Pacer Party
Back in early January 2019, I joined NIGHTSHIFTWORKER on a very enjoyable impromptu tour of the Northwest one evening. The aim was to capture some night shots of some of the multiple units that have unfalteringly served the region - and British public - for many years but are now facing the end of the line. The tour took in Preston and Southport with Class 142 "Pacers" and the Merseyrail Class 507/508s being the main targets. Class 319s also put in a guest appearance.
In this Northern Pacer triple sandwich are 142 034 (left) and 142 047 (right) which were stabled in Platform 5 for a couple of hours in between arriving with the 2L74 19:19 Blackburn to Southport service and then forming 2F75 23:10 Southport to Wigan Wallgate working.
Behind on Platform 6 is 142 041, which was stabled (along with 156 461) in between arriving with the 2L73 18:19 Blackburn to Southport service and leaving a couple of hours later with the 2J73 22:18 Southport to Manchester Victoria working.
The Class 142 Pacers were built at BREL's Derby Litchurch Lane works between 1985 and 1987 - with 96 units built. Infamously a combination of a Leyland Bus body on a freight wagon chassis, the railbuses have been much maligned over the years. However, they have provided an invaluable "stop-gap" solution for regional commuter services for almost three decades. The Pacers do not meet new PRM laws coming in from 2020, so are now nearing the end of their service.
Pacer Party
Back in early January 2019, I joined NIGHTSHIFTWORKER on a very enjoyable impromptu tour of the Northwest one evening. The aim was to capture some night shots of some of the multiple units that have unfalteringly served the region - and British public - for many years but are now facing the end of the line. The tour took in Preston and Southport with Class 142 "Pacers" and the Merseyrail Class 507/508s being the main targets. Class 319s also put in a guest appearance.
In this Northern Pacer triple sandwich are 142 034 (left) and 142 047 (right) which were stabled in Platform 5 for a couple of hours in between arriving with the 2L74 19:19 Blackburn to Southport service and then forming 2F75 23:10 Southport to Wigan Wallgate working.
Behind on Platform 6 is 142 041, which was stabled (along with 156 461) in between arriving with the 2L73 18:19 Blackburn to Southport service and leaving a couple of hours later with the 2J73 22:18 Southport to Manchester Victoria working.
The Class 142 Pacers were built at BREL's Derby Litchurch Lane works between 1985 and 1987 - with 96 units built. Infamously a combination of a Leyland Bus body on a freight wagon chassis, the railbuses have been much maligned over the years. However, they have provided an invaluable "stop-gap" solution for regional commuter services for almost three decades. The Pacers do not meet new PRM laws coming in from 2020, so are now nearing the end of their service.