UPDATE: Please read below for a comment regarding the Class 142 Pacers from Northern
According to a Government letter, 13 Class 142s have been granted permission to continue in passenger service until December 2020.
A letter from the Department for Transport to Northern Trains Limited gives permission for the Pacers to continue in service under Regulation 46(4) of the Railways Interoperability Regulations 2011.
The dispensation applies to the fleet of Class 142s operated by Northern Trains Limited only.
The Class 142s need to be coupled with a compliant unit (a train that complies with the Persons with Reduced Mobility guidelines), such as a Class 150, 155, 156, 158.
However, Class 142s will be able to operate alone if they are running services between Southport and Alderley Edge, or Southport and Stalybridge.
Along with these rules, the operator, Northern, must report on progress to replace them every 28 days, until the dispensation expires on 31st December 2020. The full letter can be viewed by clicking here.
The 142s allowed to return to service are 142004, 142018, 142023, 142058, 142065, 142068, 142070, 142071, 142078, 142087, 142090, 142094 and 142095.
However, a spokesperson for Northern told RailAdvent on Thursday, 4th June 2020: “There are currently no plans to operate Pacers on any routes as part of the amended timetables introduced in May. We still have some Pacers in storage and these will be retained as part of our contingency planning.”
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5pm today Monday 6 empty pacer carriages just gone through ince towards Wigan
Hi Ian,
See this:
https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/73/407
Has anybody seen or heard of where the 769s for GWR are? They were meant to enter service in May, but not even seen any driver training commencing on the Thames Valley line.
However, Class 142s will be able to operate alone if they are running services between Southport and Alderley Edge, or Southport and Stalybridge?
Don’t you mean Stockport rather than Southport?
Hi Douglas.
Many thanks for your comment.
I have re-checked the government letter, and it states Southport.
I hope this helps.
Regards
Michael
So Northern are having 13 Class 142s back until December. With the Class 195, Class 331 already in service and hopefully Class 769 to begin service including using them on the Windermere Line.
These pacers are like the daleks which keep returning!!!
Will they ever go
Part of British history now 😀
We need the Doctor to sort them out. Lol.