If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

Pacers: The End

Discussion in 'Diesel & Electric Traction' started by DismalChips, May 24, 2018.

  1. nine elms fan

    nine elms fan Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2012
    Messages:
    2,439
    Likes Received:
    855
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Wessex
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I keep in touch with a few volunteers who work on various preserved lines, talking toe of them this morning he said he had heard that the Pacer at Eastleigh was going to Swanage.
     
  2. Shaggy

    Shaggy Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2009
    Messages:
    2,501
    Likes Received:
    2,370
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    72B
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I think we've had this mentioned before and it was debunked!
     
  3. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2014
    Messages:
    14,315
    Likes Received:
    16,391
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired, best job I've ever had
    Location:
    Buckinghamshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    My journey was Grove Park to Cannon St on 5EPBs from 1964 to 1973. The BR version were much more rough riding as I remember.
     
  4. nine elms fan

    nine elms fan Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2012
    Messages:
    2,439
    Likes Received:
    855
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Wessex
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Were they the Eastleigh built units!
     
  5. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2014
    Messages:
    14,315
    Likes Received:
    16,391
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired, best job I've ever had
    Location:
    Buckinghamshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I’ve no idea where they were built. There were some four car units and some two car that were built when train lengths were increased from eight to ten cars
     
  6. Romsey

    Romsey Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2007
    Messages:
    3,618
    Likes Received:
    1,636
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired SPM
    Location:
    Close to Spike Island
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Sort of...... many of the underframes were constructed or reconstructed at Lancing and had the bodies fitted at Eastleigh. The underframes in many cases came from early LSWR or SR 3SUB units and the motor bogies were reused as well. More details in "Southern Electric" by David Brown published by Capital Transport.

    Recycling major components carried on until recently with the SR 3rd rail fleet. All the 455's had refurbished traction motors from 4SUB and 4EPB units and the Wessex Electric had traction motors and camshaft controllers from the 4REP units.

    Cheers, Neil
     
    nine elms fan likes this.
  7. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2015
    Messages:
    9,185
    Likes Received:
    7,226
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Thorn in my managers side
    Location:
    72
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    We went to the Dartmouth Steam Railway on Saturday 29th from Dawlish Warren by train.

    Returning from The Land That Taste Forgot, sorry Paignton the train was a 143 + 150

    Oldest son suggested we board the 143 as it might be our last chance to ride one.

    Stunning it aint but it wasnt bad - and the view over the sea walls was excellent

    So, farewell faithful servant, you were never the best but you kept the branch lines open for many years when bustitution beckoned and are not as bad - on CWR at least as some would have us believe
     
    Cartman likes this.
  8. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2014
    Messages:
    17,609
    Likes Received:
    11,222
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    St Leonards
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    have any actually been purchased for preservation? whilst they are hated by some, they did at least keep some branch lines open, if any preserved railways has any ideas of a low cost, shoppers type service at quite times of the year, or to provide a service that does not cost them more than they might take in fares, early season, if they can be purchased cheaply enough, i wonder if the WSR might buy some, to tide them over whilst they rebuild their PW.
     
  9. Victor

    Victor Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2006
    Messages:
    13,773
    Likes Received:
    7,941
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    DEWSBURY West Yorkshire
    :Shifty:.............................:Muted:
     
  10. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2014
    Messages:
    14,315
    Likes Received:
    16,391
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired, best job I've ever had
    Location:
    Buckinghamshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I rarely travel by train but I did have the misfortune to once have to go from Exeter to Barnstaple to pick up a car in one of these things. After that experience I sincerely hope that no proper heritage railway has acquired one. Had I know I would have used the much cheaper and no doubt more comfortable bus service
     
  11. Greenway

    Greenway Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2008
    Messages:
    3,906
    Likes Received:
    3,704
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    South Hams
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I have seen them rattle across the level crossing in Paignton and stood inside one when assisting a relative with luggage. I have never sought a journey in one of them. But, I guess, they served their purpose.
     
  12. Cartman

    Cartman Well-Known Member Account Suspended

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2015
    Messages:
    2,290
    Likes Received:
    1,672
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Van driver
    Location:
    Cheshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    For short distances on CWR they're not bad. They did serves purpose and keep some services going
     
  13. Johann Marsbar

    Johann Marsbar Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2016
    Messages:
    1,588
    Likes Received:
    1,998
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Suffolk
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    A 144 (003) appears to have arived at the GCR(N) at Ruddington on Thursday for preservation.....
     
  14. Shaggy

    Shaggy Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2009
    Messages:
    2,501
    Likes Received:
    2,370
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    72B
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    And there in lies their problem. The lines they were designed for never had CWR. Last travelled on one netween Exeter SD and Barnstaple. On the section to Cowley Bridge, the ride wasn't bad. Beyond there it was bone shaking!
     
    Last edited: Sep 7, 2020
  15. nine elms fan

    nine elms fan Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2012
    Messages:
    2,439
    Likes Received:
    855
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Wessex
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Were you on the sauce when you typed Exeter, its spelt like it would be said when a few pints have been sunk. :rolleyes:
     
  16. Shaggy

    Shaggy Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2009
    Messages:
    2,501
    Likes Received:
    2,370
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    72B
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    :Facepalm: I wish! it is however how you sound when travelling in a pacer of jointed track! :D
     
    Jamessquared likes this.
  17. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Messages:
    7,498
    Likes Received:
    5,455
    He was sat on the Pacer while typing :D

    I must admit one surprising thing to come out of this thread is a lot of members have ridden a Pacer on the Tarka line. I’ll add myself to that list and agree the ride was interesting to say the least....
     
  18. Greenway

    Greenway Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2008
    Messages:
    3,906
    Likes Received:
    3,704
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    South Hams
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I never rode on a Pacer, but in September 1979 I had to travel from London to Cambridge. The first part of the journey, to Bishops Stortford was by an electric MU. Now that was a bone shaker. ! The rest of the journey was by a pleasant DMU.
     
  19. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2009
    Messages:
    8,068
    Likes Received:
    5,164
    Did you mean Cowley Bridge?
     
  20. DismalChips

    DismalChips Member

    Joined:
    Apr 11, 2016
    Messages:
    636
    Likes Received:
    657
    Location:
    9A
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    For people in the North (and by the sounds of it the SW) this is practically unimaginable.
     

Share This Page