been refurbished. This included an external relivery into the Valley Lines colours of red, white lime green and green. The doors were painted in lime green due to requirements by the 1998 Disability Discrimination Act.
The interior refurbishment included the following:
Unit 142050 was the first Pacer to be fitted with Voith hydraulic transmission - initially on an experimental basis - to see if this configuration would be more reliable than the SCG mechanical gearboxes had been. In early Summer 1988, it was sent to Heaton depot (Newcastle) to work alongside the similarly troubled Class 143s, on what were considered arduous routes. The trial was considered enough of a success for all Pacers to be so converted in due course.
Owing to problems with excessive wheel wear on the sharp curves of the Cornish branches, the units from the West Country (142015-027) were moved north from late Summer 1988 - seven to Heaton depot (Newcastle) and six to Newton Heath depot (Manchester), to help alleviate DMU shortages in those regions. By the mid-1990s, the six former West Country units which had initially gone to Newton Heath were also transferred to Heaton, most / all still wearing their original chocolate and cream livery.
In 1989, Heaton depot implemented a planned Pacer renumbering scheme - which was to cover all Classes 142-144 - in which Class 142s would be renumbered 1422XX (SCG mechanical gearboxes) and 1425XX (Voith hydraulic transmission), thus, their units carried numbers 142516, 142518, 142519, 142520, 142521, 142522 and 142525, and all of their Class 143s were renumbered. However, the other two depots with Pacers, Newton Heath and Neville Hill (Leeds), never implemented this scheme. 142050 was not renumbered 142550, even though it remained allocated to Heaton throughout this time, probably because it was (still) considered to be 'on loan' from one of the other depots for the purpose of the trial. Subsequently, most of the Heaton units received a modified version of Tyne & Wear PTE yellow+white livery from 1992 (after the class 143s originally carrying this livery had transferred to Cardiff), and the opportunity was taken to renumber all back to 1420XX, in line with the rest of the class at the other depots.
Towards the end of the British Rail period, apart from T&WPTE livery mentioned above, other units began to be out-shopped in a revised GMPTE scheme, MerseyRail yellow+white, or standard Regional Railways livery.
Upon the Privatisation of British Rail
, the Class 142 Fleet was divided between North Western Trains in the North West and Northern Spirit in the North East.
Northern Spirit started its operations in 1997 and continued until 2000. At this point, Parent company MTL ran into difficulties and the company was sold to Arriva
, who renamed it as Arriva Trains Northern
.
In the early 2000s ATN swapped 15 Class 142s for Class 150/2 units from Valley Lines.
In 2004 First North Western
and Arriva Trains Northern
were merged into the Northern Rail
franchise, which inherited the combined fleet of 68 Class 142s.
Of the 68 Class 142s, most have been repainted in Northern Rail's dark blue and purple livery, with a small number retaining the Arriva Trains Northern livery. 142009 is named "Newton Heath 125 1876-2001".
Due to rising passenger numbers in the north of England (by about 10% per annum and even by over 25% per annum at some stations where 142s are in operation) some have been replaced by Sprinter trains and there are plans to replace more 142s.
Five 142s in service with First Great Western were returned to Northern Rail in December 2008, the rest returned to Northern by November 2011, much later than originally planned.
Despite being built for branch line stopping services, Class 142s are mainly used urban commuter services in and out of cities like Liverpool
, Manchester
, Sheffield
, Leeds
and Newcastle
and can be seen on longer distance services of up to three hours including the 0656 Middlesbrough-Carlisle service (nearly 110 miles) and had been used on services between Blackpool North to Chester via Stockport, which ceased to operate in December 2008.
Class 142s have operated the following routes:
Northern had wished to dispense with Pacers altogether by 2011. However, it now looks unlikely that they will be dispensed of before the end of the Northern franchise in 2014.
City Lines around Liverpool
which included dot-matrix route indicators, a new design of seating and Merseyrail paintwork. All these sets are now with Northern Rail
and are in their livery.
Valley Lines
acquired their Class 142s by swapping Class 150/2 units with Arriva Trains Northern. The Class 142s were initially painted in Valley Lines livery
Arriva Trains Wales
use their Class 142 Pacer trains on the commuter lines around Cardiff
known as the Valley Lines
. All of their Class 142 Pacer fleet now bear the turquoise and cream house colours of Arriva Trains Wales.
Class 142 units are primarily used on South Wales Valley line routes and routes through the Vale of Glamorgan. The Wales and Borders franchise does not specify the introduction of new rolling stock and Class 142s are likely to be in service until at least 2018. On Valley and Vale of Glamorgan services Class 142s are often coupled together with Class 143 or Class 150 units to cope with demand on the busy Valley Lines network. The Class 142s have received a minor refurbishment with retrimmed seats in new moquette and the installation of ceiling mounted CCTV cameras.
in 2007, and started operations in December 2007. These were loaned from Northern (where they had been stored), in part to cover for refurbishment of FGW's Sprinter fleets but also to allow the Class 158s to be reformed as three coach sets.
The 142s were based at Exeter TMD
, working alongside the similar on services in Devon
and Cornwall
, including the Avocet Line
, Riviera Line
and Tarka Line
.
Five 142s were returned to Northern Rail in the Autumn of 2008, following the completion of the refresh of Class 150 Sprinter units. The remaining seven units were returned to Northern Rail before in November 2011 as they have been replaced by class 150 units cascaded from London Overground
and London Midland
.
Vehicle Number - when built ran like this
1st order 142001-142050 55542-55591 55592-55642
2nd order 142051-142096 55701-55746 55747-55792
unit running empty from Crewe
to Liverpool Lime Street overran a red signal
on the slow line and stopped in the path of the 06:15 London Euston
to Glasgow Central
Virgin Trains
express, hauled by a Class 87
electric locomotive. The impact, which wrote the unit off, severed the Pacer's body from its frames, causing severe internal damage, raising the question of whether Pacers are crashworthy.
On 11 June 2009, a Class 142 (Class 142042) operated by Northern Rail
derailed while on route from Blackpool to Liverpool. All 40 passengers on board escaped serious injury, but one person was taken to hospital with minor injuries. An investigation is currently being carried out, but it has been suspected that a major problem with the engine occurred as passengers saw large parts of it on the track. Problems with engines on 142s have been experienced before.
The ensuing report recommended that they be withdrawn and replaced in the near future with heavier, more sturdy Sprinters. However, as there are no spare Sprinters available, only 142008 and 142059 have been withdrawn, both through accident damage. 142059 was withdrawn in 1990 after colliding with a buffer stop at Liverpool Lime Street. The train had run away down the hill from Edge Hill whilst returning with brake problems. The train was running without passengers at the time and the driver and guard both survived the accident without serious lasting injury. The platforms were evacuated in time before the train struck the buffers.
John Pugh
, the Liberal Democrat
MP for Southport
, has described the 142 trains as "unsafe". However the UK Government's Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon
denied this claim saying, "I would not accept that any of that rolling stock is unsafe", and that they constantly upgrade them. MP John Pugh added that these trains were exacerbating the overcrowding situation due to the lack of seating and space on board them. He is continuing to work to try to get the trains replaced, especially as passenger numbers are expected to increase in the next few years.
A cardan shaft failure led to an incident at on 10 April 2011, injuring a member of the public with a piece of ballast kicked up by the detached shaft.
model first appeared in Hornby Railways
catalogue in 1987; liveries produced included: Provincial (two-tone blue and grey), Greater Manchester PTE (predominantly orange with black/white logos), Regional Railways (blue stripes), Tyne & Wear/Regional Railways (yellow/white), 'Skipper' (Western Region-esque brown/cream for Devon and Cornwall branch services between 1986 and 1987). Merseyrail
(yellow/white) and Arriva Trains (turquoise/cream).
Dapol
announced they are making an n-gauge class 142 in October 2009.
Pacer (train)
Pacer is the operational name of the British Rail Classes 140, 141, 142, 143 and 144 diesel multiple unit railbuses, built between 1984 and 1987...
diesel multiple unit
Multiple unit
The term multiple unit or MU is used to describe a self-propelled carriages capable of coupling with other units of the same or similar type and still being controlled from one driving cab. The term is commonly used to denote passenger trainsets consisting of more than one carriage...
s used in the United Kingdom. 96 units were built by BREL
BREL
British Rail Engineering Limited , was the railway systems engineering division of British Rail, until the design and building of trains in the UK was privatised in 1993. On 31 October 1969, the company was incorporated as British Rail Engineering Limited.-Main products:The vast majority of BREL's...
in Derby
Derby Carriage and Wagon Works
Derby Carriage and Wagon Works was built by the Midland Railway in Derby, England. The plant has been through many changes of ownership and is currently owned by Bombardier Transportation, a subsidiary of Bombardier Inc. of Canada. As of 2011 it is the only remaining passenger rolling stock...
between 1985 and 1987. They were a development of the earlier Class 141
British Rail Class 141
The British Rail Class 141 was the first production model of the Pacer diesel multiple units.-Description:In the early 1980s British Rail were looking to replace the remaining 1950s first generation Diesel Multiple Units on lightly used branchlines...
which were introduced in 1984.
They were initially built for use on rural branch lines. However, as of September 2011 they are mainly used on busy commuter routes in the major cities in the north of England, with some also in use on local services around Cardiff and on Devon branch lines.
Under the Disability Discrimination Act drawn up in the mid 1990s, all public transport will need to be accessible by 2019. Pacers are unable to meet this requirement so will have to be withdrawn by the end of 2019.
Description
The train body is based on that of the original designs of Thomas Kenneth Cullum and the Leyland NationalLeyland National
The Leyland National is a British single-deck bus built in large quantities between 1972 and 1985. It was developed as a joint project between two UK nationalised industries - the National Bus Company and British Leyland. Buses were constructed at a specially built factory at the Lillyhall...
bus, many fixtures and fittings of the bus can be found on the trains. Each train has a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of any number between 102 and 121 passengers per twin-car set. In theory there should be 106 or 121 seats per unit. However, many units have had seats removed to provide additional space for wheelchair access. The same engines and mechanical transmissions were used as on Class 141
British Rail Class 141
The British Rail Class 141 was the first production model of the Pacer diesel multiple units.-Description:In the early 1980s British Rail were looking to replace the remaining 1950s first generation Diesel Multiple Units on lightly used branchlines...
, as well as the double-folding external doors.
Excessive flange squeal on tight curves has been a problem on many routes operated by 142s, caused by the long wheelbase and lack of bogies. The rough ride which can result has led to the units being nicknamed (along with the related ) Nodding Donkeys. The 142s were officially known as "Skippers" when they were briefly allocated to Cornwall in the mid-1980s. They were transferred elsewhere when they proved to be unsuitable for the sharply curved branch lines there.
Upgrades and refurbishments
The class was upgraded in the early 1990s. This was after a number of problems were experienced with the mechanical transmission and engines (including complete seizures), and now all units carry a more powerful engine - 230 bhp per car which equals 460 bhp (340 kW) per twin car unit - and Voith two stage hydraulic transmission, starting with a torque converter which switches to fluid coupling drive once the unit is up to 45 mi/h. This has proven very successful, although incidents have occurred. In 2002 a North Western Trains unit derailed on the Carlisle to Whitehaven line when its engine fell off the chassis, and then a similar incident occurred when a Northern RailNorthern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
unit derailed while on route from Blackpool to Liverpool in June 2009.
Detail modification is the replacing of the unreliable double folding doors with standard rigid folding examples used on Class 143 and 144 Pacers. The trains have also had new fire extinguisher equipment fitted, and more importantly, the replacement of the cable worked brakes by direct acting brakes.
Fifteen Valley Lines
Valley Lines
Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes is the busy network of passenger suburban railway services radiating from Cardiff, Wales. It includes lines within the city itself, the Vale of Glamorgan and the South Wales Valleys....
operated Pacers have been refurbished. This included an external relivery into the Valley Lines colours of red, white lime green and green. The doors were painted in lime green due to requirements by the 1998 Disability Discrimination Act.
The interior refurbishment included the following:
- Installation of non slip vinyl flooring
- Replacement of the existing 2+3 bench style bus seats with Chapman bespoke high backed seats to the 2+2 layout
- Repainted dado side panels and wall ends
- Installation of DPTAC 'easy to see, easy to press' yellow tactile LED Passenger Door Control buttons on a raised rubber surface surround
British Rail Provincial/Regional Railways
From new, some units were painted according to the region they operated in. For example, the first 14 Greater Manchester PTE-sponsored units (142001-014) received GMPTE Orange, then the next 13 WestCountry-based units (142015-027) were painted in a GWR-inspired chocolate and cream livery and marketed as 'Skippers'.. The remaining 69 units (142028-096), initially working across Lancashire / Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Yorkshire, received Provincial railbus two-tone blue livery.Unit 142050 was the first Pacer to be fitted with Voith hydraulic transmission - initially on an experimental basis - to see if this configuration would be more reliable than the SCG mechanical gearboxes had been. In early Summer 1988, it was sent to Heaton depot (Newcastle) to work alongside the similarly troubled Class 143s, on what were considered arduous routes. The trial was considered enough of a success for all Pacers to be so converted in due course.
Owing to problems with excessive wheel wear on the sharp curves of the Cornish branches, the units from the West Country (142015-027) were moved north from late Summer 1988 - seven to Heaton depot (Newcastle) and six to Newton Heath depot (Manchester), to help alleviate DMU shortages in those regions. By the mid-1990s, the six former West Country units which had initially gone to Newton Heath were also transferred to Heaton, most / all still wearing their original chocolate and cream livery.
In 1989, Heaton depot implemented a planned Pacer renumbering scheme - which was to cover all Classes 142-144 - in which Class 142s would be renumbered 1422XX (SCG mechanical gearboxes) and 1425XX (Voith hydraulic transmission), thus, their units carried numbers 142516, 142518, 142519, 142520, 142521, 142522 and 142525, and all of their Class 143s were renumbered. However, the other two depots with Pacers, Newton Heath and Neville Hill (Leeds), never implemented this scheme. 142050 was not renumbered 142550, even though it remained allocated to Heaton throughout this time, probably because it was (still) considered to be 'on loan' from one of the other depots for the purpose of the trial. Subsequently, most of the Heaton units received a modified version of Tyne & Wear PTE yellow+white livery from 1992 (after the class 143s originally carrying this livery had transferred to Cardiff), and the opportunity was taken to renumber all back to 1420XX, in line with the rest of the class at the other depots.
Towards the end of the British Rail period, apart from T&WPTE livery mentioned above, other units began to be out-shopped in a revised GMPTE scheme, MerseyRail yellow+white, or standard Regional Railways livery.
Northern England
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
, the Class 142 Fleet was divided between North Western Trains in the North West and Northern Spirit in the North East.
Northern Spirit started its operations in 1997 and continued until 2000. At this point, Parent company MTL ran into difficulties and the company was sold to Arriva
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
, who renamed it as Arriva Trains Northern
Arriva Trains Northern
Arriva Trains Northern was a train operating company that operated passenger trains in Yorkshire and the North East of England. The company had previously been known as Northern Spirit before being taken over by Arriva....
.
In the early 2000s ATN swapped 15 Class 142s for Class 150/2 units from Valley Lines.
In 2004 First North Western
First North Western
First North Western was a train operating company in the United Kingdom serving North West England. It operated from 1997 to 2004.The company when first privatised was known as North Western Trains and was owned by Great Western Holdings, a partnership between Great Western's management, First...
and Arriva Trains Northern
Arriva Trains Northern
Arriva Trains Northern was a train operating company that operated passenger trains in Yorkshire and the North East of England. The company had previously been known as Northern Spirit before being taken over by Arriva....
were merged into the Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
franchise, which inherited the combined fleet of 68 Class 142s.
Of the 68 Class 142s, most have been repainted in Northern Rail's dark blue and purple livery, with a small number retaining the Arriva Trains Northern livery. 142009 is named "Newton Heath 125 1876-2001".
Due to rising passenger numbers in the north of England (by about 10% per annum and even by over 25% per annum at some stations where 142s are in operation) some have been replaced by Sprinter trains and there are plans to replace more 142s.
Five 142s in service with First Great Western were returned to Northern Rail in December 2008, the rest returned to Northern by November 2011, much later than originally planned.
Despite being built for branch line stopping services, Class 142s are mainly used urban commuter services in and out of cities like Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
and can be seen on longer distance services of up to three hours including the 0656 Middlesbrough-Carlisle service (nearly 110 miles) and had been used on services between Blackpool North to Chester via Stockport, which ceased to operate in December 2008.
Class 142s have operated the following routes:
- Bishop AucklandBishop AucklandBishop Auckland is a market town and civil parish in County Durham in north east England. It is located about northwest of Darlington and southwest of Durham at the confluence of the River Wear with its tributary the River Gaunless...
to SaltburnSaltburn-by-the-SeaSaltburn-by-the-Sea is a seaside resort in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. The town is around east of Middlesbrough, and had a population of 5,912 at the 2001 Census.-Old Saltburn:... - Blackpool SouthBlackpool South railway stationBlackpool South railway station is a single platform stop at the end of the Fylde coast branch line from Kirkham, in Lancashire, England. It is unmanned and has an hourly service daily, except winter Sundays....
to ColneColneColne is the second largest town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England, with a population of 20,118. It lies at the eastern end of the M65, 6 miles north-east of Burnley, with Nelson immediately adjacent, in the Aire Gap with two main roads leading into the Yorkshire...
to Newcastle to , via BarrowBarrow-in-Furness railway stationBarrow-in-Furness railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, England. It is located on the Furness Line to Lancaster and the Cumbrian Coast Line to Workington and Carlisle... - HexhamHexhamHexham is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, located south of the River Tyne, and was the administrative centre for the Tynedale district from 1974 to 2009. The three major towns in Tynedale were Hexham, Prudhoe and Haltwhistle, although in terms of population, Prudhoe was...
to MiddlesbroughMiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
to - HuddersfieldHuddersfieldHuddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
to Manchester Victoria - Huddersfield to SheffieldSheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
- Huddersfield to Liverpool Lime Street
- HullKingston upon HullKingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
to YorkYorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
via SelbySelbySelby is a town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. Situated south of the city of York, along the course of the River Ouse, Selby is the largest and, with a population of 13,012, most populous settlement of the wider Selby local government district.Historically a part of the West Riding...
to HuddersfieldHuddersfieldHuddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city.... - Leeds to Sheffield via BarnsleyBarnsleyBarnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
(stopping service) - Leeds to Sheffield via Wakefield Westgate (stopping service)
- Leeds to York via HarrogateHarrogateHarrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...
- Lincoln Central to Sheffield to via
- Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Victoria, StalybridgeStalybridgeStalybridge is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside in Greater Manchester, England, with a population of 22,568. Historically a part of Cheshire, it is east of Manchester city centre and northwest of Glossop. With the construction of a cotton mill in 1776, Stalybridge became one of...
and Huddersfield - Liverpool Lime Street to
- Manchester Piccadilly to MarpleMarple, Greater ManchesterMarple is a small town within the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Goyt southeast of Stockport.Historically part of Cheshire, Marple has a population of 23,480 .-Toponymy:...
, , - Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield (the Hope Valley lineHope Valley LineThe Hope Valley Line is a railway line in England linking Sheffield with Manchester. It was completed in 1894.From Sheffield, trains head down the Midland Main Line to Dore, where the Hope Valley Line branches off to run through the Totley Tunnel .It emerges in the stunning scenery of the Hope...
) - Manchester Piccadilly to Chester via Stockport and KnutsfordKnutsfordKnutsford is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, in North West England...
- Manchester Victoria to KirkbyKirkbyKirkby is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley in the metropolitan county of Merseyside in England. The town was developed from the 1950s through 1970s as a means to house the overspill of Liverpool. It is situated roughly north of Huyton, the administrative HQ of the borough and about...
and SouthportSouthportSouthport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England... - Manchester Victoria to LeedsLeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
via BrighouseBrighouseBrighouse is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Calder, east of Halifax in the Pennines. It is served by Junction 25 of the M62 motorway and Brighouse railway station on the Caldervale Line and Huddersfield Line. In the... - Manchester Victoria to Leeds via HalifaxHalifax, West YorkshireHalifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
- Manchester Victoria to RochdaleRochdaleRochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
- Metrocentre and Newcastle to MorpethMorpeth, NorthumberlandMorpeth is the county town of Northumberland, England. It is situated on the River Wansbeck which flows east through the town. The town is from the A1, which bypasses it. Since 1981, it has been the administrative centre of the County of Northumberland. In the 2001 census the town had a population...
- MiddlesbroughMiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
to WhitbyWhitbyWhitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a combined maritime, mineral and tourist heritage, and is home to the ruins of Whitby Abbey where Caedmon, the... - Sheffield to ScunthorpeScunthorpeScunthorpe is a town within North Lincolnshire, England. It is the administrative centre of the North Lincolnshire unitary authority, and had an estimated total resident population of 72,514 in 2010. A predominantly industrial town, Scunthorpe, the United Kingdom's largest steel processing centre,...
- StockportStockportStockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
to StalybridgeStalybridgeStalybridge is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside in Greater Manchester, England, with a population of 22,568. Historically a part of Cheshire, it is east of Manchester city centre and northwest of Glossop. With the construction of a cotton mill in 1776, Stalybridge became one of...
(NB: One train a week in one direction only) - WakefieldWakefieldWakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
to Selby via Huddersfield and BradfordBradfordBradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897... - Wrexham Central to BidstonBidstonBidston is a suburb of Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Administratively, it is also a ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. Before local government reorganisation on 1 April 1974, it was part of the County Borough of Birkenhead, within the geographical county of Cheshire...
(No longer used due route being transferred to the Wales franchise)
Northern had wished to dispense with Pacers altogether by 2011. However, it now looks unlikely that they will be dispensed of before the end of the Northern franchise in 2014.
Merseyside
A number of trains were refurbished for use on the Merseyside PTEMerseyside Passenger Transport Executive
The Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive is the Passenger Transport Executive responsible for the coordination of public transport in the metropolitan county of Merseyside, England...
City Lines around Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
which included dot-matrix route indicators, a new design of seating and Merseyrail paintwork. All these sets are now with Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
and are in their livery.
Wales
Valley Lines
Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes is the busy network of passenger suburban railway services radiating from Cardiff, Wales. It includes lines within the city itself, the Vale of Glamorgan and the South Wales Valleys....
acquired their Class 142s by swapping Class 150/2 units with Arriva Trains Northern. The Class 142s were initially painted in Valley Lines livery
Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches...
use their Class 142 Pacer trains on the commuter lines around Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
known as the Valley Lines
Valley Lines
Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes is the busy network of passenger suburban railway services radiating from Cardiff, Wales. It includes lines within the city itself, the Vale of Glamorgan and the South Wales Valleys....
. All of their Class 142 Pacer fleet now bear the turquoise and cream house colours of Arriva Trains Wales.
Class 142 units are primarily used on South Wales Valley line routes and routes through the Vale of Glamorgan. The Wales and Borders franchise does not specify the introduction of new rolling stock and Class 142s are likely to be in service until at least 2018. On Valley and Vale of Glamorgan services Class 142s are often coupled together with Class 143 or Class 150 units to cope with demand on the busy Valley Lines network. The Class 142s have received a minor refurbishment with retrimmed seats in new moquette and the installation of ceiling mounted CCTV cameras.
South West England
Twelve Class 142 Pacers were received by First Great WesternFirst Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
in 2007, and started operations in December 2007. These were loaned from Northern (where they had been stored), in part to cover for refurbishment of FGW's Sprinter fleets but also to allow the Class 158s to be reformed as three coach sets.
The 142s were based at Exeter TMD
Exeter TMD
Exeter TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Exeter, Devon, England, next to the city's main St Davids station. The depot is operated by First Great Western.There are 12 roads, the Traction Maintenance Depot can hold 2 sets of vehicles...
, working alongside the similar on services in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, including the Avocet Line
Avocet Line
The Avocet Line is the railway line in England connecting Exeter with Exmouth. It was originally built by the London and South Western Railway. The line follows the Exe Estuary for most of its route, giving views of the estuary...
, Riviera Line
Riviera Line
The Riviera Line is a local railway line that connects the city of Exeter to the "English Riviera" resorts of Torbay in Devon, England. It is closely linked with the Exeter to Plymouth Line with which it shares the route along the South Devon sea wall...
and Tarka Line
Tarka Line
The Tarka Line is a railway line from Exeter to Barnstaple in Devon, England. The line follows the River Creedy, River Yeo and River Taw for some of its route...
.
Five 142s were returned to Northern Rail in the Autumn of 2008, following the completion of the refresh of Class 150 Sprinter units. The remaining seven units were returned to Northern Rail before in November 2011 as they have been replaced by class 150 units cascaded from London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
and London Midland
London Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
.
Fleet details
| Class | Operator | No. Built | Year Built | Cars per Set | Unit nos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 142 | Arriva Trains Wales Arriva Trains Wales Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches... |
15 | 1985–1987 | 2 | 142002, 142006, 142010, 142069, 142072 - 142077, 142080 - 142083, 142085 |
| Northern Rail Northern Rail Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems... |
79 | 142001, 142003 - 142005, 142007, 142009, 142011 - 142058, 142060 - 142068, 142070, 142071, 142078, 142079, 142084, 142086 - 142096 |
Vehicle Number - when built ran like this
1st order 142001-142050 55542-55591 55592-55642
2nd order 142051-142096 55701-55746 55747-55792
Accidents
There have been a number of accidents involving Class 142 Pacer trains since their introduction, the most serious of which happened at Winsford in 1999. The driver of a First North WesternFirst North Western
First North Western was a train operating company in the United Kingdom serving North West England. It operated from 1997 to 2004.The company when first privatised was known as North Western Trains and was owned by Great Western Holdings, a partnership between Great Western's management, First...
unit running empty from Crewe
Crewe railway station
Crewe railway station was completed in 1837 and is one of the most historic railway stations in the world. Built in fields near to Crewe Hall, it originally served the village of Crewe with a population of just 70 residents...
to Liverpool Lime Street overran a red signal
Signal passed at danger
A Signal passed at danger , in British railway terminology, occurs when a train passes a stop signal without authority to do so. It is a term primarily used within the British Railway Industry, although it can be applied worldwide.-Categories of SPAD:...
on the slow line and stopped in the path of the 06:15 London Euston
Euston railway station
Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line...
to Glasgow Central
Glasgow Central station
Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line railway terminals in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. The station was opened by the Caledonian Railway on 31 July 1879 and is currently managed by Network Rail...
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
express, hauled by a Class 87
British Rail Class 87
The British Rail Class 87 is a type of electric locomotive built from 1973-75 by British Rail Engineering Limited . 36 of these locomotives were built to work passenger services over the West Coast Main Line . They were the flagships of British Rail's electric locomotive fleet until the late 1980s,...
electric locomotive. The impact, which wrote the unit off, severed the Pacer's body from its frames, causing severe internal damage, raising the question of whether Pacers are crashworthy.
On 11 June 2009, a Class 142 (Class 142042) operated by Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
derailed while on route from Blackpool to Liverpool. All 40 passengers on board escaped serious injury, but one person was taken to hospital with minor injuries. An investigation is currently being carried out, but it has been suspected that a major problem with the engine occurred as passengers saw large parts of it on the track. Problems with engines on 142s have been experienced before.
The ensuing report recommended that they be withdrawn and replaced in the near future with heavier, more sturdy Sprinters. However, as there are no spare Sprinters available, only 142008 and 142059 have been withdrawn, both through accident damage. 142059 was withdrawn in 1990 after colliding with a buffer stop at Liverpool Lime Street. The train had run away down the hill from Edge Hill whilst returning with brake problems. The train was running without passengers at the time and the driver and guard both survived the accident without serious lasting injury. The platforms were evacuated in time before the train struck the buffers.
John Pugh
John Pugh
John David Pugh is a Liberal Democrat politician in the United Kingdom. He is Member of Parliament for Southport...
, the Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
MP for Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
, has described the 142 trains as "unsafe". However the UK Government's Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon
Geoff Hoon
Geoffrey "Geoff" William Hoon is a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Ashfield from 1992 to 2010...
denied this claim saying, "I would not accept that any of that rolling stock is unsafe", and that they constantly upgrade them. MP John Pugh added that these trains were exacerbating the overcrowding situation due to the lack of seating and space on board them. He is continuing to work to try to get the trains replaced, especially as passenger numbers are expected to increase in the next few years.
A cardan shaft failure led to an incident at on 10 April 2011, injuring a member of the public with a piece of ballast kicked up by the detached shaft.
In model form
A 142 OO gaugeOO gauge
OO gauge or OO scale model railways are the most popular standard-gauge model railway tracks in the U.K. This track gauge is one of several 4mm-scale standards used, but it is the only one to be served by the major manufacturers...
model first appeared in Hornby Railways
Hornby Railways
Hornby Railways is the leading brand of model railway in the United Kingdom. Its roots date back to 1901, when founder Frank Hornby received a patent for his Meccano construction toy. The first clockwork train was produced in 1920. In 1938, Hornby launched its first 00 gauge train...
catalogue in 1987; liveries produced included: Provincial (two-tone blue and grey), Greater Manchester PTE (predominantly orange with black/white logos), Regional Railways (blue stripes), Tyne & Wear/Regional Railways (yellow/white), 'Skipper' (Western Region-esque brown/cream for Devon and Cornwall branch services between 1986 and 1987). Merseyrail
Merseyrail
Merseyrail is a train operating company and commuter rail network in the United Kingdom, centred on Liverpool, Merseyside. The network is predominantly electric with diesel trains running on the City Line. Two City Line branches are currently being electrified on the overhead wire AC system with...
(yellow/white) and Arriva Trains (turquoise/cream).
Dapol
Dapol
Dapol Ltd is a Welsh model railway manufacturer based in Chirk, Wales. The factory where design and manufacturing take place is just over the border in England.The Dapol trading name is known for its model railway products in N and OO gauges.-History:...
announced they are making an n-gauge class 142 in October 2009.