There was a Pacer on Blackpool North Express again yesterday!
142030 on the Blackpool North Express today so it seems this will be a regular allocation from now on
So already it looks like the timetable change seems to have brought some passengers back some pacers to the Liverpool - Blackpool North service , up until the timetable change 142's did seem to be a rarity.
(21/05/2015 17:18)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]So already it looks like the timetable change seems to have brought some passengers back some pacers to the Liverpool - Blackpool North service , up until the timetable change 142's did seem to be a rarity.
I wouldn't say that Class 142s were necessarily a rarity on the route prior to the recent timetable change. The last time I travelled on it (in either March or April IIRC) the service was operated by a 142 coupled up to a Class 156 - and prior to that it was generally (but not always) a 142. Nevertheless I think it's good to see that 142s are still operating in the North West - albeit for nostalgia reasons
The Liverpool Lime Street-Blackpool North route will remain in the hands of DMUs until at least May 2016 - when Preston-Blackpool electrification is scheduled for completion
Everytime i had been on a liverpool - blackpool service it had been a 150/1 or a 156 in recent years , 142's had moved on to pastures new .
But with TPX needing units from Northern something has to give .
(21/05/2015 19:08)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]Everytime i had been on a liverpool - blackpool service it had been a 150/1 or a 156 in recent years , 142's had moved on to pastures new .
But with TPX needing units from Northern something has to give .
We'll have to agree to disagree on that one then!
The (temporary) loss of the Class 156s to First TPX is being compensated by the extra six Class 319s which are coming later in the year. Those six 156s will be returning to the next Northern franchisee next year anyway - because the Manchester Airport-Blackpool North route (and others) will be transferring to the Northern franchise from April 2016
142's have generally until the timetable change only appeared on the Wigan line at peak hours - it was mostly 156's during most of the day.
Preston - Blackpool electrification is scheduled for completion in May 2017. Current plans are that when the 6 319's are ready, the Liverpool - Blackpool will be cut back to Preston for about 18 months until the wires to Blackpool are ready.
(21/05/2015 22:20)St Helens Rider Wrote: [ -> ]142's have generally until the timetable change only appeared on the Wigan line at peak hours - it was mostly 156's during most of the day.
Preston - Blackpool electrification is scheduled for completion in May 2017. Current plans are that when the 6 319's are ready, the Liverpool - Blackpool will be cut back to Preston for about 18 months until the wires to Blackpool are ready.
To be fair it's generally that time of day I have used services on the Wigan line (usually to St Helens Central) - so that explains why I seemed to get more Pacers than anything else. I've had a few Class 142s on that line at weekends as well - albeit coupled up to another 142 or a Class 156
From what Childwallblues said earlier in this thread the extra six Class 319/3s will be ready to enter traffic in September
There was a 319 at Preston last week with Thameslink on the side - not sure what that one was.