Class 142 Diesel Multiple Unit ‘Pacer’ 142006 - 55547 & 55597
About
Built in 1985 at Derby and entering service during the same year, 142006 started life in orange Greater Manchester PTE livery.
Known as 'Pacers' these units have the unconventional arrangement of no bogies, instead there are two axles per carriage. Essentially they are Leyland buses on wagon under frames. A design which was only intended as a short-term stop gap, which ended up lasting 36 years.
Having worked in the Manchester area since introduction in 1985, it would be transferred to Cardiff Canton Depot in the early 2000s, where for a brief time it operated in the later white, red and grey Manchester PTE livery.
It was not long until the unit would be repainted into Valley Lines green, white and red and receive an internal refit.
The unit was to ply its trade in South Wales for 20 years, seeing Valley Lines become Arriva Trains Wales and then Transport for Wales.
A plan was put in place for the units to be withdrawn at the end of 2019. The limited mainline standard disabled access and the lack of toilet waste tanks being the biggest reasons for the decision.
The plan was for the class to be replaced by Class 769 units, however major delays in the introduction saw a reprieve, with the eventual withdrawal of the South Wales Class 142 units being the end of December 2020. For 142006, the mainline service curtain would close for it on 23rd December 2020 when it worked 2E13 14.16 Pontypridd to Cardiff Central.
After spending the Christmas period in store at Cardiff Canton depot the unit was moved to Landore depot under its own power on 6th January 2021 for storage pending disposal.
Following an assessment of several units by the LMMR later that month, 142006 was picked for preservation where it was to be stored until road transfer to the railway on 15th February 2021.
Seen at Marshfield in Arriva Trains Wales livery in 2006
Class 142 Factfile
Type: Regional Passenger
Class: 142
Manufacturer / Model: BREL/Leyland Pacer
Fleet Size: 96 x 2-car units
Year of Build: 1985 -87
Construction: Steel underframe. Rivetted steel body, steel outer roof and aluminium center roof. Leyland national bus parts
Length: 15.55 m
Width: 2.80 m
Weight: 24.5t (DMS) 25.0t (DMSL)
Transmission: Voith T211r hydraulic and SCG RF420i final drive
Traction Motors: N/A
Bogies: N/A
Engines: Cummins LTA 10-R, 225 hp at 1950 rpm
Maximum Speed: 75 mph
Traction Type: DMU
Couplers: BSI outer ends. Bar couplers within unit
Builder: BREL Derby / Leyland
Brakes: Tread
Seating: 2+2 SCIX Chapman seating (106 seats per unit)
Gangways: Flexible diaphragm. Within unit only
Doors: Folding bi-parting, 3 per side per unit at ends and centre
Other Features: Public Address
Route Availability: 1
Interoperability: Other Sprinters, Pacers and Turbostars
Formation: Operate as 2-car units (DMS-DMSL) with toilet in one vehicle
Seen at Rhymney in later GMPTE livery, shortly after being transferred from Manchester. Photo courtesy of Bob Masterman
At Southport in original GMPTE livery in June 1993
Photo courtesy of Peter Briggs
At Cardiff Canton prior to its last mainline run on 6th January 2021
In a storage line-up with other TFW 142s at Landore Depot in January 2021. Photo courtesy of Mike Campbell
Seen at Cardiff in Arriva Trains Wales livery in 2006.
Photo courtesy of Paul Fuller.
Carrying Valley Lines livery at Cardiff Central in 2003.
Photo courtesy of Neil Harrison
