Class 142 Pacers in service on Devon branch lines, 2007 to 2011 - merged topic

[whole diary]

[inspector_blakey]

Iver also noticed this:

http://units.fotopic.net/p9519929.html

Was this the only WT refurb 158 that had those seats? And were the WT refurb 158s quite like the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) refurb 158s?

Hmm, we're somewhat off-topic here, aren't we?

In answer to your question though, I never saw that unit in traffic, but I wouldn't describe it as a refurb - more a case of new seat covers on the old seats (already refurbished by Wales and West I believe, with Chapman seating, although those used to have an irregular "shades of blue" moquette whcih you can probably still see on some of their 158s that went north) and the odd bit of internal trim. So in fact virtually all of the Wessex 158s had those seats, just with different coverings.

There were a few units done with a more thorough overhaul that included entirely different seating (from what I recall it was a substantially grey seat with a maroon headrest) and carpets, no idea how many. But none of them looked very much like FGW's refurb, it's an entirely different colour scheme and for the most part the seating has been replaced with Richmond seats (although weirdly I think some cars retain their original BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) seats, just with new upholstery, this can vary within a unit in the "hybrid"158s). As far as I can remember the actual layout of the vehicles, in terms of table/unidirectional seating remains much the same.

[smithy]

Iver also noticed this:

http://units.fotopic.net/p9519929.html

Was this the only WT refurb 158 that had those seats? And were the WT refurb 158s quite like the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) refurb 158s?

i think that picture has been doctored.
158749 was refurbed by Wessex at pullmans but it never had them seats fitted,the ex virgin class 158's  747,748,749 and 751 that wessex got were refurbed with the pinky coloured covers and slightly different shaped seats they were very unique.
all the other ex wales and west had the chapman seating but blue/grey coloured cloth

[The SprinterMeister]

I'm currently scavenging through fotopic at the moment, and ive noticed this:

I'd be intereted to know how well it copes with Hemerdon.

142's go up Hemerdon considerably better than a class 153. Better power to weight ratio.

Funnily enough I believe I might be in that picture somewhere!
 

[The SprinterMeister]

Iver also noticed this:

http://units.fotopic.net/p9519929.html

Was this the only WT refurb 158 that had those seats? And were the WT refurb 158s quite like the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) refurb 158s?

That looks to me like the standard late 90's Wales & West refurbished 158 interior, taken with a camera with a serious white balance issue. It certainly isn't 158749 though as 158747-9/51 were refurbished at Barton Hill using different seating to the Chapman type depicted there.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

i hate it when people add text and watermarks to photos it distracts you from the image

[159jim]

It certainly isn't 158749
[/quote]

It is. look through the window of 158749 in this pic:
http://units.fotopic.net/p9519928.html

[vacman]

Although there is no booked 14x diagrams to Plymouth it is not unusual to see a 143 or 142 make it to Plymouth when something has failed, they have on occasions made it to Penzance aswell.

[thetrout]

Off Route, But Pacers used to go down to Westbury, but I haven't seen one there in ages...!

[devon_metro]

Off Route, But Pacers used to go down to Westbury, but I haven't seen one there in ages...!

You might do when the 143 fleet returns to SPM^▸ (St Philip's Marsh (Bristol depot))

[159jim]

There was a FGW^▸ (First Great Western) 142 westbury bound once

[The SprinterMeister]

There was a FGW^▸ (First Great Western) 142 westbury bound once

Probably en route to Reading as some work has been carried out on the 142's there in the past.

[159jim]

It was on a actual passenger service. I saw a picture on Trowbridge Jim's Photo Gallery of it stopping at Bradford-On-Avon with passengers getting on and off. it said westbury on the Dest board.

[devon_metro]

142068 for reference

[smithy]

It was on a actual passenger service. I saw a picture on Trowbridge Jim's Photo Gallery of it stopping at Bradford-On-Avon with passengers getting on and off. it said westbury on the Dest board.

it came off spm ready to go ecs to exe depot but due to failures they utilised it on a btm-wsb service with exe crew and then ecs to exe depot via castle cary

[northwesterntrains]

its not the first time, in-fact its what they were built for, well the branch lines anyway... unfortunately they were not well suited but i dont belive there is any problems on the main line

In the Northern area there are no real real branch lines remaining which have a regular passenger service and there haven't been since before the Pacers were built.  Most of the services that Pacers are used on in the North of England use either the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) or ECML^▸ (East Coast Main Line) for part of their journey.

Pacers actually bounce less while running at 75mph on a mainline than stop-start on a line where the quality of the track could be better.

Pacers do have problems on certain viaducts e.g. Leftwich viaduct in Cheshire and they are banned from lines with steep gradients e.g. Manchester-Buxton, but as pointed out a 153 would not be better suited to a steep gradient over a 142.