Thank you for a very fair appraisal of the Class 143 Pacers ! They were certainly noisy, and squealed badly on sharp bends ! As you rightly say, considering they were built to a very cheap specification, the fact they have lasted for 35 instead of 20 years is remarkable ! All credit to the Engineers who looked after them too.
I used to use these horrid boxes on wheels in the early 90's between Sheffield and Huddersfield. They were noisy, uncomfortable (the heating in the winter I think had 2x settings - The centre of the sun, or off), and just awful to ride in. You could not have a conversation when onboard, especially in the summer when those windows acted like a huge greenhouse on even the luke warm of days, and all the windows were flung open. They needed scrapping then. The fact that its 2021, and they have only just been retired, is quite amazing....
The next inbound service is the Class 143 Pacer to Newport Sims Metals. Calling at Newport Sims Metals only. This service is not a return service and will be demolished upon arrival at Newport Sims Metals. Thank you for your co-operation.
@@chrisinnes2128 What would you have suggested instead? More Sprinters? Areas like Scotland never entertained them, others like Cornwall had them ousted earlier on due to their acute unsuitability. I think their role as stopgaps (rather than close lines altogether) wasn't fully misguided, though they were never intended to last this long. Of course, that's easy for me to say, living in the Home Counties, where we were largely devoid of the things!
@@MIKIEC71 Yes, I had plenty of rides on them though. I had a cousin who lived near Shaw & Crompton Station on the Oldham Loop, (now Metrolink, but then with Pacers mostly), my first journey on one was from Plymouth to Newquay (the squeals on leaving Par were unbelievable, no wonder they left Cornwall soon after), and one of my last journeys on one was from Fishguard to Cardiff connecting with the ship from Rosslaire!! Plus journeys from Preston to Colne, Lancaster to Heysham...thankfully no more!
Used to travel on these a lot in South Wales - first time I got on one I thought I had boarded a maintenance train by mistake (surely a passenger train wouldn't be that noisy !) As to the three days of good weather - I always seemed to be stuck at signals gasping for air at those very small open windows due to the sauna temperatures !
I remember a Bristow cartoon where the train crew said they were turning up the aircon to a higher temperature and moving at a snails pace and the other guy says “love it-love it”
I'm surprised you didn't bump into Geoff Marshall..... I rode these many years ago when visited my friend in Merthyr. Back then they were the old style seats, which I prefer.
My only Pacer ride was on the Harrogate Loop line out of Leeds to York. Bouncy, loud, screeching on curves, overcrowded and hot. So you really had it good on this run! Please come back to Wales: there's a long distance run from Milford Haven to Manchester, and hopefully the loco-hauled Cardiff to Holyhead (or Bangor?) dining car express will soon be back in service. Looking forward to your review of the HST Castle Class service. I look forward to your videos every week. Well done!
Used to go on the pacers from Salford Crescent to Entwistle, where there is a rather nice pub. Inevitably, we would be absolutely plastered on the last train back at night. On one occasion, a little lad with us climbed onto the luggage rack and crawled through the supporting bracket (had to be seen to be believed). Many other stories of riding those things. This was back in the day of the bus seats. Happy memories.
Diolch yn fawr, Dylan! I once travelled from Cardiff to Bridgend by. Pacer and lived to tell the tale. Seventy or so mph in a Pacer was so hilariously frightening that I never did it again .. .
I've suffered in crowded Pacers between Manchester and Sheffield quite a few times. On one occasion we were packed in like sardines and the driver couldn't get to his cab, we all had to shuffle round to let him through. On another occasion I broke my journey between Leeds and Sheffield at Wakefield to wait for a proper train. It was the engine noise as much as the screeching on corners that got to me.
Thanks for the video, very nice as usual! I used to take the GWR Pacers very frequently for a year, commuting from Exeter to Barnstaple and back. That is an old, single track, very scenic route along the river Exe but with lots of bends and old bumpy tracks. Beautiful scenery but it took 70 minutes for an odd 35 miles, with lots and lots of screeching and bumping around. Winter mornings were particularly freezing with a few sparse heaters here and there under some seats (just like in buses!). I used to be able to see my breath inside the train. I would cover myself well, try to make myself less uncomfortable in the tiny leg space, and try to catch a little shut-eye while being shaken around, lullabied by screeching metal... Not the best experience, I can tell you that! I have the same perversion as many traino-philes of enjoying rides on old, outdated and semi-broken machines, but I am glad they are leaving regular service. Being from Greece, I recall different but similarly dodgy experiences with the old Craiova diesel engines that OSE used to have until the late 90s. Roaring powerful engines, smokey as hell and running a 1 in 3 chance to break down in the middle of a mountain pass...
Hi guys. I don't really like Pacers, but the last ones were better because they were more comfortable. A 35 year stop gap until: GWR 800s send HSTs to Regional routes, HSTs send Sprinters to routes that replace Pacers. TFW 769s temporarily replace Pacers until the 756s and 398s come Northern 195 and 331s directly replace Pacers, and send the Sprinters around Manchester to the Northeast to replace the Pacers there.
When you think that these trains were built back in the days when many routes on Southern still had the old slam-door VEPs or CIGs, they may have been cheap, but they were also very state-of-the-art!
@@sapphireseptember They weren't that little, serving the main lines between London and the South Coast. The CIG/BIGs were the most comfortable, although not as comfortable as the compartment trains of my youth....
Travelled in these many times on the Exmouth branch. You are right about the ride. If the track is good they are "ok", but back in the day before CWR on the branch the ride was all over the place. The up/down bouncing was notable, hence the "nodding donkey" epithet. Won't miss them. Always avoided them on mixed stock like the one you reviewed.
The screeching reminds me of how the subway here in New York used to be before they got better equipment and welded all the rails, and those trains actually had all 8 wheels, so I have no idea why they were so noisy! Our only time in Wales was the north coast line to Holyhead, it’s a nice line with the sea on one side, and there’s also Conwy Castle.
You should have heard the screeching on the tight curves in Cornwall, when they were first introduced back in 1987. They were promptly withdrawn from there about a year later because of there being too many routes with such curves in the area. My first ever journey on one was from Plymouth all the way to Newquay. You should have heard the wheel flanges on leaving Par!! And I'm told Liskeard to Coombe Junction on the Looe branch was even worse!
@@ianmcclavin It's odd that no-one assessed the suitability of these fixed-axle coaches for negotiating sharp curves: I've always thought that such an assessment was essential for safety reasons, at least.
@@None-zc5vg Yes, the following year, 1988, I went to see my cousin and his wife who had moved to Old Crompton, which is near Shaw & Crompton station, now part of the Metrolink (then just called "Shaw," and part of the national network). There were Pacers, Sprinters, and even what we would now call the odd "Heritage Unit" on the line then. Some of the Pacers were still carrying "Devon & Cornwall" maps inside, from their previous experiences! Also, the first time I used the line, the Pacer started malfunctioning with the engine, and we were delayed by about 10-15 minutes, at a place called "Failsworth," ironically..
Another great video Dylan. As an infrequent railway traveller I never found the Pacers that bad. You have to remember they were introduced as a VERY cheap means of keeping some lines open and should be applauded for that. They were kept running too long. I have to say that if I have a journey to make and given the option of a Pacer or a normal bus. I'd pick the Pacer option without a doubt.
My Pacer experience was one of a rough (getting thrown around) noisy ride between Barnstaple and Exeter St Davids, GWR still seem to be using one or two on Exmouth/Paignton services. The scrap heap is where they deserve to be!.
What are the new class 158s like Brian? I live in Bideford and haven’t had chance to use them yet, once the COVID dies down I will have to have a ride down to Exeter :-)
@@littleratbag1111 The 158's are fine, the only real issue I have with them is the poor leg room, I am only 5'7'' (172cm) and the seat I was sat in my knees almost touched the back of the seat in front!. GWR seem to be using class 150's a lot on this route. The 158's in my opinion are no where near as comfortable as SWR's 159's.
Yes I’ve used them for many years. My local train from my local station. I didn’t realise they were withdrawn from service and I’m thrilled. The shrieking is due to the wheel configuration, they should have had eight wheels on two bogies. The replacements are cast offs from Thames Link but should be a slight improvement.!
Yes, while you have to feel a bit sorry for passengers around Manchester and The Valleys that they are getting 35-year-old cast-offs from London, the Flex units (or original 319 configurations for some of the trains around Manchester) are still a heck of a sight better than the Pacers and Sprinters that they are replacing ... so it is a step forwards, even if not a very big one. But remember that the Flex trains for South Wales are only a stop-gap until the actual new new trains come along in a couple of years' time, whereas Northern seems to be looking to keep theirs.
Was certainly a nice shock to see my old uni trek on this channel. Not surprised that you filled the trip between Abercynon and after Troedyrhiw with b-roll as it's the most unspectacular stretch of trees and hills in south wales, as I'm sure you can attest to!
Second comment. Those trains look like they're beautifully maintained. Clean. Pity air conditioning couldn't be retrofitted along with handicapped access. You picked a gorgeous day for this one.
Were you watching the same video as me? Granted the seats were better than what I remembered but the rest looked pretty awful to me - and no serviceable toilets.
The Millennium Stadium (now called the Principality Stadium) is built on the site of the old Cardiff Arms Park. They reused the land just like what they did with Wembley Stadium. Traveled on a Pacer a few times between Manchester Victoria and Ashton Under Lyne. More rattles than Mothercare and very uncomfortable when you’re 6’6”. Thankfully it was only a journey of 10 minutes and one stop.
I have a feeling that the unit here was one that once had Metro livery running Leeds to Skipton when it had its original bus seats with the chromed hand rail/head rest
Have been there in 2010 when they were the backbone of Cardiff suburban transport. And by age easily topped by the bubble car going forth and back between Queen Street and Bay. They were not that bad compared to their reputation. As a rail geek I liked them for their extraordinaryness.
Hey friend, my name is Marcos, I'm from Brazil, I like to watch videos, I've dreamed of being a machinist since I was a child, congratulations on the videos
Those refurbished Pacers in Wales were luxurious compared to the ones run by Northern Rail around Manchester. For shortish journeys the Welsh ones were ok. The bus seats on the Northern ones were bad but the very worst were the little individual seats. They were almost designed to be uncomfortable, offering no support at all. They were never refurbished. I have travelled on them on rainy winter days with water sloshing about in the overhead light fittings and where the conductor had to kick the folding doors at each stop to make them close. The journey from Southport to Manchester took 45 minutes in the 1920s. It took the Pacers 1 1/2 hours to do it. They were awful from the day they were introduced until the day they were taken out of service.
As someone who occasionally travelled to Blackpool and Preston on the stopping train (I grew up in Kirkham but at the wrong end of town for the station, so would more often get the bus for convenience) Pacers were the bane of my life, especially if I was getting the last train home. They don’t mix well with beer and youthful enthusiasm.
Great video Dylan! I love the vinyl that says “these trains will terminate soon”. I never had the chance to go on one but they’re now classics in their own right.
Great shot of the whole train; you're right, it looks like a bus. Overall, probably ok for a short ride, but no restroom in the car, no a/c, no catering or seat service, and enough stops to make you feel stress, I think it was time they traded them in for something newer and more luxurious. Price was ok and flexibility between trains was a nice bonus. Looking forward to your report on the modern train you passed on the way.
@@thatlonewolfguy2878 (from the TfW website) "However, not all the Pacers are heading for the scrapyard. On 15 February, unit 142006 headed for its second career on the Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway, a heritage railway based at Cynheidre, Carmarthenshire. Several Class 143s have also been earmarked for preservation, and their next homes will be revealed over the coming months."
Class 143 Pacer to Newport Sims Metals. Calling at Newport Sims Metals only. This is a one way service and will be immediately demolished upon arrival. Thank you.
@@thatlonewolfguy2878: Don't know whether you're referring to the Pacer family or just 143s, but one already ran away while it was being delivered for preservation. (That's on top of the already preserved 141 unit!)
It's perhaps surprising how many Pacers have been acquired by various Heritage Railways and such-like around G.B. - nearly 40 x 142/143's and almost all of the 144's. I expect they want something cheap and 'cheerful'(?).
Remember the pacers coming into service, spent many an hour travelling from my then hometown, Cleethorpes to Yorkshire on them. They were bumpy as hell, very squeaky, but will miss them
Hey man, just discovered your channel, absolutely love the content, written style, etc.. it's awesome to watch and chillax at the end of a stressful day! Thank you! 🤗❤️
You might want to change the text on your film Dylan. The Welsh language may well not be spoken by many but in North Wales, and West and Mid Wales it's actually the main language used and most people in these areas are Welsh first language. It's actually a language that's on the increase so some people may be offended by that comment.
I never really hated the Pacers but they lasted well past their sell by date. On the other hand they kept some services going that might otherwise have been cut altogether.
I was there from Friday 28th may best 5 days of bright sunny weather in a while stayed with my uncle a toured - he lives in Pontypridd but showed me almost all there is to see in Wales - Its so much better than seeing it from a screen - You have to visit! Going back soon sure 👍
I was on a fairly-full Class 142 Pacer out of Lime Street one time and it was grinding away so much that I honestly didn't think we were going to get to the top of the incline into Edge Hill station. We only just made it - at a very slow crawl!
Ah yes, I remember these when visiting family in Trehafod. You could tell when a pacer was pulling into the station from two miles away by the flange squeel that resonated around the valleys.
I have travelled on the Pacer trains more times than I care to remember. Even some journeys with the old style coach seats. You tend to get to love them in the end, even with all that screeching and bouncing. Kind of sad to see them go. I would have loved to have met you, if you had said you was coming to south wales. Could have travelled on a few trains whilst you was here. Also, sometimes we do have more than 3 days of sun, not often but it does happen. Just a sidenote, you got the name of the River Taff spelt correctly going into Cardiff, but as you go to the valleys, you named it the River Tiff. Till next time. Keep up the good work and stay safe.
Nice to see you in Wales. Ive been waiting patiently LOL...... Barry was the home to Woodhams scrap yard. The yard that's considered by some to be the saviour of heritage steam locomotives in the UK. When i was younger you could walk through the fence and mingle amongst them, 100's of Locos. Please come back to Wales, ride the class 175 (coming to end of life as well) all the way down to Milford Haven. Sit on the left side for coastal views. Or do the heart of Wales run, fantastic scenery but it stops about a million times.
Great tribute video Dylan! I've only travelled on them in Greater Manchester. Personally couldn't stand the things. My best friend still taunts me about the journey to this day :-)
@@paulbaker654 Daft question, but do you mean Pacers or Tube trains? I know Pacers only have four wheels as opposed to the eight of most other trains*, but I don't know how that system is different to bogies (and what is the Pacer wheel system called?) I don't know an awful lot about Tube trains, and I was asking why they're so noisy! *FLIRT trains spring to mind, don't know why they look so odd, or why their horn sounds like a strangled duck!
@@sapphireseptember I’m no expert but bogies can rotate relative to the coach body. Therefore when going round a sharp curve the front and rear bogies can be at different angles to accommodate the bend. If a coach has only 4 wheels, they cannot follow the precise line of the track. Think of a car with it’s steering locked at straight ahead being forced to go round a bend.
Nice coverage of an unusual service - a far cry from the Caledonian Sleeper! I don't recall that you have taken trains in Wales before. Maybe a journey to Holyhead is in the future? There were no "good old days". My first Amtrak rides in the late 1970s had the same toilets; you could see the ground speeding by through the drain!
I took my bike up to Merthyr on one of those things and it wasn't pleasant. By the way Barry Island's station's history recently is sad and a far cry from its glory days. Also 9:37 the Millennium Stadium was built on the site of the original National Stadium. However overall the Pacers have served me well ever since I was young
I used to commute to Leeds from a doncaster suburb. We got a class 321 electric train that was pretty decent. But if it was out of service, we'd get a pacer replacement. People would be left stranded on the platform as the thing filled up, due to its low speed it always arrived late because it couldnt keep up with the timetable and i dread to think of the horrific injuries and death had one of those had a high speed impact, especially for the poor souls on the bus style bench seats sitting facing in reverse. Owch. I used to refer to them as bus trains.
Think my last Pacer experience was Kirkgate to Sheffield in Feb 19. It got stopped just outside Wakefield due to the storm as the driver couldn't see out of the window such was the intensity of the rain, which was also streaming in through the carriage doors, windows and roof. The latter then running into the light sockets and blowing them up. Every time I watch Final Destination 3.......
The screeching noise at 8:00 known as flange squeal is where the flanges on the wheels rub against the inside of the rail. It's more prominent on the Pacers due to their fixed wheelsets.
I traveled on them for many years in the north. Omg. Try the ones with bus style old seats, the ones in your video are luxury and you will see regarding being bounced about. The leak, smell, cold in winter and hot in summer. Especial when there crowded. I’m happy to see them go, but will miss them too lol
Welcome to Wales and another great video. Even got to see my workplace (The Prison) when going through Queens St. Worth noting that the Millennium Stadium was renamed the Principality Stadium a couple years back, after a sponsorship deal.
Used to use them on the Cardiff QS-Coryton line and also between Horsforth and Leeds. Brings back childhood memories but it's probably best they're gone now
I really liked this video. Even than another ride on a high-speed train with all the same amount of luxury . So make more of these trips. I will welcome them very much
I remember when these things were brand new, we called them "bacon slicers" and "nodding donkeys". A journey from Skipton to Lancaster on jointed track with one of these was an experience I'm in no rush to repeat!
I'm very familiar with these Trains. I spent a good few years commuting into Cardiff from Pontypridd then Treorchy. £96 a month a few years back. They have a zone system, so it was the same price to go from Treorchy to Barry Island as it was to Cardiff. The scenery is nice, but it was pretty soul destroying taking in excess of an hour some days to travel 20 miles. You get used to the screeching and bumpiness, but like you said the bumpiness wasn't too bad. More often than not late, and absolutely roasting in the summer. There's also an alcohol ban on trains past Pontypridd to Aberdare, Treherbert and Merthyr.
Could've mentioned a little bit about Barry Town's incredible underdog victory against Porto in the Champions League. One of the scorers (Michael Flynn) is now manager of Newport County and they're also famous for performing 'giant killings' against much bigger teams.
So this is your first Welsh rail experience and a fond (haha) farewell to the dreaded Pacers. Well, as you've probably read in the comments (and I read sometime ago in the Rail Media) "That's not all folks!" You will be able to experience the Pacer bumps and grinds (Squeals too) on your friendly heritage railway soon. I had a chuckle when I noticed the journey was to start in our former female Aussie Prime Minister's birthplace. Looks a bit better than when she was there half a century ago (although I believe the Welsh Valleys still have their social/economic problems). I had a further chuckle at your comment on the number of sunny days in Wales - might get some bite back over that one. River name change from Taff to Tiff? Hmm! At least the seats were far better than the original bus seats (yes, I've seen the bus seats and felt them on a Class 142 from Darlington to Shildon). I do hope they save the comfortable seats and recycle them into a Class 700 or two (I experienced the Iron Board for only one stop from Three Bridges to Gatwick Airport on my final morning in the UK). The best thing going for the Pacer, of course, is the wide open views one can experience as well as the bounce, rattle, pong and squeal. Perhaps that's why they may be popular on the heritage lines for those non-steam days when the scenery rather than the train is the attraction (They'll be going a lot slower then than in former regular service, so probably less bounce, rattle,pong and squeal). My final chuckle for this clip was at 15.22 when a fellow passenger at the other end of the carriage displayed a bit of his posterior to your camera before adjusting his jacket. I'm sure he was giving the train the 'Big A' (even though the seats were a bit more comfortable than expected. Enough dry, witty humour from the convict colony! Stay safe and well and I look forward to next Friday's offering. Cheers from Michael in beautiful locked down Melbourne (hope we're set free again by next Friday).
My only ride on a Pacer was a round trip from Darlington to Whitby, many years ago (about 1990?). The line was not very well-maintained (I think it may have been under consideration to be closed at that time), and the Pacer bumped and bounced and jolted mercilessly while screeching its wheels at us for the entire 2-hour trip. The only thing worse than that in my train-riding experience was having to climb into another one 2 days later for the return trip. At Darlington I heaved a massive sigh of relief as I settled into quiet, comfort, and smooth riding on an IC125 to London. Never rode in a Pacer again.
Have traveled on the pacer a few times from Carnforth to skipton or keighley ? From Carnforth to settle junction you wondered how it didn't jump the tracks very rough ride . but once joining the settle main line to Leeds the ride was quite good . for a pacer.
Pacer heaven to my home town love these old rattlers have travelled on them hundreds of times in the valleys over the last 30 years they gave awesome service to the valleys miss these old timers just a massive fan of the valley Pacers now sadly gone 😥
OMG !! This is so strange !! I just came here from your video of GWR refurbished 40 year old train from Exerter to Bristol ...I commented there saying it was funny as I just checked the price for a train between Devon to Bristol to Newport ( Wales ) two days ago for my future travel there with mom ,then now this !!! I just did reading of reviews of a hotel on Barry Island Wales yesterday several hours ago !!! LOLLOLLOL I am not joking !! WOW !!! I feel like someone's trying to say something to me !!! I'd love to see more WALES videos !!! Lol. 👍😃💜💜💜👍🥁🎵🐉🎤💕💞
We don't normally get so many carriages on the Merthyr route, it's usually only 2. The poor passengers after Pontypridd or Treforest, are the ones that have to stand.
I think he allowed for a leap year. Watching from NZ,,,, I have been wondering over the months and different channels just what it is that strikes so much affection for Sprinters and Pacers.... on my 3 trips to the UK in past 18 years, i never had the pleasure....
We had these until fairly recently on the coastal route from Hull to Scarborough. I wasn't sorry to see them go! Noisy, rough ride and either too hot or too cold. Not bad for a local hop but always felt sorry for those going further.
I once wrote a story where a Pacer crashes over a cliff edge between Bridlington and Scarborough (after hitting a buckled track section) and unearths a Viking ship - the screeching and 'nodding donkey' motion were key plot devices. Good-bye Pacers - long live Vikings!
Im very surprised you don't like these trains mate, up until now we have shared very similar opinions on British trains. I absolutely love pacers, you say we'll get "better" trains to replace them, I'm still waiting for something better than a pacer to be built. I guess I'll wait a long time 😆 great video as always
@@DylansTravelReports im not keen on any modern train but i genuinely like the pacers especially the 142s. Living in the Highlands I don't get much in the way of trains with character. I'm definitely not keen on the 195s or 331s
I'm glad you found the announcements annoying, I've complained to ScotRail about repetitive announcements, but they are so pig-headed that they actually believe that passengers are so stupid they need to be told the same things over and over again.
‘Nodding Donkeys’ as they were called running on unwelded rails, particularly running between Leeds and Lancaster, and the unbelievable scream of the wheels on the tight curve approaching Carnforth. My worst memory of them was travel late one Sunday evening during the winter between Southport and Manchester, many years ago, and the heating had broken, yet the Pacer was still in service, I didn’t have the warmest coat on and I froze for an hour and 15 minutes on the awful thing!!
Those seats look positively luxurious compared to the ones I remember on the Manchester - Liverpool route in 2005-2008ish!
They were still going until last or 2 years ago. Same stretched out seats as well I'll bet.
Thank you for a very fair appraisal of the Class 143 Pacers ! They were certainly noisy, and squealed badly on sharp bends ! As you rightly say, considering they were built to a very cheap specification, the fact they have lasted for 35 instead of 20 years is remarkable ! All credit to the Engineers who looked after them too.
The engineers deserve medals!
I remember travelling through the Severn Tunnel on a Pacer one warm summer day - the noise was deafening!
I've been through Totley Tunnel (between Sheffield and the Peak District; the longest in England) on the Pacers several times...
8:06 It's called flange squeal. From the US, we don't ever complain about public transport for fear they'll reduce, remove, or kill it entirely
Looking at what's left of the U.S. passenger rail systems (both heavy- and light rail) they've done a good job already of wiping it out.
I used to use these horrid boxes on wheels in the early 90's between Sheffield and Huddersfield. They were noisy, uncomfortable (the heating in the winter I think had 2x settings - The centre of the sun, or off), and just awful to ride in. You could not have a conversation when onboard, especially in the summer when those windows acted like a huge greenhouse on even the luke warm of days, and all the windows were flung open.
They needed scrapping then. The fact that its 2021, and they have only just been retired, is quite amazing....
Ah yes, I remember them on that line. Now just sprinters there too!
Welcome Dylan to my world! Well was.Up until 6 months ago one of those was my regular commute to work!
The next inbound service is the Class 143 Pacer to Newport Sims Metals. Calling at Newport Sims Metals only.
This service is not a return service and will be demolished upon arrival at Newport Sims Metals.
Thank you for your co-operation.
"Please ensure you keep all your personal possessions with you, as we'll probably find it hard to separate them from the remains of the train..."
That’s not even funny
@@mattval6293 kinda was
That’s hilarious :-)) love it!!
Some people may get nostalgic about the Pacers but as someone who has suffered them I say Good Riddance. They should have been retired years ago.
They should never have been built in the first place
@@chrisinnes2128 What would you have suggested instead? More Sprinters? Areas like Scotland never entertained them, others like Cornwall had them ousted earlier on due to their acute unsuitability. I think their role as stopgaps (rather than close lines altogether) wasn't fully misguided, though they were never intended to last this long. Of course, that's easy for me to say, living in the Home Counties, where we were largely devoid of the things!
How dare u !
@@ianmcclavin You were very lucky (except maybe Connex) - we had them in the North West and they were awful.
@@MIKIEC71 Yes, I had plenty of rides on them though. I had a cousin who lived near Shaw & Crompton Station on the Oldham Loop, (now Metrolink, but then with Pacers mostly), my first journey on one was from Plymouth to Newquay (the squeals on leaving Par were unbelievable, no wonder they left Cornwall soon after), and one of my last journeys on one was from Fishguard to Cardiff connecting with the ship from Rosslaire!! Plus journeys from Preston to Colne, Lancaster to Heysham...thankfully no more!
Used to travel on these a lot in South Wales - first time I got on one I thought I had boarded a maintenance train by mistake (surely a passenger train wouldn't be that noisy !) As to the three days of good weather - I always seemed to be stuck at signals gasping for air at those very small open windows due to the sauna temperatures !
I remember a Bristow cartoon where the train crew said they were turning up the aircon to a higher temperature and moving at a snails pace and the other guy says “love it-love it”
I'm surprised you didn't bump into Geoff Marshall.....
I rode these many years ago when visited my friend in Merthyr. Back then they were the old style seats, which I prefer.
now I cannot unsee a collab between Geoff and Dylan XD
I filmed one of these Geoff was on!
Cool
My only Pacer ride was on the Harrogate Loop line out of Leeds to York. Bouncy, loud, screeching on curves, overcrowded and hot. So you really had it good on this run! Please come back to Wales: there's a long distance run from Milford Haven to Manchester, and hopefully the loco-hauled Cardiff to Holyhead (or Bangor?) dining car express will soon be back in service. Looking forward to your review of the HST Castle Class service. I look forward to your videos every week. Well done!
I can't believe you didn't show the pacers first class compartments 🤣😂
I live at the first stop of this exact line, exactly your final stop, and this is just nostalgic. gonna miss these
Used to go on the pacers from Salford Crescent to Entwistle, where there is a rather nice pub. Inevitably, we would be absolutely plastered on the last train back at night. On one occasion, a little lad with us climbed onto the luggage rack and crawled through the supporting bracket (had to be seen to be believed). Many other stories of riding those things. This was back in the day of the bus seats. Happy memories.
Strawbury Duck perchance?!
@@jamesrobinson9194 Absolutely. They did the meanest chile on the planet.
Diolch yn fawr, Dylan! I once travelled from Cardiff to Bridgend by. Pacer and lived to tell the tale. Seventy or so mph in a Pacer was so hilariously frightening that I never did it again .. .
I've suffered in crowded Pacers between Manchester and Sheffield quite a few times. On one occasion we were packed in like sardines and the driver couldn't get to his cab, we all had to shuffle round to let him through. On another occasion I broke my journey between Leeds and Sheffield at Wakefield to wait for a proper train.
It was the engine noise as much as the screeching on corners that got to me.
Thanks for the video, very nice as usual!
I used to take the GWR Pacers very frequently for a year, commuting from Exeter to Barnstaple and back. That is an old, single track, very scenic route along the river Exe but with lots of bends and old bumpy tracks. Beautiful scenery but it took 70 minutes for an odd 35 miles, with lots and lots of screeching and bumping around. Winter mornings were particularly freezing with a few sparse heaters here and there under some seats (just like in buses!). I used to be able to see my breath inside the train. I would cover myself well, try to make myself less uncomfortable in the tiny leg space, and try to catch a little shut-eye while being shaken around, lullabied by screeching metal... Not the best experience, I can tell you that!
I have the same perversion as many traino-philes of enjoying rides on old, outdated and semi-broken machines, but I am glad they are leaving regular service.
Being from Greece, I recall different but similarly dodgy experiences with the old Craiova diesel engines that OSE used to have until the late 90s. Roaring powerful engines, smokey as hell and running a 1 in 3 chance to break down in the middle of a mountain pass...
Massively relieved you did not do a toilet report - they were always in a condition that even a crack-user would think twice about ...
So funny and true.
He can't do one as they are locked oou
Hi guys. I don't really like Pacers, but the last ones were better because they were more comfortable. A 35 year stop gap until:
GWR 800s send HSTs to Regional routes, HSTs send Sprinters to routes that replace Pacers.
TFW 769s temporarily replace Pacers until the 756s and 398s come
Northern 195 and 331s directly replace Pacers, and send the Sprinters around Manchester to the Northeast to replace the Pacers there.
When you think that these trains were built back in the days when many routes on Southern still had the old slam-door VEPs or CIGs, they may have been cheap, but they were also very state-of-the-art!
I've never heard of either of them, had to look them up. They look like nice, funky little trains!
😊 I miss slam door trains.
@@sapphireseptember They weren't that little, serving the main lines between London and the South Coast. The CIG/BIGs were the most comfortable, although not as comfortable as the compartment trains of my youth....
Travelled in these many times on the Exmouth branch. You are right about the ride. If the track is good they are "ok", but back in the day before CWR on the branch the ride was all over the place. The up/down bouncing was notable, hence the "nodding donkey" epithet.
Won't miss them. Always avoided them on mixed stock like the one you reviewed.
Thanks Dylan! It was a real treat to witness some history in the making!
The screeching reminds me of how the subway here in New York used to be before they got better equipment and welded all the rails, and those trains actually had all 8 wheels, so I have no idea why they were so noisy!
Our only time in Wales was the north coast line to Holyhead, it’s a nice line with the sea on one side, and there’s also Conwy Castle.
You should have heard the screeching on the tight curves in Cornwall, when they were first introduced back in 1987. They were promptly withdrawn from there about a year later because of there being too many routes with such curves in the area. My first ever journey on one was from Plymouth all the way to Newquay. You should have heard the wheel flanges on leaving Par!! And I'm told Liskeard to Coombe Junction on the Looe branch was even worse!
@@ianmcclavin It's odd that no-one assessed the suitability of these fixed-axle coaches for negotiating sharp curves: I've always thought that such an assessment was essential for safety reasons, at least.
@@ianmcclavin They were sent "oop North", still painted brown and cream, and O occasionally travelled on them.
@@None-zc5vg Yes, the following year, 1988, I went to see my cousin and his wife who had moved to Old Crompton, which is near Shaw & Crompton station, now part of the Metrolink (then just called "Shaw," and part of the national network). There were Pacers, Sprinters, and even what we would now call the odd "Heritage Unit" on the line then. Some of the Pacers were still carrying "Devon & Cornwall" maps inside, from their previous experiences! Also, the first time I used the line, the Pacer started malfunctioning with the engine, and we were delayed by about 10-15 minutes, at a place called "Failsworth," ironically..
@@ianmcclavin Don't give Failsworth the honour of being a "place"
Another great video Dylan. As an infrequent railway traveller I never found the Pacers that bad. You have to remember they were introduced as a VERY cheap means of keeping some lines open and should be applauded for that. They were kept running too long. I have to say that if I have a journey to make and given the option of a Pacer or a normal bus. I'd pick the Pacer option without a doubt.
Thanks!
My Pacer experience was one of a rough (getting thrown around) noisy ride between Barnstaple and Exeter St Davids, GWR still seem to be using one or two on Exmouth/Paignton services. The scrap heap is where they deserve to be!.
What are the new class 158s like Brian? I live in Bideford and haven’t had chance to use them yet, once the COVID dies down I will have to have a ride down to Exeter :-)
@@littleratbag1111 The 158's are fine, the only real issue I have with them is the poor leg room, I am only 5'7'' (172cm) and the seat I was sat in my knees almost touched the back of the seat in front!. GWR seem to be using class 150's a lot on this route. The 158's in my opinion are no where near as comfortable as SWR's 159's.
At 0:49 : "let's have a look around the station!" ... i thought that sounded highly optimistic
Yes I’ve used them for many years. My local train from my local station. I didn’t realise they were withdrawn from service and I’m thrilled. The shrieking is due to the wheel configuration, they should have had eight wheels on two bogies. The replacements are cast offs from Thames Link but should be a slight improvement.!
Yes, while you have to feel a bit sorry for passengers around Manchester and The Valleys that they are getting 35-year-old cast-offs from London, the Flex units (or original 319 configurations for some of the trains around Manchester) are still a heck of a sight better than the Pacers and Sprinters that they are replacing ... so it is a step forwards, even if not a very big one. But remember that the Flex trains for South Wales are only a stop-gap until the actual new new trains come along in a couple of years' time, whereas Northern seems to be looking to keep theirs.
Was certainly a nice shock to see my old uni trek on this channel. Not surprised that you filled the trip between Abercynon and after Troedyrhiw with b-roll as it's the most unspectacular stretch of trees and hills in south wales, as I'm sure you can attest to!
Second comment. Those trains look like they're beautifully maintained. Clean. Pity air conditioning couldn't be retrofitted along with handicapped access. You picked a gorgeous day for this one.
Were you watching the same video as me? Granted the seats were better than what I remembered but the rest looked pretty awful to me - and no serviceable toilets.
The Millennium Stadium (now called the Principality Stadium) is built on the site of the old Cardiff Arms Park. They reused the land just like what they did with Wembley Stadium. Traveled on a Pacer a few times between Manchester Victoria and Ashton Under Lyne. More rattles than Mothercare and very uncomfortable when you’re 6’6”. Thankfully it was only a journey of 10 minutes and one stop.
Pacers are among my favourite trains, very sorry to see them go. Used to ride Northern ones brom Leeds or Skipton to Morecambe or Heysham Port.
I have a feeling that the unit here was one that once had Metro livery running Leeds to Skipton when it had its original bus seats with the chromed hand rail/head rest
Have been there in 2010 when they were the backbone of Cardiff suburban transport. And by age easily topped by the bubble car going forth and back between Queen Street and Bay. They were not that bad compared to their reputation. As a rail geek I liked them for their extraordinaryness.
Hey friend, my name is Marcos, I'm from Brazil, I like to watch videos, I've dreamed of being a machinist since I was a child, congratulations on the videos
Those refurbished Pacers in Wales were luxurious compared to the ones run by Northern Rail around Manchester. For shortish journeys the Welsh ones were ok. The bus seats on the Northern ones were bad but the very worst were the little individual seats. They were almost designed to be uncomfortable, offering no support at all. They were never refurbished. I have travelled on them on rainy winter days with water sloshing about in the overhead light fittings and where the conductor had to kick the folding doors at each stop to make them close. The journey from Southport to Manchester took 45 minutes in the 1920s. It took the Pacers 1 1/2 hours to do it. They were awful from the day they were introduced until the day they were taken out of service.
As someone who occasionally travelled to Blackpool and Preston on the stopping train (I grew up in Kirkham but at the wrong end of town for the station, so would more often get the bus for convenience) Pacers were the bane of my life, especially if I was getting the last train home. They don’t mix well with beer and youthful enthusiasm.
Great video Dylan! I love the vinyl that says “these trains will terminate soon”. I never had the chance to go on one but they’re now classics in their own right.
Thanks!
Great shot of the whole train; you're right, it looks like a bus. Overall, probably ok for a short ride, but no restroom in the car, no a/c, no catering or seat service, and enough stops to make you feel stress, I think it was time they traded them in for something newer and more luxurious. Price was ok and flexibility between trains was a nice bonus. Looking forward to your report on the modern train you passed on the way.
It looks like a bus because it was indeed based on the Leyland ‘National’ bus!
Now to embrace the fact they're gonna be used on countless heritage lines/tours.
Doubt it, they're all going for scrap like the 142 hellhounds
@@thatlonewolfguy2878 (from the TfW website) "However, not all the Pacers are heading for the scrapyard. On 15 February, unit 142006 headed for its second career on the Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway, a heritage railway based at Cynheidre, Carmarthenshire. Several Class 143s have also been earmarked for preservation, and their next homes will be revealed over the coming months."
Class 143 Pacer to Newport Sims Metals. Calling at Newport Sims Metals only.
This is a one way service and will be immediately demolished upon arrival.
Thank you.
@@thatlonewolfguy2878: Don't know whether you're referring to the Pacer family or just 143s, but one already ran away while it was being delivered for preservation. (That's on top of the already preserved 141 unit!)
It's perhaps surprising how many Pacers have been acquired by various Heritage Railways and such-like around G.B. - nearly 40 x 142/143's and almost all of the 144's. I expect they want something cheap and 'cheerful'(?).
I only rode on one once when I was on my way to buy a car. I'm glad the ticket was one way...
Remember the pacers coming into service, spent many an hour travelling from my then hometown, Cleethorpes to Yorkshire on them. They were bumpy as hell, very squeaky, but will miss them
What an enthusiastic, if silly anorak!
Hey man, just discovered your channel, absolutely love the content, written style, etc.. it's awesome to watch and chillax at the end of a stressful day! Thank you! 🤗❤️
You might want to change the text on your film Dylan. The Welsh language may well not be spoken by many but in North Wales, and West and Mid Wales it's actually the main language used and most people in these areas are Welsh first language. It's actually a language that's on the increase so some people may be offended by that comment.
I never really hated the Pacers but they lasted well past their sell by date. On the other hand they kept some services going that might otherwise have been cut altogether.
I've commuted on these trains for almost 20 years. I miss the screech on the rails letting me now my service was pulling in 😂
Excellent report. I'm glad I was able to get a ride on a pacer in July 2019 from Cardiff to Caerphilly and back, except it was 28 degrees!
Nice video! First time that i see Welsh trains and scenarios!
Poor Dylan! You deserve a medal for making this trip🎖
I was there from Friday 28th may best 5 days of bright sunny weather in a while stayed with my uncle a toured - he lives in Pontypridd but showed me almost all there is to see in Wales - Its so much better than seeing it from a screen - You have to visit! Going back soon sure 👍
I was on a fairly-full Class 142 Pacer out of Lime Street one time and it was grinding away so much that I honestly didn't think we were going to get to the top of the incline into Edge Hill station. We only just made it - at a very slow crawl!
Great Videos Chap. and Pacers are Acers.
Acer was the name of one of the AMC Pacers in Cars 2!!!!!!
Ah yes, I remember these when visiting family in Trehafod. You could tell when a pacer was pulling into the station from two miles away by the flange squeel that resonated around the valleys.
I have travelled on the Pacer trains more times than I care to remember. Even some journeys with the old style coach seats. You tend to get to love them in the end, even with all that screeching and bouncing. Kind of sad to see them go. I would have loved to have met you, if you had said you was coming to south wales. Could have travelled on a few trains whilst you was here. Also, sometimes we do have more than 3 days of sun, not often but it does happen. Just a sidenote, you got the name of the River Taff spelt correctly going into Cardiff, but as you go to the valleys, you named it the River Tiff. Till next time. Keep up the good work and stay safe.
Thanks! Ik, they are so hideous, that I actually like them lol
Might be uncomfortable inside but the scenery makes up for it
Thanks again Dylan
Nice to see you in Wales. Ive been waiting patiently LOL......
Barry was the home to Woodhams scrap yard. The yard that's considered by some to be the saviour of heritage steam locomotives in the UK. When i was younger you could walk through the fence and mingle amongst them, 100's of Locos. Please come back to Wales, ride the class 175 (coming to end of life as well) all the way down to Milford Haven. Sit on the left side for coastal views. Or do the heart of Wales run, fantastic scenery but it stops about a million times.
Thanks, Dylan ! Very nice video.
Thanks Louis!
Great tribute video Dylan! I've only travelled on them in Greater Manchester. Personally couldn't stand the things. My best friend still taunts me about the journey to this day :-)
Nice trip report, I enjoyed the ride.
I agree that the generous windows are lovely!
I've only heard wheel squealing that loud on the Underground.
Same here, why are they so noisy?
@@sapphireseptember I believe it's because they don't have bogies.
@@paulbaker654 Daft question, but do you mean Pacers or Tube trains?
I know Pacers only have four wheels as opposed to the eight of most other trains*, but I don't know how that system is different to bogies (and what is the Pacer wheel system called?)
I don't know an awful lot about Tube trains, and I was asking why they're so noisy!
*FLIRT trains spring to mind, don't know why they look so odd, or why their horn sounds like a strangled duck!
@@sapphireseptember I’m no expert but bogies can rotate relative to the coach body. Therefore when going round a sharp curve the front and rear bogies can be at different angles to accommodate the bend. If a coach has only 4 wheels, they cannot follow the precise line of the track. Think of a car with it’s steering locked at straight ahead being forced to go round a bend.
@@paulbaker654 Thanks! I'm surprised that doesn't damage the tracks or the wheels, the amount of friction that must cause.
I do miss our pacer trains hopefully one day thay will come back
Nice coverage of an unusual service - a far cry from the Caledonian Sleeper! I don't recall that you have taken trains in Wales before. Maybe a journey to Holyhead is in the future?
There were no "good old days". My first Amtrak rides in the late 1970s had the same toilets; you could see the ground speeding by through the drain!
Lowkey going to miss them
I took my bike up to Merthyr on one of those things and it wasn't pleasant. By the way Barry Island's station's history recently is sad and a far cry from its glory days. Also 9:37 the Millennium Stadium was built on the site of the original National Stadium. However overall the Pacers have served me well ever since I was young
I used to commute to Leeds from a doncaster suburb. We got a class 321 electric train that was pretty decent. But if it was out of service, we'd get a pacer replacement. People would be left stranded on the platform as the thing filled up, due to its low speed it always arrived late because it couldnt keep up with the timetable and i dread to think of the horrific injuries and death had one of those had a high speed impact, especially for the poor souls on the bus style bench seats sitting facing in reverse. Owch.
I used to refer to them as bus trains.
Think my last Pacer experience was Kirkgate to Sheffield in Feb 19. It got stopped just outside Wakefield due to the storm as the driver couldn't see out of the window such was the intensity of the rain, which was also streaming in through the carriage doors, windows and roof. The latter then running into the light sockets and blowing them up. Every time I watch Final Destination 3.......
The screeching noise at 8:00 known as flange squeal is where the flanges on the wheels rub against the inside of the rail. It's more prominent on the Pacers due to their fixed wheelsets.
I traveled on them for many years in the north. Omg. Try the ones with bus style old seats, the ones in your video are luxury and you will see regarding being bounced about.
The leak, smell, cold in winter and hot in summer. Especial when there crowded. I’m happy to see them go, but will miss them too lol
Not as bad as the 38 stock which were still in use on the Isle of Wight at the start of 2021!
Rip 38 stock (1938-2021; intesting thats 83 years, 38 backwards!)
Welcome to Wales and another great video. Even got to see my workplace (The Prison) when going through Queens St.
Worth noting that the Millennium Stadium was renamed the Principality Stadium a couple years back, after a sponsorship deal.
Ah yes, I had a good view of both Queen Street and the prison from my Premier Inn just across the road.
@@DylansTravelReports Yes, the best view in Cardiff 😅
Used to use them on the Cardiff QS-Coryton line and also between Horsforth and Leeds. Brings back childhood memories but it's probably best they're gone now
It's not an authentic pacer experience if it doesn't have bench seats!
Don't make the lad suffer any more than he had to already! 1hr 34mins on a Pacer is punishment enough!
true true, i prefer bench seats over the newer ones
I really liked this video. Even than another ride on a high-speed train with all the same amount of luxury . So make more of these trips. I will welcome them very much
I remember when these things were brand new, we called them "bacon slicers" and "nodding donkeys". A journey from Skipton to Lancaster on jointed track with one of these was an experience I'm in no rush to repeat!
I'm very familiar with these Trains. I spent a good few years commuting into Cardiff from Pontypridd then Treorchy. £96 a month a few years back. They have a zone system, so it was the same price to go from Treorchy to Barry Island as it was to Cardiff. The scenery is nice, but it was pretty soul destroying taking in excess of an hour some days to travel 20 miles. You get used to the screeching and bumpiness, but like you said the bumpiness wasn't too bad. More often than not late, and absolutely roasting in the summer. There's also an alcohol ban on trains past Pontypridd to Aberdare, Treherbert and Merthyr.
Could've mentioned a little bit about Barry Town's incredible underdog victory against Porto in the Champions League.
One of the scorers (Michael Flynn) is now manager of Newport County and they're also famous for performing 'giant killings' against much bigger teams.
When did this happen? It must pre-date me 😅
Is it just me or, even while never having travelled anywhere in Europe, I could bloody smell the cushion and feel the heat?!
So this is your first Welsh rail experience and a fond (haha) farewell to the dreaded Pacers. Well, as you've probably read in the comments (and I read sometime ago in the Rail Media) "That's not all folks!" You will be able to experience the Pacer bumps and grinds (Squeals too) on your friendly heritage railway soon. I had a chuckle when I noticed the journey was to start in our former female Aussie Prime Minister's birthplace. Looks a bit better than when she was there half a century ago (although I believe the Welsh Valleys still have their social/economic problems). I had a further chuckle at your comment on the number of sunny days in Wales - might get some bite back over that one. River name change from Taff to Tiff? Hmm! At least the seats were far better than the original bus seats (yes, I've seen the bus seats and felt them on a Class 142 from Darlington to Shildon). I do hope they save the comfortable seats and recycle them into a Class 700 or two (I experienced the Iron Board for only one stop from Three Bridges to Gatwick Airport on my final morning in the UK). The best thing going for the Pacer, of course, is the wide open views one can experience as well as the bounce, rattle, pong and squeal. Perhaps that's why they may be popular on the heritage lines for those non-steam days when the scenery rather than the train is the attraction (They'll be going a lot slower then than in former regular service, so probably less bounce, rattle,pong and squeal). My final chuckle for this clip was at 15.22 when a fellow passenger at the other end of the carriage displayed a bit of his posterior to your camera before adjusting his jacket. I'm sure he was giving the train the 'Big A' (even though the seats were a bit more comfortable than expected. Enough dry, witty humour from the convict colony! Stay safe and well and I look forward to next Friday's offering. Cheers from Michael in beautiful locked down Melbourne (hope we're set free again by next Friday).
Great trip. I think this weekend I watched at least 2 video about Railbus.
My only ride on a Pacer was a round trip from Darlington to Whitby, many years ago (about 1990?). The line was not very well-maintained (I think it may have been under consideration to be closed at that time), and the Pacer bumped and bounced and jolted mercilessly while screeching its wheels at us for the entire 2-hour trip. The only thing worse than that in my train-riding experience was having to climb into another one 2 days later for the return trip. At Darlington I heaved a massive sigh of relief as I settled into quiet, comfort, and smooth riding on an IC125 to London. Never rode in a Pacer again.
1 hour and 34 minutes on a pacer.
If that isn't the definition of dedication then I don't know what is
Have traveled on the pacer a few times from Carnforth to skipton or keighley ? From Carnforth to settle junction you wondered how it didn't jump the tracks very rough ride . but once joining the settle main line to Leeds the ride was quite good . for a pacer.
Pacer heaven to my home town love these old rattlers have travelled on them hundreds of times in the valleys over the last 30 years they gave awesome service to the valleys miss these old timers just a massive fan of the valley Pacers now sadly gone 😥
Oh I remember the old bench seats catching a Valley Lines (before Transport For Wales took over) into Cardiff Queen St.
The Pacers are officially gone, and replaced by Civities on Northern and Sprinters on GWR.
Eventually the 197 and Stadlers on TFW.
castle is cool on google earth. great stuff Dylan
I see Ponty hasn’t changed much since my student days in the 90s!
Great video Dylan.
Thanks!
OMG !! This is so strange !! I just came here from your video of GWR refurbished 40 year old train from Exerter to Bristol ...I commented there saying it was funny as I just checked the price for a train between Devon to Bristol to Newport ( Wales ) two days ago for my future travel there with mom ,then now this !!! I just did reading of reviews of a hotel on Barry Island Wales yesterday several hours ago !!! LOLLOLLOL I am not joking !! WOW !!! I feel like someone's trying to say something to me !!! I'd love to see more WALES videos !!! Lol. 👍😃💜💜💜👍🥁🎵🐉🎤💕💞
We don't normally get so many carriages on the Merthyr route, it's usually only 2. The poor passengers after Pontypridd or Treforest, are the ones that have to stand.
“Wales’s three days of annual sunshine” I think it’s two actually
I think he allowed for a leap year.
Watching from NZ,,,, I have been wondering over the months and different channels just what it is that strikes so much affection for Sprinters and Pacers.... on my 3 trips to the UK in past 18 years, i never had the pleasure....
As a resident of the verdant principality i can assure you that the weather is in 3 categories, raining, just stopped raining and going to rain soon.
😂
Fantastic video. Great work. New friend here 👍🏴
Thanks!
We had these until fairly recently on the coastal route from Hull to Scarborough. I wasn't sorry to see them go! Noisy, rough ride and either too hot or too cold. Not bad for a local hop but always felt sorry for those going further.
I once wrote a story where a Pacer crashes over a cliff edge between Bridlington and Scarborough (after hitting a buckled track section) and unearths a Viking ship - the screeching and 'nodding donkey' motion were key plot devices. Good-bye Pacers - long live Vikings!
Im very surprised you don't like these trains mate, up until now we have shared very similar opinions on British trains. I absolutely love pacers, you say we'll get "better" trains to replace them, I'm still waiting for something better than a pacer to be built. I guess I'll wait a long time 😆 great video as always
Thanks! Tbf, the Civitys that Northern got to replace theirs are worse imo.
@@DylansTravelReports im not keen on any modern train but i genuinely like the pacers especially the 142s. Living in the Highlands I don't get much in the way of trains with character. I'm definitely not keen on the 195s or 331s
Well done for saying bora da
Gunna Miss These Trains :( i lived in Wales and i can say they get more then 3 days of sunshine in fact it can get really hot
I'm glad you found the announcements annoying, I've complained to ScotRail about repetitive announcements, but they are so pig-headed that they actually believe that passengers are so stupid they need to be told the same things over and over again.
Coffees cakes and trains: Annoying? but surely the announcements are repeated for the benefit of those boarding at intermediate stations?
I loved these Pacers
‘Nodding Donkeys’ as they were called running on unwelded rails, particularly running between Leeds and Lancaster, and the unbelievable scream of the wheels on the tight curve approaching Carnforth. My worst memory of them was travel late one Sunday evening during the winter between Southport and Manchester, many years ago, and the heating had broken, yet the Pacer was still in service, I didn’t have the warmest coat on and I froze for an hour and 15 minutes on the awful thing!!
Better than the old class 101-110 DMUs they replaced in the 1980s.